The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-20
LOOMS is CLAD.
Department Commander @. A..
X. Makes Annual Report.
Shows Small Increase in the
Membership.
DISCUSSES MR. WARE.
Says He Isn't to Blame fOr"Hair
Splitting Policy"
DISCUSSES MR. WARE.
Demands Enforcement of Vet
Grams Preference Law.

Mcpherson. Kas., May 9o.-Depart-
ment Commander H. c. Loomis today
presented his annual report to the state
encamDment of the G. A R. of Kan
sas. The report shows that while 34T
comrades have answered to the final
muster during the past year, the mem
bership of the G. A R. in Kansas made
an increase of 102. and it now stands
at 12,412, emitting Kansas to eighteen
representatives in the national encamp-
ment. No new posts were organized
during the year, but seven suspended
posts were reeained-
This gain of 102 members for the
year is encouraging" says Colonel
I4oomis when you consider that for
the past ten years there have been but
two years that gains have been report
ed, while the losses have ranged all the
way from four to twelve hundred each
of the other eight years"
Colonel Loomis. While insisting THAI
there is still something wrong with the
administration of the pension laws. does
not blame Commissioner of Pensions
Ware for it. Concerning the matter Of
pensions he says:
DOESN'T BLAME WARE.
'One of the questions that still inter
ests those who by service and sacrifice
helped to preserve this country and
make it what it is today. the greatest
and grandest nation on earth, that
effecting the pension system and its ad-
ninistration, is possibly the most i'm,
portant because the most far-reachlnts
in IT'S results upon the survivors and tile
widows and orphans of those OF our 1or-
n7er comrades who have answered to the
final muster While it may be said thar
the laws of congress on this SUBJECT ar
reasonably liberal, yet no one with any
knowledge of conditions that nave eN-
listed in recent years can say Win tru1h
that these laws have been to any degree
literally or even honestly construed
On the contrary, the rules OF practlce III
the pension Office have been OF such 4 4
Character as to annul the intention OF
the iaws-hoaf to defeat the applicant
rather than to help him. With the
change in the head of the pension b'l-
reau came some relief from the Wrongs
heretofore complained of, and we be-
Iieve Commissioner Ware is endeaNor-
ing to rectify many OF the evils IN tha3
office; and yet he is handicapped in
many ways and can not do as IN MS
Judgment would be best AS to where
the responsibility for this hairsphttms
policy. this shutting out of honest
claims. endless delays and abuses lies
is past my knowledge, but that II ex-
ists there is no question. Ny Judgment
is that satisfa ctOry results VIII never
be obtained until a service pension law
/ is enacted The time is here when our
organiza ton, with united voice, should
make this demand"
OLD SOLDIERS IN OFFICE.
Concerning the enforcement OF the
laws providing that old soldiers SHAH
be given the preference where prac-
tieabIe in appointive offices, Colonel
/ LOouis says.
Another important matter is that
which effects our comrades in their de-
1 Itxrfv i111n
come when we must stand together iE
! lf-defense We are yet amply strong
! in numbers to demand recognition, II
we will but pull together Comrade
Joseph w. Kay, of New York. recent
chairman of the national committee On
veterans preference legislation, is said
to have coined the words, Fraternity
means something In late report of
his he used this language:
s. Among the declared tenets of faith
of the Grand Army of the Republic is
found the proclamation. Fraternity
without regard to former rank is the
broad foundation stone on which our
order rests" This means cohesion
/ clannishness, if you will. It naturally
/ follows. then, that help and protection
/ to a worthy comrade requiring it, en-.
1 joined by its constitution. is para
mount duty. one that may not pass un-
/ needed. The material welfare of one
even the humblest among us, is the
/ concern of every other cOmrade. An in
! jury or injustice to one becomes the
/ cause of all. Have we been true2
In two essentials of obligation vet
Grams ought to be unit. The first *
/ that vigilance be exercised to see tina :
the pension laws enacted are executed
! in a spirit of honesty and fairness to the
deserving soldier and sailor, and to the
dependent widows and orphans In none
| others are we Interested The second
to secure legislation accomplishing and
then guard well the right to a prefer
ence of worthy veterans for public en-
ployment. An honorable discharge from
service and present ability ought to be
the only passports required by them
/ for such preference.
Il trust this encampment will.
/ through its committee on resolutions.
prepare and PASS with unanimous voice
a strong resolution demanding the en-
forcement of the veterans preference
laws on our statute book. both state
and national am prompted to urge
! this matter for your careful coDsidera-
! tion because Of the utter disregard paid
/ by appointing powers to these laws. ana
| the disposition to turn our comrades
out of public employment
AS TO MEMORIAL DAY
AS to the observance of Memorial
Day, now near at hand. the report
says:
1T is a pleasure to report that never
since the Grand Army set apart a day
! Memorial Day been so fully and 50 rev
erently observed as it was last year in
this department
In the early DAYS when this beautiful
and impressive service was esta blished,
we can all remember how anxiously we
asked each other the question whether
this beautiful ceremonial would outlast
| our organization: whether when the last
veteran was mustered out if any one
would lead the way and keep up the
day This question. it seems to me. is
even now fully answered for the grow
ing interest manifested year by year
fixes permanently this ha1lowed day,
and so long as the love of liberty re-
mains in the hearts of the American