The National tribune., 1909-09-16
THE UNION VETERAN LEGION.
SUCCESSFUL ENCANPMENT HELD in WASHINGTON, D. C.
Large Aendance-Thomas Shannon Reelected National Com
mander-mportant Resolutions Adopted

Ider of business. 1t was in part as fol-
lows:
: Comrades: At the 23d National En-
campment. held in Philadelphia, Pa, in
October last, 1 was elected your Ma
tional Commander. / felt deeply the
highly priced honor conferred upon me
by such a grand body of veteran SOL
diers, and l realized fully the great re-
sponsibility resting upon me. 1 was
never more sincere in any undertaking
during my life than /. was in my pledge
to serve you to the best of my ability.
1 have endeavored to keep that pledge,
and have given the affairs and business
of this grand organization my best ef-
forts, energy and strength thruout my
administration, for the upbuilding OF
our Order and to secure, If possible,
greater interest in perpetuating the
principles which bring us in such close
| touch as true veterans.
: "I was somewhat handicapped on as
, Stunning command, for you will remem-
: ber that upon the threshold of the past
years work we had the misfortune TO
lose by death our dearly beloved COM
rade, Past Quartermaster-Genera j. M.
Keyser. 1t took considerable time to
arrange all matters pertaining to this
office for transfer of same to his sue
cessor, Gen. Ben. d. Miner.
81 have complied with all require
ments made at our last National En-
campment at Philadelphia The states
men directly interested in the passage
of the veterans age bill and widows
increase bill were duly and officially
notified of the rising vote of thanks to
them by the delegates of the 23d Ma
tional Encampment assembled.
Il also had the pleasure of personally
extending to them your greetings and
heartfelt thanks.
81 have to announce that since we
I--A i..r Loot NnTl
Geo. w. Spahr, of Encampment so.
Past National Commander. and Gen. j.
NJ Keyser. of Encampment 1, Past
artermaster-GeneraL Letters of re-
gret and sympathy were sent to the
families of each.
Thru the courtesy and sacrifice of
AdJt-Gen. o. p. Hallam, the cost of
headquarters Office, keeping it clean.
amounting usually in the past to from
$100 to 5000. has been saved this year,
and has not cost us one dollar. The
use of q typewriter and operating the
same for our heavy correspondence has
not cost us anything, thanks to Gen.
Hallam for the same.
'I have received many letters of in
quiry as to whether the sons of U. V. l..
comrades were entitled to membership
in our organization. From the tone of
, these letters it appears that the idea
. has gotten abroad that our sons were
!, being taken into membership. and the
, writer's evidenced such a desire. 1 re-
{ piled to all that no action had as yet
! been taken by our National organiza-
tion relative to the matter.
I'm November, 1903. I visited En-
campments 1876, at Albany, N. Y; 3S,
of New York City; 20. of Brooklyn. N.
Y. and 81, of Jersey City, N. j.. with
; out expense to the National Ercamp-
ment. I found them in a fiourishing
/ condition, eager and earnest in CARRYING
on the good work. With Adj't-Gen.
. Hallam / visited Encampment 109, of
, Baltimore, and found the comrades and
the ladies of the Auxiliary very much
in evidence as representatives of this
, grand organization.
True, as the years sap our strength
and energy it requires greater effort to
be always in our places, to tear our
/ selves from our own fieside; but in the
{ old days, when our comrades fell In
battle, we closed in our ranks and
, marched on shoulder to shoulder, nor
ceased to fight till the war was over.
Shall we be less brave in life's conflict
and let flicker out that spirit of pa
triotism that blazed in our hearts as We
Boys in Blue gathered around our
!. campfires in '61?
MOT Let US rally to our Legion
every one whom health permits, and
. strengthen our lines with new recruits.
Let each comrade resolve not only that
. he will do his duty in this matter of at
tendance, but that he will not be con-
tent until he has induced at least one
$ of the many eligibles outside our ranks
: to march beneath our banner.
n with members of my staff / made
r an official call previously arranged)
{ on President Roosevelt, and extended to
him the greetings and well wishes of
) the Union Veteran Legion as expressed
/ by the National Encampment assem-
bled at Philadelphia. He was greatly
a 4
quested that his good will and best
{ wishes be given to you, and to assure
, you that all honor and consideration
: was due you for all that you did and
: suffered in your country's cause.
II have made many official visits to
various patriotic organiZations--the G..
A r., Sons and Daughters Of Veterans,
l Daughters of the American Revolution,
Legion of Loyal Women, Auxiliaries,
: etc.
Pension Legislation.
ri Accompanied by Gems. Hallam,
! Sandford, Butts and Col McElrOy, rep
, resenting our Legislative and Pension
Committee, / called on the Pension
n Committees of the u. S. Senate and
y House of Representatives, Messrs Nc
lCumber and Sulloway. Chairmen, soon
= after the opening of the last regular
session of Congress We urged with all
. Jour power the presenting and passage
: iof bill for the removal of the restrict
@ led date. June 81, 1890. upon widows
Q married to soldiers subsequent to that
date. Both committees were favorable.
lA bill was presented and passed in the
Senate tBill No. 1900, but failed of
passage in the House. Calls were sub
q sequently made (several of them) on
said committees, but 1t was impossible
{ TO get the bill acted on by the House
' Committee for reasons given by Mr..
: Sulloway. Chairman. / refer you to the
:. report of the Committee on Legislation
e and Pensions.
with AdJt-Gen. Hallam, visited
. Philadelphia, Pa, where were assem-
bled upon my invitation Encampments
2, 20, SO and 73, of Philadelphia; 81, of
: Camden, n. j.. and representatives from
! Encampfaents at Reading, West Chester
: and Lancaster, Pa, and Wilmington,
:. Del, together with a large attendance
I of the Ladies' Auxiliary. The hall was
handsomely decorated, attendance with
/ the Auxiliary large. Speeches and en-
& tertainment were the order of the even
=. ling. / presented to Past National Com.
a mander w. III. r. Neel the gold jeweled
badge voted him by the Philadelphia
:; National Encampment. Good feeling
4 and enthusiasm prevailed, and by
l. speech, story and song the comrades
:; evidenced their interest and zeal for our
organization"
9 Commander Shannon describes the
V experience of members of the Union
i, Veteran Legion as part of the guard