The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-10-10
STEWART is COMMANDER.
Pennsylvania Man Elected Chief
tof he G. A. r.
INJUSTICE TO THE VETERANS
Report Of Pension Committee Severely
criticises the Medical Division Of
the Bureau for Alleged Attitude Of
Hostility Toward Applicants.

Washington, Oct. 10.-The Grand
Army got down to business yesterday
and the encampment of the order, be.
sides hearing an address from Com
mander-in-Chie Torrance and reports
from a number of officers and com.
mittees. elected new head for the
ensuing year. The new commander-in.
chief of the G.. A. R. is General T. j.
Stewart of Pennsylvania, who was a
leading candidate for the honor year
ago. His competitors were General
John c.. Black of Illinois, a former
commissioner of pensions and Col.
onel John McElroy of this city. The
name of General Daniel Sickles OF
New York city was presented to the
convention, but he withdrew from the
race. William M. Olin of Massachu.
setts was elected vice commander-in.
chief. and James M. Averill of Georgia,
junior vice commander-in-chief.
Aside from the election of these Off.
GERS, the most interesting feature Of
the encampment was the report of the
pension committee of the G. A. r.
This committee severely scored the
medical division of the pension bu
reau, declaring that it was dead line
where were executed the claims OF
veterans seeking pensions. 1t &C
cused the personnel of this division OF
approaching the reports of the eXamin.
ing surgeons throughout the country
with suspicion and distrust and as
made in bad faith. 1t denounced the
reports that extensive frauds were
practiced in pension claims as abso.
lutely baseless.
The Woman's Relief Corps, Daugh.
ters of Veterans and the Ladies of the
G.. A. R. also met in annual convention
yesterday. Thousands of veterans
and their wives, delegates to either
of these organizations, attended army
corps reunions in the big tents on the
White lot or spent the beautiful DC,
tober day in sightseeing. A feature
of the afternoon was the dedication OF
the cornerstone of the proposed me.
mortal bridge to connect Washington
with the National cemetery at Airing.
ton. Secretary Root was the orator
of the occasion.
The Union Veterans union held a
lively session, the question of who
shall succeed Commander-in-C Chief R.
G. Dyrenforth being the principal
cause of the trouble. Recently Com.
mander Meacham of the Department
OF the Potomac secured restraining
order protecting him from removal
from Office, and much Of the ill-feeling
which came up during the last year
was displayed at the meeting, The
session was held behind closed doors
The debate at times was acrimonious
An adjournment was taken to give the
committee on credentials time to sub
was resumed it was announced that
the report would not be made public
at this time
One of the largest receptions Incl
dental to the G. A. r. encampment
season was given by Mrs. Roosevelt
to the patriotic organizations of WON
| en- meeting in national convention dur
| ing the encampment 1t was held a,
the Corcoran Art gallery from to
| O'Clock yesterday afternoon. From
| the time the doors were opened unit
| the close of the reception a constan1
| stream of callers, white and colored
We're introduced to Mrs. Roosevelt. by
| whom they were greeted with a cor
|