Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-08
Features of Today's Encamp-
ment We're the Business SEES
sion and Annual Parade
aAYMoND's ANNUAL ADDRESS
Takes a Strong Stand in Favor Of the
Doiliver- Hepburn Service Pension
Bill--Many Deaths in the Ranks OF
the G. A. r. During the Past Year
Notable Men Are Present

. + IS + + 8
the G. A. R. encampment. Governo
Cumr1ins will arrive tonight for tn
camp fire and will deliver an address
Many other men of state and nationa
prominence will be here. The CRANE
parade was the feature of the after
noon The business session began this
delivered his annual address. 1t shows
q decrease in membership of about 39t
during the year. There have been many
deaths since the last encampment
stand for the Dolliyer- Hepburn service
pension bill. Following is his annua
address in part:
I'm accordance with custom and
usage and the requirements of our or
der, the officers chosen at the twenty
ninth annual encampment, department
Of Iowa Grand Army of the Republic,
appear before you today to render an
account of their stewardship.
1T had been hoped byyour command
err that the year of his administration
would not show loss in membership
In the department but it could hardly
be expected, as it is nearly forty Years
since the close of the war, and the aV-
eraEe age of the survivors is nearly
sixty five years, and the death harvest
must be large; so ii would be unreason-
able to expect that our membership
should be maintained. But when it is
found that the aggregate loss in MEM
\ FN,. f.a '
was BAL. and that the losses by death
during the same period were 332. there
is certainly cause for congratulation
that the membership has SO nearly held
It's own 1t is inevitable in the natural
order of things that we must face a
material decrease in our membership
and that not only from death but from
other causes will our membership rap
Idly decrease. In some localities, espe-
cially in the smaller towns. the MEM
bers have already become 80 few that
II is with difficulty post organization
can be maintained. 1t is recommended
that where practicable such posts
should transfer their membership To
some contiguous posts, and thus retail,
their membership in the order, rather
than to surrender their charters. il
would be impossible for them to regn-
lariy attend post meetings. but they
would have the satisfaction of being a
part of this grand organization, and
could be so counted when numbers are
bership.
The twenty-ninth annual encamp-
ment passed a resolution providing that
the custom previously followed of pre-
senting TO retiring department com-
manders a badge or token of esteem
and confidence, heretofore abolished,
should be re-enacted, and that hence
forth the retiring department COM
manders should receive such token;
that this should apply to all past COM
manders who had not received such
token, and that such token should be
purchased and presented by the depart
ment. Inasmuch as the encaInpment
failed to provide committees for the
procuring OF these several testimonials,
and presenting the same, the presen.
administration did not feel authorized
to assume the responsibility The mat
ter therefore is referred to this en-
campment for such action as 1t may de
sire.
Service Pension.
For several years there has been
among the veterans growing demand
and in the community at large, grow
ing sentiment, in favor of service
pension law. Asmultitude of bills upon
this subject have been formulated,
which have had the support of numbers
Of the veterans. and several of them
have been introduced in congress. It
remained. however, for the Thirty-sev-
enth national encampment held in San
Francisco last August to take specif-
lie action looking toward the enactment
Of a service pension law. In pursuance
of the action Of the encampment q
was appointed to wait upon
congress and urge the passage of a bin
which should give to every honorlbly
veteran of the war of the
rebellion, who has reached the age of
sixtytwo years, pension of s12 per
and to the widows of such SOL
diers the same. The committee dis
charged their duty by meeting at
in January, and in formu-
lating and urging the passage of a bill
with the said provisions. The bill was
in the senate by our Junior
senator from Iowa, Hon. j. p. Dolliver,
and in the house by Hon. w. A. Calder
head of Kansas. On account of the
shortness Of the session and other
causes which need not be enumerated,
the bill was not reported for passage
In either house, but under the direction
Of the president and by authority c,f the
secretary of the interior, the commits
sioner of pensions issued an order
known as Order No. 70. which provided
that all honorably discharged soldiers
who had reached the age Of sixty-two
years, should, upon application, be
placed upon the pension roll at six dol
lars per month, which pension should
be increased upon arriving at the age
Of sixty-five years to eight dollars
4 month: ixty-eight years to ten dol
twelve dollars q month. While this
order may bring relief to a large num-
Der of worthy veterans, the number
by its provisions Will not be
as large as was generally supposed, and
there is every prospect that the next
national encampment will urge the
passage of this act at the second ses-
sion of the present congress.
ut is recommended that the encamp-
ment endorse this bill, as 1t is only by
effort that anything can
be accomplished along the line of PEN
g4s 4 a-- as