The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-10

based on the number OF members IN good
standing at the beginning OF the year Is
3os as against S02 per cent for the pre-
ceding year.
PENSION REPORT
Among the official documents presented
to the encampment to-day was the report
of the committee appointed last year to
investigate the administration OF the Pen
sion Office by the then Pension Commits
sioner Clay Evans. and to then bring the
result of the investigation TO the attention
of the President. The first name signed
TO the report was that OF Gen. Ell Torrance.
comnander-in-chief. who stated in his ad-
dress that as soon as the report was
brought to President Roosevelt's notice
the resignation OF Commissioner Evans was
accepted The committee consisted OF Gen.
Torrance. r. b. Beath, James r. Cerns-
han, {. g; burton, w "a; Spnam' =. =.
and all signed IL except General Black.
who was unable to meet with the commit
tee. He says. however. that he concurs In
The investigation was conducted in Wash
ington and the committee began Its report
by saying that Commissioner Evans AFFORD.
thorough. Speaking OF the results OF their
inquiry into special complaints. they say
that many of these complaints are with
many meritorious claims had been thrown
out. From personal investigation" they
say, I'VE are convinced that scores or
claims are rejected every day that should
The responsibility for these reflections is
laid principally at the door of the medical
point the bureau says: THE deadline, or
place of execution, Of the veterans claims
was found In the medical division of the
bureau, where unlimited discretion seems
to be vested, 10 ignore the reports and rat
ings OF examining surgeons and to mini
mize the soldiers disabilities"
The report closes as follows: I'VE re-
specially submit that Il cannot reasonably
be expected that the pension laws will be
fairly construed and Justly administered in
accordance with their spirit and intention
by those who treat every applicant for
pension with distrust, regard his attorney
as fraud and brand the examining sur
geons as incompetent and dishonest. We
contend that such an attitude on the part
of those intrusted with the breaking OF the
alabaster box of the Nations love disquali.
fes them to administer so sacred trust
In a separate statement General Black.
| who Is an ex-commissoner of pensions.
says: Il was not able TO meet with the
| pension committee when they assembled
| in Washington. / have, however. examined
| the complaints and bureau reports In
number of cases. and fully concur In the
| deductions of the committee as TO the real
hardships to which claimants have been
subjected and with the conclusion Of the
committee that the real obstacle in their
| way IL III lilC w dcHlLBlOu tiiQ Vi tht htaA-
cal division. In my opinion that division
| is not In harmony with the veterans and
| other applicants before the bureau. While
| that division maintains such an attitude,
| whether conscentiously professionally
| or from any other motive, the result must
| be the same, and no commissioner can re-
| lieve from the results save by reorganizing
| that division and seeing to IL that its work
| shall be performed in the spirit of the law.
| Unless such reorganization is under
taken 10 be made by the present commis-
sioner I shall and do join In the resolution
of the committee for a change In the per-
sonnet OF that Office"
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
The greater part of the afternoon session
was devoted to the election of national off,
GERS. the result being as follows: Com
mander-in- chief. Gen. Thomas j. Stewart.
of Pennsylvania; vice commander-in-chief.
William o. Olin. of Massachusetts,; junior
vice commander-in-chief, James Maverill,
| of Georgia.
The election of other officers went over
until tomorrow
There was a sharp contest over the cleo
ton of a commander-in-chief. but II was
concluded by the first ballot. Four candi-
dates were placed in northumberland
Stewart, of Pennsylvania; Gen. John C.
Black, of Illinois; Gen. Daniel Z. Sickles. Of
New York, and John McElroy, of the Dis
trict of Columbia. General Sickles with
| drew before the vote was taken and he him
self seconded the nomination OF General
| Black The first ballot resulted in the cleo
| ton of General Stewart, the vote being as
follows: Stewart, 467; Black. 272; McEl-
roy, IS.
For senior vice commander the only con-
didate I'm opposition to Mr.. Olin was ]. l..
Smith, OF Ohio. Mr.. Olin's vote was 42l
and Mr.. Smiths 326. Mr.. Averill was OPP
posed by L c. Way, of Florida. and Mr.:
Shaw, OF West Virginia Averill received
567 votes, Way 81 and Shaw 26.
While the election of officers was In
progress the encampment received a visit
from a delegation of ladies from the Wom-
ans Relief Corps, consisting of Miss Clara
Barton, Mrs. John A. Logan. Mrs. Ell Tor
rance, Mrs. John c. Black and Mrs. w. G
| Jones. They were escorted TO the plat
form and presented to the encampment.
cheers. Mrs. Jones made a report CT the
operations of the Relief Corps for the year.
showing that 100000 had been expended for
| relief by the corps, while during its entire
history more than s., 900 had been thus
spent AS the ladies fled down the aisle
In taking their departure the delegates rose
to their feet and sang Aud Lang Syne.
At 6 o clock the convention adjourned un-
| til tomorrow.
Thomas j. Stewart, the COMMANDMENTS
| chief-elect was enlisted at Philadelphia on
March s. 1865 and was discharged as "a re-
cruit assigned 10 Company e, One-hundred-
and-thirty-eighth Pennsylvania Volun-
teers'' at Douglas Hospital. Washington,
d. c., on June 20. 1866. He Is the present
adjutant general OF Pennsylvania and mas
been adjutant general OF the National En-
campment of the Grand Army. He has
been prominent in the Grand Army.
~