Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-23
GILMAN ELECTED
G.A.R.C0MMANDER
Rochester Selected for Next En-
Campment if Railroad
Rates Satisfactory
tAssooiated Pressl

ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., Sept ga
John p. Gilman of Boston for COM
mander-in- n-chief and Rochester, N. Y,
for the next place of meeting was the
winning combination in the national
encampment of the G. A. r., which
opened its business session today.
The other officers elected were: Sc
nior vice COMMUNICATIVE Charles
Burrows, Rutherford, N. j.; junior
vice, William James Of Jacksonville,
Fla; surgeon general, John l.. Smith,
Spokane, Wash: chaplainin- chief,
Rev. Thomas Hardwood of Albu-
querque.
The new commander-in-ch had an
easy time of it in his election, but
Bochester's selection as the next en-
campment site has a string on 1t. The
veterans decided that the encampment
can go there only on condition that
satisfactory rates are secured from
the railroads, and If in the Judgment
of the executive committee Of the ma
tlonal council the rates are not salts
factory, the committee can select some
other city.
Los Angeles, Denver and Springfield,
ILL.,, were also after the encampment,
and San Francisco invited the vet
Grams to the Golden Gate city in 1916.
A pension of 81 a day for life will be
shelved by the encampment. The COM
mittee on pensions today decided
against the proposition, on the ground
that it would be too expensive to the
government.
1t was figured this would increase
the pension roll more than $100 100000
year, and that it would take $780,
900 900 in the next two years for PEN
sions. The pension roll now amounts
to $3.50, 100000.
The report of the pension committee
favors the McCumber bill now in con-
gress, removing the restrictions that
bar from the rolls women who were
married to veterans after June 27, 1890,
and who have since become widows.
The bill, however, bars women who
became widows within three years
after they married veterans.
If influential members of the G. A.
r. can prevent the present encamp-
ment will take no action on the matter
of placing the statue of Robert E.
Lee in the national capitol. Leading
members of the G.. A. r. declare they
do not want to offend the soldiers OF
the confederacy.
Colonel Gilman, the new COM
mander- in chief. was a member of the
Fighting Twelfth" Massachusetts in
fantry, enlisting at a tender age after
lie ldu run dWdy lIpiil lOlllOs cillIICAA
with war fever. The colonel of his
regiment was Fletcher Webster, son of
the illustrious Daniel Webster and
during his Civil War experience he
served successfully under Generals
| Pope, Mcclellan, Burnside, Fighting
Joe" Hooker and Meade. The blood
! lest engagement of his regiment was
at Antietam, where so per cent of the
men were either killed or mortally
wounded
! He was at the front most of the
three days of the terrible fighting at
Gettysburg, and laid down his gun
only when one of his arms was blown
off by a rebel shell. Gilman is one
of the earliest members of the G.. A.
r., having come into the organization
in 1868.
In his address today Commander
Van SAINT said in part:
URGES STRENGTH KEPT UP
While the roll of the Grand Army is
steadily shortening, the commander IN
chief urged that every effort be made
to keep the organization up to its full
est possible strength. He quoted the
figures showing that the G. A. r. at
the beginning of the present year had
213901 members in good standing, as
against 220600 at the beginning of 1909.
The loss during the year was 67Sl, OF
] WHICH OOEo WAS DY uGdlll' llC NOiiA
mander urged that recruiting measures
| be taken among the large number OF
former union soldiers who are not en-
rolled as Grand Army members
The speaker noted "a better general
observance of Memorial day than for
merly. He urged the general coop
Grafton of Grand Army members in
inducing q general Observance of Flag
day OF the Sons of Veterans he said:
"This can be made a still grander
organization. 1t is constantly increas-
ing in numbers and influence. The
Sons of Veterans with proper encour-
agement should soon be the largest
patriotic body of men in the world.
That it may be is my earnest wish"
The commander in chief expressed
himself as particularly gratified at the
increasing fraterpization of the "blue"
and the gray" He voiced his pleas
ure at the cordial reception given him
during his recent official visit to the
southern departments, not only from
the former union soldiers, but from
ex-confederates.
'In all cities, when possible he
said, 81 urged joint meetings of the
blue and the gray. We had many
gatherings of this character, and no'
more loyal and patriotic sentiments
were ever uttered than by the men
who fought on the other side.
"Are you not pleased TO learn that
our comrades are living in peace and
harmony with our late enemies? This
is as it should be. Both armies were
composed of brave men, and they
should and do mutually respect each
other, We of the north can testify
that no braver troops were ever mar
shaled for conflict than our late enc
mies-and we now realize that no men
ever made greater sacrifices for what
they believed to be right than our for
mer foes.
Comrades, we were the Yictors, ana
we can afford to be magnanimous to
our old foes. 1t is easy for the victor
TO forgive, but when the yanquished
absolves himself from all bitterness ne
has truly gained the most cherished
trait of a noble character"