Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-09-23
John {. Gilman Of Boston
Commander r-in-Chief.
Rochester, n. ~ Selected As
Next Meeting Place.
Proposition Of DoIIar.a-Day Pension
Considered Too Much.

Atlantic city, n. j.. Sept. 22.-John e.
| Gilman of Boston for commander-in-
| chief, and Rochester, n. Y. for the
next place of meeting, was the winning
combination in the nationa! encamp-
ment of the Grand Army Of the Repub-
lie, which opened it's business today on
the ocean end of the Steel pier. The
| other officers elected were: Senior
vice commander-in-c chief. Charles Bur-
rows. Rutherford. N. j.; junior vice
commander in chief, William James.
Jacksonville, Fla: surgeon general.
John L. Smith. Spokane. Wash: chap
lain-in chief Rev. Thomas Harwood,
| Albuquerque, n. M.
/ The new commander had an easy
time of it in his election but Roch-
esters selection as the next encamp-
ment site has string to 1t. The
Veterans decided that. the encampment
can so to the New York state city on
condition that satisfactory rates are
| secured from the railroads. but If, In
the Judgment of the executive COM
| mittee of the national council of ad-
minis stration Of the Grand Army, the
| ra ties are not to it's liking, the COM
| mittce can select some other city to
| which reasonable rates can be OBJ
| tanned. Los Angeles. Denver and
| Springfield, ILL.,. were also after the
| cncampment and San Francisco in
| vited the veterans to the Golden Gate
| City in 1915. When New Orleans
heard of the latter invitation, a vet
| eran from the Southern state said the
| encampment would also hear from
| New Orleans before 1915, the year for
the opening of the Panama canal.
The election Of the commander in
chief brought up subject that many
of the veterans hoped would not come
before them. 1t related to the conduct
of John McElroy, of Washington. D.
c., who was Gilman's opponent for
| commander in chief When McElroy's
name was presented to the convention.
| he promptly withdrew it in an earnest
| speech. He declared that he had be-
come a candidate on the solicitation
Of thousands of Grand Army men and
that he had tried to win the honor
fairly. but he had become the target
of most persistent. rancorous calum-
MES. falsehoods and innuendoes." The
charges made. he said. had affected
his intregity in every way and were
leveled at him on such short notice
| d
fence in the brief time left before the
election. He therefore, he said. with
drew his name as candidate and ask
ed the encampment to investigate the
charges. He said he completely ex-
culpated Gilman and his friends from
any hand in the reports circulated.
Despite his announced withdrawal
McElroy's friends rallied around him
fo6 In fnr hi
The ballot resulted: Gilman 667; Nc
Elroy 2l6. After the vote was an
nounced, McElroy formally asked
the encampment that the new COM
mander-in-c be directed to ap-
point committee of inquiry to in
vestigate his (McElroy's) "adminis-
traton at st. Cloud, Fla"
Objection was made on the ground
that it was a matter outside the bus
mess of the encampment. but his re-
quest was granted. The new COM
mander will name the committee
later. (f-9" a't fT
The charges referred to by McElroy
did not come before the encampment.
The proposition of a dollar-a-day
pension for life will doubtless be
shelved by the encampment. The COM
mittee on pensions which made its
report to the encampment today, de-
cded against the proposition on the
ground that it would cost the gov
ernment too much. Ii was figured
out that dollar a day would increase
the pension roll more than 00.000, 900
a year and that it would take a half
million dollars in the next two years
for pensions. The pension roll now
amount to $3.50, ,O0O, 900.
| The report Of the pension committee
favors the McCoinber bill now in Con-
gresS removing the restriction which
: bars women who were married to vet
Grams after June 27, 1890. and have since
} become widows. from receiving pen
sions The bill, however, bars women
= who become widows within three years
: after they marry veterans.
= If the most influential members OF
3 the Grand Army prevent It. the pres
f ent cncampnient will take no action on
the matter of the statue of Robert E.
Lee being placed in the National Cap
0 Itol. Leading members of the Grand
Army declare that they do not want to
offend the soldiers of the Confederacy.
''Time is healing the wounds indicted
on both sides" said one past national
. commander today. "and there Is no
desire to Reopen them."
Atlantic City, N j., Sept. 22.-With
fine tribute to the soldiers Of the
Confederacy, Commander-in-C Chief
Samuel r. Want of Minnesota today
, formerly opened the business sessions
1 Of the National encampement Of the
4 Grand Army of the Republic. The
e commander said that no braver troops
CONTINUED on Page Twelve.)
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