the rules and regulations, which was the cause of some criticism at the last Department Encampment. Two years ago the National Encampment rules and regulations were amended, and among other things it was provided that the Department by-laws should prescribe whether the rest of the officers outside of Adjutant, Quartermaster, and so forth, should be either elected or appointed. I think every comrade will agree with me that when you elect a man as Department Commander you should place upon his shoulders all the responsibilities of his administration. I, there fore, move, Department Commander, that all the rest of the officers, outside of the four Delegates-at-Large, should be appointed by the incoming administration. COMRADE DINEEN (No. 4): I second the motion. The Department Commander, after calling for a vote, announced the motion carried. DEPARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: Nominations for the four Delegates-at-Large is the next order of business. COMRADE LONG (No. 5): I desire to place in nomination for Delegate-at-Large, one of the comrades from New York City, whom we all know; a man who has been active in our organization, and who will be active when he is elected. I, therefore, have the honor and pleasure of placing in nomination as a Delegate-at-Large Comrade Charles Lawrence of Camp No. 36. COMRADE MEYER (No. 46): I second the nomination. COMRADE PIERCE (No. 1): I want to place in nomination for Delegate-at-Large a man whom you all know, and there is no use in going into a lengthy talk about him, Comrade Thomas Burke. COMRADE McCoy (No. 59): Just a moment ago a comrade whispered in my ear that he has attended many conventions, but he has never had the pleasure of hearing anybody say anything good about him, such as we have heard here to-day. So I am going to have him consider that all the complimentary things said here to-day have been said about him, and I place in nomination for Delegate-at-Large, Comrade Bernard Fagan of Camp No. 1. COMRADE BURNS (No. 19): I place in nomination for Delegate-at-Large Comrade Verne M. Bovie of N. W. Crosby Camp No. 37. COMRADE SHINN (No. 43): I rise to second the nomination of Comrade Bovie, and I trust that he will receive the support of every man in this room. We have all noted how efficiently he has filled the Chairmanship of the Entertainment Committee here in New Rochelle, and how splendidly he has taken care of our welfare. So I second his nomination. COMRADE PICKEREL (No. 80): I rise to nominate one of our very efficient comrades, who has worked wonders not only in his own Camp but in the Department as well, and that is Comrade Frank Wood of Barber Camp No. 3. DEPARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: Are there any further nominations? COMRADE PIERCE (No. 1): I move that the nominations be closed. COMRADE KEEFE (No. 78): I think in sending Delegates-at-Large to the National Encampment we should distribute them as much as possible, and have them come from the different sections of the State. I therefore second the nomination of Comrade Wood. DEPARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: We have now five comrades nominated for Delegates-at-Large, Comrades Lawrence, Burke, Fagan, Bovie and Wood. COMRADE GOODWIN (No. 62): Comrade Department Commander and Comrades, I might say that the procedure in the past has been that eight names were nominated, and the four receiving the largest number of votes were made delegates, and the other four took a consolation prize in the way of being alternates. To simplify matters I hope that will prevail to-day, and I make that as a motion. The motion was duly seconded, and the Department Commander, after calling for a vote, announced the motion carried. COMRADE HERRING (No. 2): I place in nomination a comrade whom everybody knows, and one whom you do not have to throw any boquets about, Comrade Paul Stobbe, of Manhattan No. 1. COMRADE POULTON (No. 46): I place in nomination the name of a comrade with whom you are well acquainted, Comrade Daniel Cullinane, of No. 46. COMRADE VAN BUREN (No. 22): I desire to complete the list by adding the name of Comrade Joseph Conte, of Brooklyn No. 22. COMRADE REYNOLDS (No. 9): I take great pleasure in placing in nomination the name of L. L. Davis. DEPARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: I wish to announce that there are nine candidates so far. COMRADE FAGAN (No. 1): I wish to withdraw my name. COMRADE CLAPP (No. 43): I place in nomination the name of Daniel F. Sears, of Russell Camp No. 43. COMRADE SHINN (No. 43): I second that nomination. COMRADE WHITE (No. 59): I rise to second the nomination of Comrade Stobbe. COMRADE HYNES (No. 37): I rise to second the nomination of Comrade Stobbe. COMRADE MACFARLAND ((No. 28): I move that the nominations be closed. COMRADE SMITH (No. 46): I second the motion. A COMRADE: Is Comrade Burke of Russell Camp No. 2 on that list? COMRADE MCMAHON (No. 4): I nominated Past Commander Goodwin of Camp No. 62 as a Delegate-at-Large. DEPARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: In order to clarify the situation I wish to state that the comrade who made that motion was standing all the time that another comrade was talking, and the rule says, that if one man continues standing on the floor while another speaker has the floor, he cannot be recognized as the next man. COMRADE MACFARLAND (No. 28): I move that the nominations be closed. COMRADE STAHL (No. 21): I second the motion. COMRADE DINEEN (No. 4): Is the name of Comrade Fagan on that list? DEPARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: Yes. COMRADE DINEEN (No. 4): I rise to a point of order, which is, that by virtue of his holding office in the national body he cannot be elected a Delegate-at-Large, and I therefore move that his name be taken from that list. COMRADE FAGAN (No. 1): Comrade Fagan has tried six times to make that announcement himself. COMRADE DINEEN (No. 4): I knew I had a louder voice, that is why I tried to help him out. DEARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: There are ten candidates now nominated for Delegate-at-Large, and the nominations are closed. Now, comrades, before we enter into the next order of business I would like at this time to have a few words from a comrade, who, from the standpoint of patriotism and loyalty, has the heart-beat of the Spanish War Veterans of this State. I don't know of anyone who can rally us quicker and make us stand more steadfast than our own beloved Department Chaplain. A comrade proposes three cheers for Father Chidwick, which is responded to with great vigor and long applause. The address of the Department Chaplain will be found on page 187. DEPARTMENT COMMANDER GANNON: Will Comrades MacFarland, Jones, Cunningham and Lanigan act on the Greetings Committee? COMRADE LANIGAN (No. 46): I should like to have the privilege of the floor for a few minutes. The young lady cashier at the New York restaurant, |