The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-08-20
HUNDREDS OF DELEGATES TO
G. A. R. CONVENTION GATHER
IN SYMPHONY HALL.
FOUR OTHER MEETINGS
ARE CALLED TO ORDER
Commander-in-Chi Black Delivers
His Annual Address-Reports Of
Adjutant and Quartermaster Cen
eral Show Body in Good Condition.

one of the most important features Of
the national encampment week. The
meetings of the various bodies gave
reason, because of the existing spirited
though friendly contests for the differ
ent offices. The accredited delegates to
the G. A. R. convention. numbering be-
tween 1900 and 1,4O0, assembled in
Symphony hall.
-Four conventions were called to order
in the fremont Temple building. Most
important of these was the convention
of the National Woman's Relief Corps.
The other meetings were those of the
Ladies of the G. A. R., the National
Daughters Of Veterans and the Ladies'
Aid society. auxiliary to the Sons Of
Veterans. Still another convention to
be opened was that of the National Or
der of the Sons of Veterans at Boston
university.
Meeting of Veterans.
For the meeting of the veterans,
Symphony hall had been deliberately
trimmed with bunting and flags and in
sigma of the organization had been used
along the gallery fronts for tasteful eff
fects. Prayer by the chaplain in chief,
Winfield Scott, of Scottsdale. Ariz.,
opened the proceedings. following
which Commander in Chief John c.
Black delivered his annual address.
On the subject of pensions the conf
mander in chief urged that further at
tempts be made to crystalline into stat
ute law the provisions of the executive
order promulgated by the commissioner
of pensions on March of this year, which
calls for the pensioning of veterans who
have passed the age of GO. who shall be
considered disabled one-half in ability
to perform manual labor. and shall be
entitled to a Hension from Sc to $12 q
month. He pointed out that the names
of 47,373 new pensioners were placed on
the roll during the year, while 1916
were dropped from various causes. The
entire cost of maintaining the pension
system for the year was $144 ,942. 937.
In the year previous 1t was Sal 1852. $40
The pension roll decreased from 996 .545
pensioners in 1903 to 994,762 in 1904.
The number Of civil war widow pension
ers made net gain of $3.50, reaching
253960. Commander Black urged de-
partments to take necessary steps for
the sub-organization of posts and out
posts in order that scattered members
might come together for fraternal
greetings. Speaking of Memorial day,
he recommended overtures to the
secretaries and all the people of the re-
public to help make Memorial day the
grand American Sabbath of time"
Body in Good Standing.
Adjt. Partridge's report showed that
the members of the G. A. r. in good
standing on June 30. 1904, numbered
246261, net loss during the year Of
10,249. The number of posts dropped
during the year from GAPS to G149.
During the year ending June 30 $10O,594
was expended in relief In 1890 the
high water mark of membership, 409,-
4S9, was reached, but in succeeding
years there was q falling off, The loss
by death in 1904 was 1929, or 3.52 per
cent, as compared with 5,476 in 1890,
or 1873 per cent.
A sound financial condition through
out the Grand Army of the Republic
was reported by Quartermaster General
Burrows. and this in spite of decrease
in receipts from per capita tax and
profits on supplies. The total assets are
$2S,070.24, or $497 less than last year.
The report continues: with proper
economy and due regard to business
principles, we may safely expect to meet
our obligations without increasing the
taxation for some years to come. The
response for aid to the southern me-
mortal fund was generous and wide-
spread, coming from the auxiliary or
CARNATIONS and a greater number OF
posts than usual"
w. r. G. in Session.
The first session of the twenty-sec-
ond national convention of the Woman's
Relief Corps was called to order
Wednesday by the national president.
Mrs. Sarah D. Winans. of Troy, in Con-
verse hall, fremont Temple. Mrs. WI
mans annual address dealt mainly with
patriotic instruction which she said
had been the dominant work of the year,
Jennie s. Wright, national secretary.
submitted her annual report. 1t showed
the total number of members in good
standing to be 121,5S5; net gain in mem
bership 2,540. According to the report
Of Sarah e. Phillips, national treasurer,
the total receipts were $36, 100; total ex-
penditures $23,762; leaving balance of
$12, 1858. Five hundred dollars was
transferred from the assets OF the corps
to the fund for monument to be erect
ed on the site of the confederate prison
at Andersonville, Ga.
Confesses to Plot,
Sioux City, Ia, Aug. 18.-Joseph
the 17-year-old boy who was