Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-23
GRAND ARMY NOW
COMMENCES WORK.
Commsnder-in- Chief 0pcr1 Business
Session BY Expression of Graft
fication ri Fraternization.
S0UTHERNERs INTREPID MEN
Erstwhile Foes Made Sacrifices for
Ideas of Right.
GILMAN HEADS LIST OF OFFICERS
Committee Reports Against Dollar a
Day Proposition.
MEMBERSHIP SLOWLY DECREASES
Losses by Death During the Year
Mere Than Five Thousand
Joint Reunion of blue and
Gray Suggested.
Erstwhile Foes Made Sacrifices for
Ideas of Right.
GILMAN HEADS LIST OF OFFICER
Committee Reports Against Dollar a
Day Proposition.
MEMBERSHIP SLOWLY DECREASES

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., Sept. 22-John
l.. Gilman OF Boston was this afternoon
elected commander in-chief Of the Grand
Army OF the Republic for the coming year
John McElroy OF Washington, d. G., was
the only other candidate and ne withdrew
his name before the balloting began
The pension committee of the Grand Army
OK the Republic today made a report to the
opening session of the national encamp-
ment condemning the proposition that con-
gress grant each union vet ran OF the civil
war pension of at least 81 a day for Efe
The committee maintained sucn a pension
would be too expensive to the government.
The report recommends that the widows
of veterans be given an increased pension.
and also advocates that the pensions Of
veterans above the age of 70 years be in
creased. The report was referred to the
resolution committee. This committee will
make a report later
The election Of officers and the place OF
next meeting were made the special order
for this afternoon
Address of Commander Van SAINT.
Commander-in-Chief Samuel ii. Van
SAINT Of Minnesota today formally op-
ened the business session of the national
encampment of the Grand Arm, ot the
Republic on the steel pier In thls cir I.
with fine tribute to the soldiers OF the
confederacy. The commander spoke
earnestly as he expressed his qualification
at the increasing fraternlzatlon of the
blue and the gray"
When he Eaid tina, no praver troops wel q
ever marshaled for conflict than the south
ern soldiers and that the union veterans
now realize that no men ever made greater
sacrifices for what they believed 10 be
~
mander was applauded.
While the roll of the Grand Army IA
steadily shortening the commander-in-
chief urged that every effort be made tC
keep the organization up to its fullest
possible 1trength, He quoted the figures
showing that che Grand Army OF the Re
public at the beginning of the present
year had still 2i3.s01 members in gooC
standing. as against 2E0,6OO at the be-
ginning of 1909. Tho loss during tn,
year was 6.7s1, OF which 5,Sz5 was b,
death. The commander urged that re
crulting measures be taken among tn,
large number of former union soldiers
who are not enrolled as Grand Arm!
members
Observance of Memorial Day.
The speaker noted a better general OBJ
seryance of Memorial day than formerly
Let Us tnSlbt ana 10 all IN our power
he said that Memorial Lay shall be de
voted solely and only TO the purpose 10
which II was created Let 1t be the on
day Of the year vote to honoring ou
'deathless dead for in that way we wi
teach the rising generation love of cour
try, without which ou- nation cannot lon
survive" He also urged the general &C
operation OF Grand Army members in II
ducing a general observance of Flag da!
Commander-i int Chief Van SAINT had con
mendAtion for the work of all the Gran
Army of the Republic auxiliaries prals
ing the excellent work being done by tn
Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies' of III
Grand Army of the Republic, Sons {
Veterans and Daughters of Veterans. c
the Sons of Veterans he SAID:
''This can be made a still grapder o.
ganization 1t constantly increasiu
in numbers and Influence The Sons
Veterans with proper encouragemeI
should soon be the largest patriotic boo
OF men in the world. That 1t may is N
earnest wish. The Sons of Veteran
should have all the encouragement pc
sible from the Grand army of the II
public. IL Is j matter of great satisfa
tion that the sons meet with US this yea
trust our national encampments may
the future be held at rne same time al
in the same place"
Report ON Pensions.