Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1913-06-13
The GRAND ARMY
REUNION At RENO

once more the old blue coats
are Joined. With flies and drums
sounding the remnant of the Grand
Army comes marching down tie
street.
1t is reunion day in Reno. This
is the first time Nevada has had
the honor of bidding welcome to
the boys in blue. The first time a
Grand Army of the Republic Reun-
ion has ever been held on Nevada
soil. The Grand Army Of the Re-
public is welcome in Nevada and
Reno has done herself proud in
giving the "old Soldier" a royal
welcome
Yesterday Judge II. F. Bartin
Of the Nevada Railway Commits
sion, who IL commander of Custer
Post G. A. r. of Carson City, de-
livered the address of welcome.
Again the old boys have met. 1t
is no such a mer company
as met ten years ago or even last
year But it is still Bill" and
Tom, and "Cumrade" with a
heartlncss that age cannot take
away. There are solicitous inquiries
after health. Hands clasp silently
in reunion. Many are wandering
whose place in the parade will be
vacant next year, Jim" is be-
ginning to look feeble! SANS"
shoulders always so erect are be-
ginning to have an involuntary
stoop in them.
At last the parade starts. It's
military appearance is kept up this
year by the Spanish war veterans
and the Boy Scouts But the chief
interest is the brave little band of
Grand Army men. There is a pitt
able attempt tn appear in uniform.
With most the uniform consists
merely of the black felt hat with its
gold braid. With some it is merely
the gold buttons in suits of brown,
black and gray While a very few
still wear blue suits, brass buttons
felt hat and all
Most Of them make a brave at
tempt to be military in bearing
But for all but a few the exertion
is terrific Some still have their
buoyant step. but for most the
march is hating and painful And
some VITO have always marched
before this year, are riding in car
riages and automobiles
We have a purpose in writing
these lines The point we wish to
make is that the Grand Army is
going. and going rapidly. Each
month now at the Pension Office
n Washington, 1000 names are
struck from the roll with the
grim word dead" closing each
pension account. Four thousand p
month. These men who went forth
to give their lives for the Union
81 years ago hardly fell on the bat
tlefelds and in the fever hospitals
at that rate.
The country needs a new sense
Of the great debt owed to these
men. The country owes it 20 this
dwindl!ng band to smooth out
their declining years 1t ought to
be easier for them to get their pen
sions. They ought not to be sub
jected to the annoying delays and
red tape that they have been sub
jceted to in the past. Their pen
sions ought to be biggcr--a dollar
a day is not too much. Moreover,
pensions ought to be paid more fire.
quently. There has been introduc.
cd in Congress Il bill providing for
monthly instead of quarterly pay
ment of pcnions and we hope it
will pass. 1t is to be hoped that
the new commissioner of pensions
will require that pension matters
will receive more prompt treatment
than have heretofore. when old
soldiers have been compelled to
wait week after week. and month
after month for their pension
claims to receive even preliminary
consideration. Time flies. What
ever is to be done for the Boys in
Blue must and should be done
quicHly.
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