Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-09-13
ADDRESS OF RETIRING CHIEF
Increase of Pensions for Widows is
Strongly Recommended.
PRAISE FOR CAPTAIN PALMER
Tribute to Omaha Mans Work on
Battle Mountain Sanitarium.
REPORT OF ADJUTANT GENERAL
Membership In the Order IL 222,-
54S--DeRth Roll for the
Year IL over Nine
Thousand.
BULLETIN.

IhOuSanus
BULLETIN.
SARATOGA, n. Y, Sept. l2.-Charles G.
Burton Of Nevada Mo-, was this afternoon
elected commander-in-chef of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
SARATOGA, N. Y, Sept. 12-The first
business session of the forty-nrst annual
encampment OF the Grand Army OF the
Republic took place today. The early hours
OF the session were devoted to the annual
address and reports of Robert B. Brown,
commander-in-chef; Joseph Nj. o'Neall,
adjutant general; William H. Armstrong,
senior vice commander-in-chief;D DIR, w. IL.
Johnson, surgeon general; Warren Lee
Goss, patriotic instructor, and other Of
| hcers.
Address of CommRn nder-In-Chicf.
Commander-in- chief Robert b. Brown
gave a touching tribute to the wcarers of
the little bronze button and alluded to
the warm place that the veterans still have
in the hearts of the citizenship of the re-
public. He said In part
'"The old Grand Army was great in war
but greater I'm peace on this sacred soil
where we are meeting were fought some
far away our own loved chieftan fought
his last battle in this life and from the
mists of Mount McGregor the great soul
of Ulysses S. Grant went back to God who
gave to mankind the mightest soldier of
the ages"
The address then dwells at some length
upon the necessity of enlstng every vet
eran of the union army of the war of the
rebellion into the ranks of the Grand Army.
He deplored the extent of the suspended
lists, and holds that no member of the
Grand Army should be suspended merely
~. a., l.
that the more fortunate members should
cheerfuly assist IN bearing the small
burden of the dues of less thrifty COM
rades.
! Memorial day was also dwelt upon at
considerable length and the comrades are
urged to observe 1t more lovingly with the
passing years. I'VE should guard their
graves with sacred vigilance and let no
Iwanton foot tread rudely upon the hallowed
ground where they he."
O.. Wirz Memorial Fund.
! The matter of the Southern Memorial
fund was dwelt upon with particular ref
erence to the decoration OF the graves of
Union soldiers in the national cemeteries
of the south. The Wrz memorial monu-
ment matter was handled with considerable
delcacy and the essential features of the
correspondence between National Com
General Lee of the Confederate Veterans
association was given. General Lee states
in his reply;
For myself and the great comradeship
Iit is my high privilege to serve, my chief
concern is that no word or act of mine
shall tend to disturb the long continued
and growing good will and mutual respect
the brave men of both sides OF the war
The % Grand Army of he RepuSe and the
United Confederate Veterans have not
hitherto been at variance on this proposi-
tion. 1t is hoped that we shall not differ in
| sentiment at least to the propriety of
! rearing monument to the captain COM
manding' the prison at Andersonville, Ca"
Commander Brown said further;
| ITO my letter a courteous response under
date of January 2s, 1907, was received.
General Lee states that so far as he is
advised it is not proposed TO erect. a
has been proposed by certain ladies OF the
south to erect a counter tablet bearing a
belief Of the southern people of the inno-
cence of Captain Wirz of the charges
brought against him.. Since this corre-
been removed from the grounds at Ander-
sonville, as almost the last act of the chair
man OF the board, the late Lizabeth A.
Turner, who so worthily and for long years
represented the Woman's Relief Corps. OF
her own voliton this noble woman gave
a southern source that a cause of offense,
as she came to know, might thus be re-
moved.
The Question of Pensions.
J The matter of pensions was gone into
at some length and the passage of the
McCumber bill Of February 0, 1907. was
! commended In these terms:
/ The enactment of this bill and its
/ prompt approval by the president were
high official acts. clearly responsive to
/ to the surviving defenders OF the repubii,
ana the citizenship OF the whole coun-
/ principle for which the Grand Army Of
/ the Republic had contended for many
years that advanced age in. the cases Of
! soldiers and sailors who had served their
/ country on land and for any con-
siderable time constituted a well defined
| disability.
| On the subject of national homes for
the care of disabled volunteers the re.
| port states:
The whole number cared for in national
and state homes during the year ending
June 80, 1905, the last report available,
was 54,59S, an increase over the preced-
| ing year of S63. The average cost por
number of deaths during the year in tbs %
homes was 2,148, the average age of those
dying being 69.7s years.
Battle Mountain sanitarium.
OF the Battle Mountain sanitarium,
Commander Brown said:
Our great order can never adequately
recognize the services of our comraSe,
Henry +. Palmer OF Omaha, past depart
iheht commander or Nebraska, in found
| Ing and completing the Battle Mountain
Sanitarium for United states Yoluntesr
Soldiers. at Hot Springs, S. ID. This home
| IL the child OF the Grand Army First en-
dorsed at the Cincinnati encampment in
! 1898, Commander-in-Chief Sexton an
pointed a committee, OF which Comrade
Palmer was the chairman, to procure nee
essary legislation. unc~- his direction,
after three years o. patient wrrK, the
bin authorizing the building OF the home
became a law May 2s, 1902 The plant
comprises ten buildings and has cost 10
date little over ssp0,00O. II was opentd
May !, 1907, and marks a most notable
adN anCe In the care of grateful nation
Tor the men who defended the nag rn
the batueneld; The sanitarium is the
only one Of it's kind in the world and
within its hospitable walls are 10 be
Treated comrades who suffer from cer-
tain severe and serious ailments Thus
far the most sanguine hopes Of the pro-
moters OF this enterprise have been real
lied. To the wisdom, unwearylnR eftorts
and patriotic devotion Of Henry E. Palmer
are we ana the nation Indebted for this
unique and most valuable addition 40 tha
chain ot soldiers and sailors homes,