The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-17
Subject Brought Up at the
Business Session of the
Veterans Yesterday.
OFFICERS MAKE REPORTS
COMMANDER TANNERS SHOWS
ALL FEATURES OF WORK DONE
DURING PAST YEAR-PROTEST
AGAINST WiRZ MONUMENT.
publishers pressl

Minneapolis. Man, aug. Is. - A
the business sessions Of the Grand
Army Of the Requisite thH ubnl.t.on Of
the canteen from the. Old soldiers
homes and the proposed erection Of
a monument to Henry Wiz by the
| ONE Of the Suu,h ara III" most in
p0rtant questions TO come ny. On the
question of the cau;ecA the delegates
are apparently about equally divided,
according to the estimates m2de by
officers of the organizations. On the
question Of Il monument TO WirZ there
is On all sides 4 feeling Of opposition.
The first session was taken up with
the rcports Of the officers of the or
ganizatt0n. The report of Com
mandor-in-Chief Tanner covered all
features OF the work done by the
Grand Army during the last year,
Mention was made in the report or
the cantcen question, but considerable
space was given to Wirz, and the rec
concentration vas made that the
Grand Army enter a digniticd and IN
phatic protest against the erection Of
the monument
Notwithstanding the fearful IN
roads OF death upon the comrades Of
the Grand Army Of the Republic. Mr..
Tanner declared the organization to-
day is $500 stronger than At the en-
campment in Denver last year. He
said the Grand Army has attained a
position of commanding influence.
(which has been beneficial not only
to our comrades, but TO the nation
which we served in its hour Of peril"
The cOmmanderin-Chief bitterly ar
raigned those who, posing as the
most eminent men of the nation
| had proven false to their trust in varl-
Gus ways, but declared that among all
such the name of no civil wal veteran
could be found.
Discussing finances, he said that
| the amount turned over to his quar-
termaster by the administration after
making certain payments, was $3,2'o.
The utmost economy, however, was
necessary in its expenditure until the
Blackmar legacy Of $4,000 was re-
ceived.
Reference also was made to his
recommendation that the Sunday pre-
ceding Memorial day be duly obserV-
ed as Memorial Sunday, in order that
the growing custom in many places
| Of regarding Memorial day as a mere
holiday for games and amusements
may be checked. He expressed graft
fication at the general observance OF
Flag day, following its official recog-
milton by the thirty-ninth encamp-
ment.
The proposed monument to Captain
Wirz, VINO was in charge Of Anderson
vile prison, was strongly condemned.
| He said AndersOnville was the prop
erty of the Woman's Relief corps and
that no monument to WirZ ever would
be permitted.
The successful efforts Of himself
and his associates before the commit
tees of congress to secure needed pen
sion legislation for Union veterans
were detailed at length. Mr.. Tanners
remarks on this subject being follow
ed by a history of the effort made at
the last session of congress to forci-
bly, retire from public service ex.
Union soldiers who had reached a
| certain age limit. Il confess" he
said, that in all the years which have
elapsed since the close Of the war, no
movement directed against the inter
ests Of our comrades has so startled
and shocked me as this movement
did"
The total membership Of the Grand
Army is declared in the report Of Ad-
jutant General TWeedale to be 235,823
an increase of 1865 during the last
six months. The losses by death for
| the year ended Dec. 81, 1905, were
9,205, or $50 per cent Of the total
membership. In the preceding year
| the loss by death reached exactly the
same percentage.
The hot weather, which has caused
so much suffering during the last two
days, continues. Il is estimated by
! the police that the total number OF
prostrations during the time Of the
| parade numbered more than 100 Five
fatalities have been recorded,
Cold Coins.
The freness Of our gold coins :,
about 90 De" ret