The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-09-18
ADDRESS BY COMMANDER BEERS
Charges Discrimination by Rail-
roads in Northern States
URGES PENSION FOR BLIND VETS

Chattanooga. Tenn. Sept, lS.-More
than ll,O00 Union veterans of the Civil
war died during the twelve months
ending December 81. last, and more
than 10000 such veterans are still on
the rolls of the Grand Army of the
Republic. according to Alfred B. Beers.
commander in chief of the organiza
tion, who delivered his annual address
at the reunion here today
The year started with a membership
of l9l ,3+G, Mr.. Beers said. and 1879
were added to the rolls by muster.
transfer and re- -instatement. The loss
es were as follows:
by death, ll,33S by honorable dis
charge. 435; by transfer. 1854: hy.sus-
pension. 6,976; by dishonorable dis
charge. 63; by delinquent reports. t.
2S3 by surrender of charter. 1899,
| making at total loss. partially offset
| by gains, 25,S9S. The rate of mortal
| ity, based on the membership. was
6.2S per cent
Says Railroads Disseminated.
Another topic discussed at some
length by Mr.. Beers was the alleged
discrimination in railroad rates To
Chattanooga between the Grand Army
| and the Confederate Veterans. who
| held their reunion here in May. II
would appear" he said, that the
services of the veterans Of the Union
army and the consideration due them
are held lightly in the estimation OF
the railroad authorities" The rail
roads of the south however. gave the
same rate To- both camps of veterans
Mr. Beers added. the alleged discrim
ination being in tn, north and against
the Union veterans. In this connec-
ton, he said
THE Southern Passenger associa
tion, composed of railroads east of the
Ohio river gave the same rate to the
Union veterans that they had given
to the Confederate veterans i'm May
of this year, namely, one cent per mile
The remaining associations. except the
Trunk Line association. located IN
New York and the s-Contnenta
lmile. which is, | believe. higher rate
than the Grand Army has paid in some
years. Included in the associations
making the charge of two cents pei
mile was the association whose roads
operate i'm Missouri and Kansas anC
perhaps other states which made
rate for the Confederate Veterans Re.
Iunion of one cent per mile The rail-
roads from New York to Washington
made no reduction whatever in rates
but changed the full regular fare tC
Washington, the gateway to the terri
otry of the Southern Passenger asso'
citation. which rate is In excess of th'
prices regularly charged for excur'
sion tickets good for ten days ant
largely In excess of mileage book rates
good for at least one year
Urges New Pension Laws.
Mr.. Beers urged that the pension
committee present a bill To Congress:
granting pension of $75 a month t'
veterans who are blind. He also rec
commended that an effort be made t'
have repealed the law providing tina
widows of veterans who married af'
ter June IL. 1890. should not be en-
titled To pensions.
."The most of us are conversant will
the causes that led To the passage o
that law" he said. 1T was a neces
sary and a proper law then, but sine
that time many honorable. kindly an'
affectionate women have married vet
erans from the purest of motives am
minlstered To them in their last hours
II seems an injustice that such nobl
women should he made to suffer wit
the irresponsible class that the lay
was designed To reach. Surely la'
can he framed that will separate tn
wheat from the chaff.
Will Elect officers Today.
Chattanooga, Tenn. Sept. 18th
i. election of officers by the Grand Arm
of the Republic, and Sons of Veteran
probably will take place today. eau
cuses were held late into the night b
both organizations The indication
are that the selection of q successo
10 Commander in Chief Beers will b
between Col. c. r. Adams of Super
ior, Nebraska, and washington CARD
, ner of Michigan.
A steady downpour OF rain contin
ued all night and was still i'm cvidenc
: today. For this reason the foot race
, between union veterans of six state
will be held in a big tent In the heai
, of the city There will be races, on
T for 100 yards and the other for on
mile. The entries Col. N. Smith. {
| Da. rait. q w Howe. Of PORT Hurol