The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-18
OVER 1900
VETERANS DIED
DURING 1918
Comm ander Beers
Raps Railroads For
Discrimination
6. A. R. And S. Of v. Expect
To Elect Officers Be-
fore Night

Chattanooga, Sept 1s-E1ection of
officers of the Grand Army of the Re
public, in the 47th annual encamp-
ment here, and by the Sons of Veter-
Caucuses were held late into the night
by both organizations While sew
era1 candidates will appear on the
first ballot in the Grand Army cleo
ton. indications are that the selec-
ton of a commander-in-chief to sue
ceed Alfred B. Beers, lies between Col.
l. c. Adams, of Superior, Neb., and
Washington Gardner, Of Michigan
An equally spirited contest. is being
waged in the Sons of Veterans. John
z. Sauter,- of Pittsburgh, and G. S.
Scott, Of San Francisco, will be the
principal candidates for commander
! in-chief. according to pledged votes
announced in caucuses, last night. A
steady rain throughout the night was
still in evidence, today. For this rea-
son the foot races in which Union
veterans from six states and Confed-
crate veterans will compete, will take
place in big tent The races are at
100 yards and three miles.
Over II, 900 Union veterans of the
! Civil War died during the IL months
ending December 81, last, and more
than 10000 such veterans are still
on the rolls of the Grand Army of the
Commander-in-Chie of the organiza-
ton, who delivered his annual address
at the reunion here to-day.
The year started with a member
ship of 1s1. .34e, Mr.. Beers said, and
Il. .77s were added to thero11s by mus
ter, transfer and Reinstatement. The
losses were as follows: BY death, IL,
1885, by honorable discharge, 435; by
transfer, 1,764; by suspension, 6,976;
by dishonorable discharge, So; by de-
1inquent reports, 4,2S3, and by sur
render of charter, 1,039, making a to-
<oT foT1 NV Oft
1898. The rate of mortality. based
on the membership, was 6.2s per cent.
Another topic discharged at some
length by Mr.. Beers was the alleged
discrimination in railroad rates to
Chattanooga. between the Grand Army
held their reunion here in May. ''It
would appear" he said, that the ser
vices of the veterans of the Union Ar
my 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 the 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 in May
of this year. namely, one cent per
mile The remaining Associations, |
except the Trunk Line Association, To-
Gated in New York and the Trans |
Continental Lines, fixed the rate at |
cents per mile which is, I believe, a |
higher rate than the Grand Army has
paid in some years. Included in the |
Associations making the charge of two
cents per mile, was the Association |
whose roads operate in Missouri and
Kansas and perhaps other states, |
which made a rate for the Confederate |
Veterans Reunion of one cent per
mile. The railroads from New York
to washington made no reduction
whatever In rates, but charged the full
regular fare to Washington, the gate
way to the territory of the Southern
Passenger Association, which rate is
in excess of the prices regularly
charged for excursion tickets good for
ten days and largely in excess of mile !
age book rates good for at least one
year.
Mr.. Beers urged that the Pension
committee present a bill to Congress
granting a pension of $75 a month to |
veterans who are blind. He also rec
commended that an effort be made to |
F~ve renea'nd the law providing that /
widows of veterans who married after
une II. 1880, should not be entitled |
TO pensions
4ho AhoSI u US dTt coHNerSSdL VIII
the causes that led to the passage of
that law" he said. ''It was a neces-
eary and a proper law then. but since
that time many honorable, kindly and |
affectionate women have married vet
Grams from the purest of motives and
minfstered to them in their last hours.
It seems an injustice that such noble
women should be made to suffer with
the irresponsible class that the law
was designed to reach Surely a law
can be framed that will separate the
wheat from the chaff-''
VOLLMER SAT