The National tribune., 1908-09-17
SPANISH WAR VETERANS.
The Fifth National Recommendations
Exciting Events-Election of Officers.
A Fine Paradc-The woman's Aux

Exciting Events-EIection of Officers.
A Fine Paradc-The woman's Aux
iliary.
The Fifth Annual Encampment of the
United Spanish War Veterans was held
at Boston, Sept. /, and 3, and was
marked by several exciting scenes and
considerable disorder. The voting for
Commander-in-Ch disclosed that
there were 355 delegates and National
officers present who were entitled to
cast their ballots 1t is estimated that
| about 1000 soldiers and sailors of the
war We're present in the convention
city, and participated in the big parade.
The first incident at the Encampment
which caused a wave of resentment
came when the retiring Commander-in-
Chief, Walter Scott Hale, of California,
was informed that the Navy Depart
ment had declined to permit the battle
ship Mississippi to visit Boston during
the Encampment, in order that its sail
ors and marines might participate in
the parade.
| kilograms were dispatched to Presi-
| dent Roosevelt at Oyster Bay, telling
him of the refusal of the Navy Depart
ment The President is a member of
the Spanish War Veterans, and it is
said he sent hot dispatch to the Navy
Department, and very soon thereafter
the battleship steamed into Boston har-
| Dor, and the jackies and sailors took
part in the pageant.
The Color Line.
The next skirmish came when it was
sought to draw the color line. When
the matter of declaring Admiral George
NJ. Thomas Camp (colored), of Wash
ington, d. c., an unattached Camp,
was called up, scene of excitement
ensued. Commander Piper, of Thomas
Camp, who is colored letter carrier #
Washington, got the floor. He declared
that the negro veteran soldiers and sail
ors were not seeking social equality
but the colored men did demand full
recognition as American soldiers and
sailors, who had rendered their services
| and their lives to the Government when
| fighting men were needed to meet a
| foreign foe.
| Commander Piper was cheered when
he asked that the members of his Camp
be recognized as Spanish War Veterans
as a concrete right, and be attached TO
| the Department of the District of CO.
| lumhia.
National Commander Hale left the
chair, and declared that Thomas Col
| ored Camp was not associated with the
Department of the District of Column
bia, but was an unattached Camp.
| A resolution was then adopted by a
majority vote designating Thomas Camp
as an unattached Camp, and requiring
it to report and pay its per capita taxes
to the National Headquarters.
Another Breeze.
The District of Columbia delegates
again brought about some excitement
when they entered protest against
the recent appointment of Gov. Curtis
! Guild, of Massachusetts,, himself Span
i ish War Veteran, as member of the
Commission to have erected at the Ar
| lington National Cemetery a suitable
tamphitheater, wherein Memorial Day
and other services may be held by the
i G. A. r. and other soldier bodies. The
Flaw provides that one member of the
Commission shall have served as sol
dier or sailor in the War with Spain
The Department of the District cf CO.
lumbia indorsed by resolution Cob NJ
4 Emmett Urell, of Washington, for the
Il place, but it appears COMMANDMENT.
/ Chief Hale did not heed the indorse.
ment, but appointed Gov. Guild.
4 Col. Urell is both civil war ant
Spanish War veteran, and President Of
the Medal of Honor Legion.
i When the foregoing matter wa:
brought before the convention there
was a clamor, and Commander Hale
took the floor to defend his position. 4
resolution was finally adopted over hi!
protest to the effect that hereafter Com
manders-in-Chief, in making appoint
ments affecting Departments, shall b.
governed by the recommendation of tht
Department affected.
. Tacoma, Wash, was selected as th'
! Encampment City for 1909.
!. BalIotIng for Officers.
Still another scene of excitement fol
lowed the balloting for the election @
| Commander-in-Ch There were bu
two nominees-Capt. Chas w. Newton
of Hartford, Conn.,, and Chas. A. Sim
, mons, of Rochester, N. Y, late Depart
ment Commander of New York State
On the first ballot it appeared that NOR
votes had been cast than there wer
delegates and officers entitled to vot
present An uproar followed this an
nouncement, and both Newton ant
that they did not desire to be electe'
by unfair means. The first vote CAV
Simmons a majority of one.
, Another ballot was taken, and it wa
: shown that 355 ballots had been cast
9 178 being necessary to a choice. New
ton received 1872 votes and Simmon
= III Capt. Newton was then declare
elected and escorted to the platform
while the delegates and spectator
s cheered wildly. The bitterness of tn
!, struggle then disappeared, and the fol
!. lowing officers were duly elected:
q Other Omcers.
+ Senior Vice Commander-in-Ch Chie
: Charles Z. Stroud, Sandusky.
: Junior Vice Chic
: Moses r. Doyan, Indiana.
n Surgeon-General, DR.. John ODono
L hue, Massachusetts,.
Il Judge-Advocate-G Capt. Ed
d ward II. White, Chicago.
ct Paymaster-General, S. d. c. Hay
Il Denver.
el Commissary- General, Henry
a Schoemler New York City.
e Chief of Engineers, Samuel r. CoheI
e Lexington, KY.
e Chief Signal officer. Isadore Well
d New York.
cl Chief of Ordnance, ]. ]. Hellber.
d wisconsin.
i Chief of Artillery, Capt Adna
j. Clark, Fort Warren.
I'll Chief Mastering officer, William
d Wild, New York City.
gl National Historian, Capt. j. Waite
h Mitchell, Washington, ID. c., who wa