Evening star., 1898-09-07
NATIONAL OFFICERS
Caucus of the G. A. R. for the An
nual Election.
M'ELR0Y'S CHANCE FOR PROMOTION
Strong Probability of His Becom-
ing Senior Vice Commander.
S q NM AIRY OF REPORTS
Special from a Staff Correspondent.

| Special from a Staff Correspondent.
CINCINNATI, Ohio, September THE
| various departments of the Grand Army OF
the Republic will caucus this afternoon and
evening foE the purpose of selecting candi
| dates for election TO the different positions
within their gift for the ensuing year. 1,
| is believed, in the event of certain contin.
gencies Col. JOHN McElroy of Washington
DC, past commander Of the Department ei
the Potomac, will be honored with the CT
flee of senior vice commander-:n-chicf. The
election Of Col. McElroy to the high office
named is said TO be virtually assured il
Col 1. F. Mack of Ohio. as row seems
| probable, shall be chosen commander IN
| chief
The candidates at this time in the field
for the chief Office are James A. Sexton OF
| Illinois, Albert d. Shaw of New York John
e. Shots of New York, Thomas Anderson
| of Kansas and l. f. Mack OF Ohio II is
| reported here that both Senator Platt OF
| New York and Senator Hanna of Ohio are
taxing hand in the contest. the former
| pelng opposed, IL is alleged to Coz. Shaw,
nut Tor what reasons is not known in this
| city, Wnl.e Senator Hanna is said to want
| Mack defeated because the latte: is a warm
| friend of some of Mr.. Hanna's political enc
! mics 1t is said that this is the first time
In the history of the G. A. r. when there
| Waa a candidate for the office Of command
| er-in-chief who Gid not have the solid SUD-
port OF his department: but at this election
IL happens that of those named only Andcr-
| son OF Kansas is the unanimous choice OF
| ms department New York has two can,li-
| dates, Shaw and Shots. The costs of IlIi-
| I'ofs are divided as to Sexton, and the same
| condition exists IS to Mack of Ohio. The
| latteT seems, however. to be gaining
| strength in his department, and if when
| the convention meets tomorrow. he can
1 Ia col ht,s
| e!tcted without much trouble on The part
OF MS friends. after the other candidates
| lets.
| Col. McElroy's Prospects,
| Some Of those best posted as to what is
! going on In the inner circles Of the Grand
Army say if Mack is successful 1t is almust
certain that Col. McElroy Of Washington.
D. C., will be elected senior vice command
er, and practically without opposition. Col.
| McElroy is well and favorably known
| throughout the country through his advo-
cacy, in the columns of his paper of yari-
Gus matters intended to benefit the yeter-
ms aa.s; anu they ieel confident that If elected
| senior vice ommander-in-chief he can be
| depended upon to still further look out for
| .HeIr interests 1t cannot, however, be de-
nled that Anderson, who has been making
quiet canvass for several days among the
ueiesates TO the encampment, has made
quite a favorable impression and there is a
possibility that he may, after the second or
IiIu pailot, be chosen commandar-in chief
IN inns event Mack will, it is generally con-
ceded, be elected senior vice Commando. n
pcihg the custom. unless some good rea-
| soLs should exist for not doing so to give
Ia .riat oIlce to some one from the city in
"Eich the encamcment is feld
Inc Woman's Relief Corps of the District
VI Soiumola gave reception last evening
at the Grand Hotel, Commander-in-C,hief
Goblin, the members of his star and bmn-
QrGuS OF other
belnS present. The reception was in cha 700
Oh MRS. Anna A. Peck, president Of th4. De
partment OF the Potomac, and the members
OF her staff. and was nronouncad Nv oil
WIZ ATTENDED to be a great success
One of the Greatest Exents
ne grand parade of the G. A. T., which
lakes place today, promises to he one of
lhe greatest events in the history of the
organization. 1t is expected that If will
require at least six hours to pass a given
point All the ladies and a number of in
vited guests from Washington have been
provided with seats on the reviewing stand
corner of 18th and Race streets where the
marching veterans will be reviewed by
Governor Bushnell of Ohio, Commander-in
Chief Goblin and the members of the staff
of each.
The day has been given over to the
paraoe by most of the people of Cincinnati
and 1t is estimated that within two hours
after sunrise 10000 persons had assembled
along the route of the procession The
weather is very propitious. it being pleas
antly cool and little cloudy but rain is
not threatened.
AT the opening tomorrow of the annual
convention of the Women's Relief Corps,
Mrs. Mary NJ. North of Anacostia. ID. c.,
will present the body with a gavel made
from wood obtained at Mount Vernon.
The Grand Parade.
The exercises of the third days proceed
fbn
firing at Camp Sherman of salute to the
Union of forty-five guns. This was fol-
lowed by the grand parade. which formed
at the various places designated previous
to uniting in one body at $50 o'clock.
Shortly after this hour Chief
Goblin and the members of his staff left ma
tional headquarters. AS they did 50 a ma
tieral salute of twenty-one guns was fired.
AS soon as General Goblin and staff reached
the place appointed for them the Grand
Army of the Republic began to move over
the route which had been arranged.
The national convention of the Ladies
Of the G. A. r. will begin tomorrow morn
ing at Odd Fellows Hall. This was the
first women's organization formed in con-
nection with the Grand Army of the Re-
public, and had it's birth in Portland Me-,
in 1869. 1t admitted only the mothers,
wives, sisters and daughters of honoraby
discharged soldiers and Sailors When the
Grand Army of the Republic met al Den
yer, in July, 1883, there were women's
Auxiliary organza tions of some kind iH
fifteen or more states, and an attempt was
made to consolidate them. This attempt
resulted in the National Womens Relief
Corps. None of these societies had admit
ted other than mothers, wives, daughters
and sisters of Union soldiers and sailors.
| In the attempt to popularize the order
and increase its members and sources of
income the new organization proceeded to
widen the door to membership, and all
loyal women of good moral character
were made eligible. Those who did not
believe in extending the eligibility class in
the women's organization withdrew and
formed what is now known as the Ladies
of the Grand Army of the Republic" which
does not admit others than members of
veterans families and admits veterans as
associate members
Not an Auxiliary Organization.
The Ladies of the Grand Army of the
Republic do not claim to be auxiliary to
the G. A. R., but consider themselves a
part Of 1t. Every honorably discharged
soldier and his family may become MEM
bers of the order. The order is designed
to be social and charitable. The follow