Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-09
GRAND ARMY At WORK
Business Meeting Of the Encamp.
ment in Washington in ses.
sion Today
.ToRRAncE's ANNUAL ADDRESS

Former Pension Commissioners Evans
Exonerated Of Charges Made Against
Him-Nine Hundred Thousand Men
Who Took Part in the Civil War
still Livins-Decrease in 6. A. r..
Washington. Oct. 9.-The business
meeting OF the encampment, Grand
Army OF the Republic. began at ten
today in the first Congregational
church. The attendance comprised
about a thousand delegates. AT outset
e resolution, expressing the grief of
the convention over the death of Nc
Kinley and its regret over Roosevelt's
in1isposition Commander-in- chief Tor
rance then delivered his annual adj
dress, after which the reports OF the
general officers were presented.
Gen. Torrance began his address with
touching allusion to the assassination
OF President Mckinley, eulogfzing in
strong terms the dead presidents char
acter and condemning in bitter Lam
guage the crime that struck him down.
He advocated the enactment of laws by
congress which should make certain
the punishment Of any person who
should make an assault on the chief ex-
ecutive. No quibble concerning consti-
Btutional rights, he contended, should be
allowed to stand In the way Of such
Legislation.
"Within the memory OF every member
OF this encampment the most notable
steps In our country's progress have
been taken in the face OF imaginary
constitutional difficulties. American
Institutions are Of priceless value and
4 have cost too much In sacrifice and suf-
ferlng to be put in jeopardy for sin
gle hour, and the gallows and the dun
geon should be the just reward Of every
anarchist who sets foot upon our
shores. or attempts to put in practice
his doctrines OF universal hate and
chaos. =
Continuing, he said that lawlessness
sof speech usually proceeds lawlessness
of act, and added:
We have never had q president who
deserved to be caricatured, and we new
ses will have one that self-respecting
.press or people can AFFORD to hold up
to public ridicule. More respect for
rightful speech, with less appetite for
asensationalism will do much to wither
the evil passions of men. and to pro-
mote the safety and security of both
life and property In this republic"
Taking up the question Of pensions,
Gen. Torrance related the circumstan-
ces connected with the investigation OF
the charges against former Pension
Commissioner Evans. Speaking OF the
report made by the Grand Army's COM
inittee on pensions, Gen. Torrance said
that the acceptance Of the resignation
OF Commissioner Evans by the presi-
dent Immediately followed the presen-
tation of this committees report to
him. Referring further to the effect
produced by this inquiry he said:
aflIeriiltto. (P-218NaaHtwgkefa tn thh
.One most gratifying result of our In
syestigation was to md that no ground
existed for the wholesale charges OF
fraud 50 often made against the pen-
eioners. A large part Of the last report
or Commissioner Evans was taken up
with recital Of cases of fraud COM
#mitted or attempted to be committed
sagainst the government during the pre-
ceding thirty years. but when analyzed
it appeared that very few who had any
military service were parties to such
frauds. Thu violators OF the law were
simply imposters, not soldiers. me
/ said report further showed that the
number OF union soldiers convicted or
crime during the year was but the one
sthousandth part OF per cent OF the
tefal number OF the pension roll. We
challenge any other department or the
government to make as favorable a
showing"
1,he nder-in- chief also took cog
nixance OF the charge that the pen
sion roll contains the names OF more
IInion soldiers than there are Survivors
az the civil war, and pointed out that
there are more than 100000 survivors
Of that war whose names do not APP
near ON roll at all. He advocated
legislation In their behalf, saying:
$8 aFew OF these veterans have q hos
pital record and to large extent they
d comprise the men that marched with
sherman to the sea, and fought with
Grant to Appomatax. They took part
IN the grand review in 1865 and formed
4 part OF those splendid armies OF
brazened and well seasoned veterans
that thrived on very hardships of war.
They we're the last to leave the field
and among the last to apply for relief
at the hands Of the government. For
more than third Of century they
have borne an honorable part in ad-
vancing the interests of the country
and at this late day when in their old
age they apply for help. they should
not be regarded with disfavor because
they did not apply earwlier.'
General Torrance declared that no
pecuniary compensation ever could be
made to those who preserved the Un-
ion. for that was a debt of gratitude
which could not be paid with dollars
and cents
"The patriotic impulse that moved us
to lay all on the altar of our country.
had. he said, "no fellowship with
memenary motive We did not be-
little the grandeur of the cause in
which we engaged, by calculating on
personal gain. The inadequacy of our
pay. but added to the dignity of the
penalties we suffered. Under the pit
iless skies thousands of our comrades
suffered as prisoners of war, but no
complaint escaped their lips. Release
IN ,ar,ns of remuneration of their fealty