The National tribune., 1904-08-25

Utah-O. III. Davis.
Vermont. II. Goulding.
Virginia.. w. Stebbins.
Washington
West Virginia-Wm. Kirk.
Wisconsn-John A. Barney.
The Encampment took a recess until
o'clock for lunch.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Past Chaplain-in-Chief Haggerty pre-
sented the Commander-in-C Chief with CAV
el he had made with his own hands out OF
wood gathered from historic spots, from
Wilson's Creek to Appomattox.
Gen. Jas. II. Hawley, the venerable
Past Junior Vice Comma nder-in-C Chief
was invited to the platform, and the Con
necticut delegation was invited to escor
him.
There were present two of the eight mer
who formed the first Post of the G.. A. R.
Col. B. f. Hawkes., Past Department Com
mander of the Potomac, and Benson
Woods, Commander of the Department Of
Illinois. The Commander-in-Chief invited
them to the platform, where they were pre-
sented to the Encampment and received
with cheers.
LADIES OF THE @. A. R.
Past Commander-in-C Chief Johnston. Ju
nior Vice Commander-in-Chief Kessler
| committee to escort in the delegation
bearing the greetings of the Ladies Of th'
G. A. r.
Mesdames Sheriff. Winslow and Tob.
entered. and Mrs. Sheriff made a brief ad
| dress, which was pleasantly received, ant
the Commander-in-Chief gracefully re
sponded.
| the Departments for Resolutions and Com
| munications.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS.
Comrade Burton (Mo), Chairman o
| the Committee on Pensions, came forward
| and was received with applause. He rea,
the report of the Committee, which ap
pears elsewhere.
Comrade Burton read slowly, distinctly
and in full voice. He was listened to will
| deep attention and often applauded.
The report was received and adopted.
COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION.
Comrade |. G. Kimball (Potomac), from
the Committee on Legislation for Veteran.
| in the Public Service, read the report, al
| follows:
To the 3Sth Annual Encampment Of tn
Grand Army of the Republic.
Comrades: By direction of the Com
mander-in-Chief your Committee did no
| take up any Independent work before Con
| this Committee ought to direct all its ef
| forts to assist the Committee on Pension
| to secure the passage Of the Service Pen
sion Bill approved by the Encampment a
| San Francisco as the legislation of para
mount Importance to the Grand Army o
| the Republic, and that any attempt to Sc
cure other legislation would divide our in
| f1uence and weaken our chance OF securing
either.
Ill so, ske, =.
this end, and it's Chairman, under direction
of the Commander-in-C Chief, whenever al
| the members of the Pension Committee
were absent from Washington, took activ
charge of the bill, and used every effort t.
secure it's passage. We refer to the re
port of the Pension Committee to show
| the present status of the bill.
Your Committee believe the time to sc
cure additional legislation enlarging Tn
preference extended to comrades of the wa
of the rebellion in appointments in tn
civil service has passed; and that Con
gress will not enact any law granting then
other and further preference over younge
| and more vigorous men than that now al
lowed
At the close of the last session of Con
gress, on April 20, 1904, Hon. f. Fl. Gil
lett, Member of Congress from Massa
chusetts, introduced bill Oh. r. 1924
to prevent superannuation in the public
service and had it referred to the Commit
tee on Reform in the Civil Service, o
which he is Chairman, and two days there
after reported it back with the recon
mendation that the bill be passed.
This bill provides for the discharge OF
June 80, 1907, of every person in the clas
sified service Of the United States who i
then over 20 years of age, no exception be
ing made in favor of our comrades. 1t i
believed that this bill will not become /,
law. If it does pass, it should be amended
to except from its operation veterans wh
fought for the Union in the war of the re
bellion.
| We recommend the passage of resolu
ton by this Encampment urging such al
amendment and that the incoming Com
mander-in- Chief and the Committee ol
| Legislation for Veterans in the Publi
Service be directed to use all proper mean
in their power to secure the exemption o
our comrades from the operation of sucl
| a law.
| There are now employed in the Depart
ments at Washington, not counting thos
employed elsewhere, but appointed unde
the Civil Service Law, the following com
rades and widows of comrades:
Above IS. 1877
| Between 50 and 65, about. 900. 1883
| Over 70. 226
| Total comrades employed. -. 2,175
Widows of comrades. ......... 3SS
On June 80, 1907, at least 500 of ou
comrades will have reached the age of Il
years.. and if said bill becomes a law a!
| now reported, will then be discharged
Each year thereafter a large number il
addition will reach that age. While a
| the age of 20 a man doubtless has physi
cally deteriorated, he has not in a ma
jority of cases deteriorated mentally. The
men to-day who are doing our best work ir
Congress, on the bench, and in the menta
| activities are those who have passed theil
| three score years and ten, and our com
| rades are no exception.
An examination of the departments al
| Washington will prove that they are to
day the most valuable clerks in the de
| partments, that, on account of their ex
perience, they cannot be replaced by young
| men without detriment to the service, ant
| that they occupy the most responsible
places. But even if some of them have
lost part of their mental powers, they
should not be discharged. They Offered
| their lives to save this Nation. Will the
Nation do this act of ingra attitude? No sol
dier of the war of rebellion should be dis
charged, as contemplated by the bill refer
red to. We cannot ask or expect them to
be retained at high SaIa rieS when they he.