Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-21

| !
dent desires that whe Ever the needs
of the service will ju Fly it and the
laws will permit, pr Srence shall be
| given alike in appoint Int and restora-
ton to honorably di Siarged veterans
of the civil war, who sre fit and we'll
qualified to perform Sle duties OF the
places which they * or are filling.
IF this is proper 9! the national de-
partments it ought Certainly to hold
good in the statv department. Our
present governor has shown a DISPOSE
ton to give reasonable recognition to
the veterans in his appointments, and
for the first time In many years has APP
pointed a soldier in the executive office.
This is such an unusual recognition of
the veterans that l take pleasure in
calling your attention to it. A service
OF four years as custodian of the cap
1tal building has demonstrated to my
Satisfaction that there are many veter-
ans yet able to take suitable care of that
building. There are many veterans un-
able to perform arduous manual labor
that can very acceptably perform the
Janitor work of that building and in the
humble opinion of your depart
ment commander they should be given
the preference for that work so long as
they are able to perform it. The build.
ing is owned by the people of the whole
state, and the minor positions connect
ed with 1t should not be used in the in
terest of any clique or to reward tn,
activities Of any faction, but the whole
state should feel pride in knowing the
men who made the state possible were
being taken care of so far as practica-
BILE in minor positions. The legislature
OF New York has lately passed a bill
giving the veterans who are employed
by cities, counties, towns or villages of
the state additional security in holding
the positions they occupy. Iowa can
not afford to be second to an state in
the union in the care of it's veterans
During the past year one past de-
partment commander has died, Judge
William f. Conrad, of Des Moines who
was department commander in 1850.
The assistant adjutant general has
collected and had bound six sets of four
volumes each of the department Jour-
nails to date. The department. COM
mander recommends that one copy be
placed In the state historical collection
and the other in the state library.
Regret was expressed that there is
not closer relation between the G. A.
r. and the Sons of Veterans, but this Is
for the national encampment to dispose
of. He recommends that the depart
ment give some official recognition to
the national memorial university now
under construction at Mason City un-
der the auspices of the Sons of Veter-
ans.
The department commander recon-
mends that the department pass a res
olutlon recognizing the action of the
department of agriculture in restoring
free passes to the old soldiers at the
state fairs. Last year the board failed
to designate a soldiers day, and ther.
was much criticism. The department
commander attended the annual agri-
cultural convention and afterwards the
board unanimously restored the Gus
tom. He recommends that committee
be named to provide for a big camp
fire at the state fair on soldiers day.
Commentator is given the legisla-
ture for it's APPROPRIATION for the SOL
diers' monuments at Vicksburg and the
monuments on Lookout mountain. Spe-
cial attention is called to the new law
for exemptions to soldiers in the sum
of $500 on their assessments, whether
on homestead or personal property,
except where the assessment is more
thar $4,000. The department comman-
der personally visited the legislature in
the interest Of this bill.
Attention IS particularly called to the
bill pending in congress to grant an
nv, itHyt 10, r1a,.a DIV ~.
is asked to take action. bu:
the commander makes no specific rec |
In regard to the pension matters
Commander Metzgar in his report
says:
Your commander received a request
from the commander n-chief for sug- I
sestions in regard to pension matters.
and while I consider 1t of the utmost
Importance, I do not feel qualified to
make any suggestions that would be
helpful or suggestive to the comman-
der n-chief or the committee on pen
sions: but informed him that this de-
partment had the utmost confidence in
heir pension comittee and in their
Judgment to properly consider the mat
ter and to act in our behalf. 1t would
seem from a careful examination of the
subject that the laws regulating pen
;ions are ample and specific, COM
olaints that have been made being
argely on account of the construction
placed on those laws by the pension de-
oartnlent. A change has recently been
made in the executive officer of the de-
1artment, and it is earnestly hoped
hat the causes for these complaints
viii be remedied. In this connection I h
wish to call the attention of the posts
n this department to instructions from
rational headquarters given from time
o time, to give their earnest support !
nd attention to all requests made up
N them coming from the commander
n-chief and the national pension COM
nittee. promulgated thru department
Whenever these requests :
re made they should receive prompt
ttention. individuals are continually
alling upon posts to give their en- !,
orsement to bills that have been or /,
re about to be before congress. This !,
apartment has refrained from taking
ny action in regard to legislation in !.
he interest of the veterans, either for
ensions or otherwise. that does not Z,
he Grand Army of the Republic be- {
ewing that there is weakness in isolat- :
d effort, while in the united voice of ;,
ne whole organization there is :
trength. Let us all work unitedly and ;,
whenever a demand is made :,
pon us officially"