Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-28
First National Officers.

Among the first national officers were five
District Of Columbia veterans Of the war
with SPAIN as follows: Major Fred 8. Hodg-
son, commissary general: Col. F. H. IIar-
rington. inspector general; Capt. J. Walter
Mitchell chief signal officer; Capt. A. o.
Ciirard. chief of ordnance. and Gen. George
H. Harries. member of the council Of adj
rninistration- The contest for first COM
mander-in-chief was between Col. Theodore
Roosevelt, then governor of New York. and
Gen. ]. Warren Keller, former Speaker OF
the House of Representatives. The contest
was a close one. Gen. Keller being elected
10y small majority Had Col Roosevelt
been present at the convention he would
have been elected. 1t Is stated. there being
some uncertainty as to whether he would
accept the office.
The other national officers elected were
Col. Lawrence ]. Logan Of Boston. senior
vice cOmmander-in-chief: Col. James H.
rillman Of South Carolina. junior vice
commander-in-chief; Col. Frederick w. Cole
OF Florida, quartermaster general; Col. L.
NJ. Maus. Y. 8. A, surgeon general: WILL
lam Aston Chanler of New York. paymaster
general; Charles s. Woods Of Pennsylvania.
judge advocate general; Rev. Father F. E.
Chadwick. U. s. N. chaplain general: Miss
Helen Miller Gould. sponsor. and William
Mckinley. President of the United States.
honorary member.
The national council of administration
was composed of the following: Col Will
idti JeHHlnSS bryan, NEBRASKA, Col. Henry
A. Axline. Ohio: Capt Hamilton B. Biount.
Louisiana: Howard B. Delatgne, secretary,
Kentucky; Col Irving E. Webster Florida;
Gen George H. Hairless District of Column
bia; Curtis Guild. IT., Massachusetts; Gen.
Henry d. Green, Pennsylvania; Cen Will
lam c. Oates, Alabama; Col Bernard A.
Reinold New York Charles L. Boynton,
Michigan. and Robert B. Wallace, Montana
Captain Blount was the only colored vet
eran at the convention. His nomination as
"A member Of the
seconded by two southern delegates-Col-
onel Tillman OF South Carolina and Colonel
Cole OF Florida. General Kefer appointed
w. c. Liller adjutant general, but after
ward removed him. and Liller then took
active steps to organize the rival associa-
ton known as the Spanish American War
Veterans which will soon be amalgamated
with the older organization the Spanish
War Veterans.
Objects Of Association.
The objects of the association. as adopted
by the first convention, were Ito perfect
and maintain national. state and local Or
ganizations: to keep alive the memories of
the war with Spain; to promote the best
interests Of those who. In the service of the
United States. took part in that war. and
their dependents; to encourage and spread
universal liberty and equal rights and 1us-
tice to all men. as we'll as to inculcate the
principles of freedom patriotism and
humanity
"AIi soldiers and sailors of the regular
and volunteer army and navy and the
Marine Corps of the United States who
h"norably served during the war with
Spain and the incident war in the Philip
pines are eligible to membership"
The second national assembly. or as 1t Is
officially termed. the first delegate as
sembly." was held at the armory Of the
Washington Light Infantry, in that city,
September 25 and %. 1900. The initial
meeting In 1899 was officially termed 1.-The
first representative meeting Lieut. Gen.
Nelson A. Miles succeeded Gen. Keifer as
commander in-chief The Washington vet
Grams elected national officers at this meet
Ing Were: Col F. H. Harrington U. 8. NJ.
g.. inspector general (re-elected); DR.. 8.
Barton. sponsor: Col. NJ. Emmett Ureu,
member OF the council of administration.
The report of Adjt. Gen. H. A. Axline