New-York tribune., 1910-09-23
GILMAN HEAD OF c. A. R.
Massachusetts Man Wins Over
Irrational Tribune" Editor.
ST. CLOUD MATTER UP AGAIN
McElroy Insists That Charges Be
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Dollar
a Day Pensions.
TRy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

Atlantic City, Sept. 23.-The battle
for commander In chief of the Grand Army
of the Republic between the two Johns
John E. Gilman, OF Massachusetts. and
John McElroy. of Washington, publisher OF
THE National Tribune"-did not take place
at the national encampment to-day. as
was expected McElroy pulled out OF the
contest because of alleged runlors Whicn
he said had been circulated among his COM
rades In connection with his boosting OF
the st. Cloud, Fla, reservation for veteran
soldiers. He declined the nomination.
McElroy Immediately after the result OF
the election had been announced threw
bomb into the camp of the veterans by de-
manding that a committee be appointed oE
the encampment to investigate the charges
that have been circulated in connection with
the ST Cloud matter. and while the commit
tee was not named to-day IL will In all proo-
ability be appointed by the commander IN
chief tomorrow. McElroy was vice-presl-
dent of the Seminole Land Company. which
organized and put st. Cloud on the market.
McElroy Old not say what the alleged
charges of trregularity were during his de-
mand for committee of investigation.
Other Officers Elected.
other officers elected to-day were: Senior
vice-conmander, Charles Burrows. OF Ruth
erford. n. j.: junior vice-conmander, Will
lam e James. of Jacksonville, Fla;
chaplain in chief, the Rev. Thomas Har-
wood Methodist missionary, of New Mex
ico; surgeon general DR.. John l.. Smith. OF
Spokane. Wash The appointive officers
viii in all probability be named tomorrow
| m no peV-y nd chief
The report Of the committee on pensions
to-day advocated the extension OF the law
applying to soldiers widows At present
no woman can get a soldiers pension afteI
his death unless she was married prior t.
1890. It is proposed to make it possible
for the widow to draw the pension provld-
sd she had been married three years prior
TO her husbands death.
There is another proposition being advo-
Gated for the granting of a considerable in
crease in the pensions of all soldiers sew
enty-hve years old and over. These recon-
.meudatious have all been referred to the
resolutions committee. and will be reported
tomorrow. The pension committee reported
as being against any scheme to pay all
old soldiers a pension of 81 a dag. They
said the proposition was out Of all reason
and would subject the national government
to an immense and unnecessary expense.
Next Meeting Place Undecided.
The matter of the place of holding the
next meeting will be left TO the coun-
Gil of administration, composed of repre-
sentatives from each state. Los Angeles,
Denver and Rochester have all made
strong bid for the encampment, but there
will be no decision made until the council
learns something about what the railroads
are likely TO do.
At to-morrow's meeting. It is believed,
there will be a discussion as to the pres
ence of the Lee statue in Statuary Hall
In order to prevent any possibility OF any
other Southern state placing a statue of
jefferson Davis in the Capitol, it is be-
lieved that some action will be taken to-
morrow looking to the appointment of a
committee to revise the present law so that
such an exigency will be impossible.