Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-16
6. AR. REUNION
At MINNEAPOLIS
Today Marked Beginning of
Business Session.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS UP
The Canteen Issue and Proposed
Monument to Wirz.
OPPOSITION TO BOTH MATTERS
An Address by Commander Tanner
and Reports Of Officers Notable
Features Of the Day.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS UP
The Canteen Issue and Proposed
Monument to Wirz. \
OPPOSITION TO BOTH MATTERS

MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, August 16.-ThS
business sessions Of the Grand Army of the
republic began today in the Auditorium,
about 1.5O0 delegates being in attendance
The most important questions that are to
be taken up during the meeting of the dele.
gate body are the abolition of the canteen
from the old soldiers homes and the pro.
posed erection Of a monument to Henry
Wirz by the women of the south On the
question of the canteen the delegates are
apparently about evenly divided, according
to the estimate made prior to the opening
of the convention by the officers of the Or
ganizations who are familiar with the feel
Ing. On the question of monument to
Wirz there was considerable opposition
The first session OF the day was occupied
by the formal opening exercises and the
proceeding then waited upon the report OF
the committee credentials. When this
was presented and adopted the reports OF
the officers of the organization were SUBJ
mitted.
The report of Commander-in-C Chief Tan
ner was of considerable length and covered
all features of the work done by the Grand
Army during last year. No mention was
made in the report of the canteen question,
but considerable space was given to Wirz,
and the recommendation was made that the
Grand Army enter digniied and emphatic
protest against the erection of the monu-
ment. The report, in substance, was as
follows:
(The report of Commander Tanner ap-
pears elsewhere in The Star today.-Ed)
The reports Of Adjutant General Twee-
dale, Quartermaster General Battles, Judge
Advocate General Clark and Inspector Gen.
eral Cummings covered the work of the
last twelve months in their departments.
that Of the adjutant general showing that
although the Grand Army had lost 9,205
members by death in the last year its MEM
bership had increased by 3,368.
Adjutant Tweedale's Report.
The total membership Of the Grand Army
is declared in the report OF Adtt. Gen. Twee-
dale to be go, ,S23, an increase of S,36S dur
ing the last six months. The losses by
death for the year ended December 81 1905.
were 9,2O5 or $50 per cent of the total
membership. In the preceding year the loss
by death reached exactly the same percent
age.
The suggestion is made that the organiza-
ton be Incorporated with provision
quiring the annual reports of the organiza-
ton to be submitted to Congress.
The receipts from the per capita tax i'm
posed on members of the organization are
declared to be insufficient for the proper
conduct of the affairs OF the Grand Army.
The suggestion is made that the tax be in
creased from 31a to cents per annum,
which will increase the revenue of the or
ganzation to about $500 yearly. The ad-
jutant general also suggested that certain
things now Issued gratuitously to members
of the Grand Army be sent out at a slight
charge, increasing the receipts in this man.
ner also. The item for which the charge
was suggested are: Commissions for ap-
pointive officers and to Individuals; for
copies of the journals of the nationai en-
campments. A charge of % cents per copy
would, it Is declared, pay one-half Of the
expense of publishing the journal.
According to the report Of Quartermaster
General Frank Battles the amount of cash
received from the retiring quartermaster
general was 50 5S3; the total receipts dur.
ing the year have been s1OsS9. making the
receipts for the year, S20,472. The total ex-
penditures have been S1S.115, leaving a ball
ance In the treasury Of S2,357.
The apparent shrinkage In the amount
of available cash on hand is accounted for
by the fact that no call was made during
the last year for the southern memorial
funds the transfer from the quartermaster
general of a special fund amounting to
So 700, and the early date Of the present
encampment which necessftated the closing
of the books before any of the per capita
tax for the term ending June 30 could be
taken up.
Synopsis of Judge Advocates Decision
Judge Advocate General C. A. Clark sub
mitted a synopsis of decisions prepared by
him during the last year. These are in
brief:
A citizen who was impressed into the
confederate army and deserted, Joined the
Union forces and received honorable
discharge from the War Department is not
eligible for membership in the Grand Army.
because he has at one time borne arms
against the United States
Members who have been dropped for nom
payment OF dues may be admitted to their
old posts on the payment of not TO exceed
one years dues, or to another post on the
payment of the usual muster-in fee.
Members of the Pennsylvania militia who
served during the emergency of the Get
tysburg campaign are eligible for memper-
ship in the G. A. r.
man who was honorably discharged
after his first enlistment and dishonorably
discharged after a re-enistment Is not ell
gible for membership.
The election of a post commander VINO
procured the resignation of duly elected
post commander by threatening to impeach
him because of acts wholly outside the
G. A. r. is invalid.
The report of Inspector General NJ. ].
Cummings was largely made up of state-
ments from the assistant inspectors gem
asserted the various soldiers homes In their
respective states to be in fourishing con-
dttion. Some complaint was made that
largo number of the assistant inspectors
could not be induced to make reports at
all.
much suffering during the last two days
continues, and the official forecast Is That
It will last throughout the encampment-
1t is estimated by the police that mere
were over one hundred pros.rat!ons yes
terday during the parade The majority
came exhausted by standing IN the streets
waiting for the parade to pass
asS D..L oQ O00 Feet HiCh