Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-17
UNION OF VETERANS
TWO BODIES OF SPANISH WAR
SURVIVORS TO AMALaAMATE.
Meeting Of Committees Representing
Each Body to Be Held in This
City Tomorrow.


the Spanish War Veterans and the Spanish
American War Veterans are to be taken at
a meeting Of the committees Of both or
ganizations to be held jointly In this city
beginning tomorrow morning at IL o'clock.
The meeting will probably continue through
two days. This meeting Is the elimination
Of the negotiations that have been in prog
ress for the past year for the consolidation
of the organizations, each Of the two hav-
ing practically the same origin and many
of the same members The first society, the
Spanish War Veterans. was organized in
this city Immediately after the war with
Spain. There was great enthusiasm at the
time Of the organization, and a number Of
prominent officers of the regular and vol
unteer army Immediately affiliated with the
society. The officers elected at the first ma
tional convention, which was held in this
city, were all, with one or two exceptions,
from among the prominent general officers
of the army during the war, and the or
ganization babe fair to be to the veterans
of the SpanishAmerican war what the G.
A: r. is to the veterans Of the civil war.
Internal discussions disturbed the even
tenor of the business of the organization,
however, which eliminated in a fact!onal
fight between a minority led by the adj
jutant general, w. c. Liller, and the ma
jority, led by the most of the other officeds
of the national organization. AS a result
of the fight Mr.. Liller withdrew from the
society and organized the Spanish-Amer:ca
War Veterans. He Immediately obtained
strong following and became adjutant gen.
eral of the new organization.
Business Interests Clash.
The scheme of organization was practi-
cally the same in both, and was similar in
some respects to the G. A. R. The business
Of the two societies, which had Identical in
terests, began to clash, and the officers
finally reached the conclusion that the best
way to preserve an association Of Spanish
war veterans was to effect an amalgama-
ton of the two. There were also number
Of smaller societies of veterans of this war
which 1t was desired to draw into one large
body.
to the presidency, and both of the Spanish
war organizations desired to enroll him
a member. Committees from both organi
cations waited on him and invited him to
join, but he declined on the ground that he
did not desire to belong to two organiza-
tions with the same objects and suggested
an amalgamation. He is reported to have
said that he did not believe it feasible for
the two organizations to continue. This
occurred last winter.
Steps were Immediately taken by the two
organizations to draw up plans for amalga-
nation and committees were appointed to
meet jointly and prepare constitution and
code of bylaws. The plans desided upon
by this committee were reported to the ma
tional conventions of the two organizations
last summer, which were held in Detroit
and Indianapolis. President Roosevelt
spoke at both conventions. and urged uni
formity of action among the Spanish war
veterans. 1t had been expected that the
two conventions would ratify what the joint
committee had done, but for some reason
this was not accomplished. However, an
other joint committee was named, with
power to act finally, and 1t Is this commit
tee which meets tomorrow.
Personnel Of the Committee.
The new committee includes Col NJ. EN-
met Urell, commander-in-chief of the Span
ish War Veterans; Capt. c. C. Dyer, his
adjutant general, and the following mem
bers of the organization over which Colonel
Uren presides: Col. Francis c. Ward Of
Buffalo, N Y; Capt. Champe R. Andrews
of New York city; Maj. Charles NJ. Miller
Of Canton. Ohio; Chaplain w. H. S. Rea-
ney, U. S. N; Capt. l.. NJ. Lipscomb of this
city and Capt. Hamilton Ward, jr., of New
York city. From the Spanish-American
War Veterans there will be Gen. j. Rulings
of Oil City, Pa; Gen. James Coryell of
Philadelphia, Pa, both past commanders
in-chief of their organization; Col Edward
j. Dimmick of Chicago; Capt. Henry F.
Alters of Newark, n. j.; Col r. B. Harri-
son of Indianapolis, Ind; Capt. Charles
gins of Philadelphia, Pa, and Maj. F. &.
Bryan of this city.
The joint committee will meet tomorrow
morning at II o'clock at the Ebbitt House
and will elect temporary officers The Cre
dentials of the various members of the
committee will then be examined and a
recess Will be taken at noon to visit the
White House. President Roosevelt will
receive the committee and after the re-
ception the members will go to the Barton,
where lunch will be served and where the
remainder Of the meetings of the com nit
tee will be held
During the meeting a constitution will be
adopted, bylaws framed, officers for the
new organization selected, a name chosen,
insignia designed and every detail of the
organization perfected. The time and place
for the first annual convention of the con-
solidated body will then be selected and
uniform for the organization will be &C.
cided upon. Just what this will be has not
been determined definitely, but it will
probably be the blue and gray that mas
become popular with the veterans of the
Spanish war. 1t is considered as positive
that the place for the annual convention OF
the new organization will be Washington
and the time date in September or De-
tober next.