The National tribune., 1902-10-16

very few where the dependent veteran can
go and take his wife. To go, means to
be separated from the wife who perhaps
bade him goodbye when he enlisted in
1861. Poor as some of the old fellows are,
they cannot see the justice in forcing them
to leave behind them all that makes life
endurable, the wives who have walked
with them down the same path for 40
years or more, and SO they try to live on
the mere pittance that the Government
doles out to them, rather than go to the
National or State Homes, where the
strictest military rules prevail, where no
woman ever sets her foot, and which are
no better than prisons to many, leaving
the faithful companion to the tender mer-
ces of the world at home. To get around
this condition of affairs, State Homes for
veterans and wives have been established
in many States. The one in which the
Ladies of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie are interested is to be called the Illi-
nois Woman's Soldiers Home, where the
old veteran and his wife may go to spend
their declining years. 1t is estimated that
this building is to cost some S15.OO0 and it
will be supported by the Ladies of the
Grand Army of the Republic and the
Woman's Relief Corps.
One of the early callers on the Conven-
ton was Mr.. B. II. Warner, Chairman of
the Citizens Committee, who had been
busy ever since the Conventions and En-
campments opened Thursday morning
calling upon the various organizations, to
extend to them the courtesies of the city.
He gave the Ladies of the Grand Army of
the Republic hearty welcome, and told
them that they owed the success of their
Convention and the entertainments set be-
fore them to his faithful assistant, Mrs.
Mussey, and her committees of splendid
women. Mrs. Mussey, who accompanied
L. B., hAr han 20. tl,r,
tic applause which greeted this sally, and
amid waving flags and hand-clapping they
were escorted to the doors.
There were few ripples on the calm sur
face of the Convention. The recommended
tions of the National President were most
of them accepted without discussion, as
were the recommendations of the other
officers. nearly all of them being along the
lines of the routine work.
There were many presentations of flow
ers and costly mementoes to the National
President, who has served them so well
from her sick-rOom, most of the time, and
others We're honored with like attentions.
The election of officers, which was taken
up late Friday afternoon, was entirely a
friendly contest, and resulted as follows:
President-Mrs. NJ. Anna Hall, of
Senior Vice President-NErs. Ida
Smith, of Pittsburg, Pa.
Junior Vice President-Mrs. Lydia
Hinkley, of San Francisco, Cal.
Treasurer-AIrs. Anna Michener, OF
Germantown, Pa.
Chaplain-Mrs Mary Stark, of ST.
Louis, Mo.
Counselor-Mrs. Emma Wall, of Kan
sas.
Council of Administration-Mrs. Fow-
Ter, of Colorado; Mrs. Riggs, Of Ohio; Mrs.
Shannon, of Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Hall, the new National President,
is one of the most prominent women in
the Order. She has organized every Circle
in West Virginia, with one exception, and
has instituted a number of Circles in
Ohio. She is Chief Promoter of plan
to found Soldiers Home in West Vir-
ginia, and is at the head of everything
that will promote the interests of the vet
Grams. She is said to be fine parlia-
mentarian, and is up to date through ex
tensive travel and wide observation.