The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-18
qIEE SUCcESSION PLIN.
Department of Connecticut G. X. +. Said {
 Have Broken it Last Year.

Department of Connecticut G. X. +. Said to
 Have Broken it Last Year.
 IL looks now as if the succession in office" idea, which for number of years has prevailed in the election of the higher officers in the department of Connecticut G. A. R. had been perma- nently put aside. Last February the hold this idea had on the department was broken by the election of Junior Vice Commander Mckee, who was pledge not to accept a promotion. He was elected on that issue. This, how ever, did not include in the agreement the setting aside of O. w. Cornish, of Waterbury, now senior vice department commander, who will probably be the next department commander and the last elected under the old promotion and succession in office plan.
 The Meriden Republican says: "For several years some of the leading men in the G. A. R. have been fighting the idea, and as the campaign for the cleo ton of commander and other officers '9 IION oIlJ IL Is very pldlllly CtCll that men from the smaller posts, who have pledged themselves not to accept pro- motion, will be put in the senior vice and junior vice chairs. A number of Meriden people have received circulars announcing the candidacy of A. W. Converse, of J. II. Converse post of Windsor Locks, for senior vice, who distinctly states that he is pledged not to accept promotion.
 The Middletown Tribune says of the coming annual encampment;
 "The election of department officers for next year will soon be here. From present appearances there may two can didates for commander, and there are already about half a dozen ''possbili- ties" for junior vice commander, For the position of senior vice commander there is at present but one candidate in the field, and he is SO strong and well supported, that it would seem to be an unfavorable time for any other to be in. the field against him. The comrade referred to is A. w. Converse, Post No. 67, of Windsor Locks. Com rade Converse has been commander of his post for seven years, and has been treasurer of the savings bank at Wind sor Locks since 1871. He has not sought the office, but is the candidate of all the posts in his section of the state, who feel that they are entitled to recog hilton. He is also very strongly back ed by some of the very strongest posts and comrades in the department. Com d. hos ,olo h in case of election not to accept of any promotion next year. This is a very strong point in his favor, for the feel ing grows every month in the depart ment that the time has come when no man should ask for office for more than one year, even if he c0ud get 1t, but as the days of the Grand Army are grow ing fewer and fewer, that an entire new slate should be made up each year, and the small posts, like Con- verse post, be given show to enjoy portion of the honors. Then another argument is, that the comrades have all reached a time of life when three years of active service, such as men gave tif- teen or twenty years ago, is too much of burden, and there are many who do not hesitate to say that no comrade in these days, however good his inten- tions, can carry enthusiasm enough in- to the work to last him three years and enable him to respond to all the calls of the post upon him for visita- tions. There are plenty who can do it for one year, and would be willing and proud to, and Conrade Converse is one of them.
 President Raymond of Wesleyan university has been asked by comrades in Hartford and New Haven to serve next year as department chaplain. His election without opposition would be certain and he at first consented, but later found himself obliged to change his decision on account of the multi plicity of his duties at the college"