Evening star., 1898-09-08
M'ELROY'S CHANCES.
Probability Of His Election as Senior
Vice Commander.
THE G. 4. R. NATIONAL EHCAMPMENT
Petition to President Mckinley
Against Commissioner Evans.
NEXT PLACE OF MEETING
Special From a Staff Correspondent.

Special From a Stat Correspondent.
CINCINNATI, Ohio. September S-The
indications are that Col. John McElroy of
| Washington, D. C., will be elected senior
vice commander-in-chfef of the G. A. r.
when the election is held in the encamp-
ment tomorrow afternoon or the following
day. AS before stated. the selection of Col.
McElroy for the place named is believed to
be contingent on the election of Command
er Mack of Ohio to succeed Gen Gobin
the present commander-n-chi
| Much of the opposition to Commander
Mack has disappeared since the receipt to-
day by MIR. Dan Grosvenor of letter from
Senator Hanna in which, it is asserted, the
latter declared he was not adverse to
| Macks election.
| 1t Is stated in some quarters that General
| Sickles has been named in good faith as a
| candidate for commander-in-chief, as a
means of uniting the New York delegates
1t is intimated as possiblee that the name
of T. F. Mack of Ohio will not be presented
| by the Ohio delegates.
| The only matter of Importance in connec-
ton with the disposition of bus ness to come
before the encampment that be foretoid
is that the next annual encamoment will
be held in Philadelphia. Denver is making
a strong fight for the honor but outside of
the delegation from Colorado no one ap-
pears to think that Denver has the slight
est chance of being selected. The Pennsyl-
vana de. egation has, it is said, agreed to
execute a pledge in writing that if their
chief city is chosen they Will make no claim
for the office at the election next year OF
senior vice commander-in-chief. it having
been the custom heretofore to give that Of
flee to the city in which the encampment
| was held.
| Change in Election Methods.
| 1t is understood that Immediately after
| the reading and disposition of the annual
| reports of the various grand officers, an
effort which. 1t is said. is very strongly
| supported by delegates from almost every
| section Of the country, will be made to
change the manner heretofore prevailing of
e.ecting the officers of the Grand Army
| and choose them by secret ballot. There
has existed belief for a long time on the
part of many of the most prominent officers
| of the army that the latter course ought to
| be adopted, and the movement to bring this
| about has received a great impetus since
the adjournment this evening of n caucus
held by the New York delegation, at whicn
time 1t was announced that the deleg:ttion
would support Shaw for the tofTice of com
mander-in-c chief, when il is we'll known tha t
a large minority voted for Schotts from
the same state. = Sc
Fight on Commissioner Evans.
1t is further Understood that resolutions
| will be offered ard 1t is predicted in some
quarters, adopted. petiticning President
! Mckinley 20 request Commissioner of Pen
sons Evans to resign The fight against
| Mr.. Evans is de on the ground that he
has not been fair to the veterans il many
o. his decisions, and petitions numerously
signed nv mcme rs of the Grand Army of
. the Republic In Kansas, Missouri and other
western states will be laid before the en-
campme1t asking that the course above re-
ferrcd to ~ taken.
n2ol sat is on foot to declare those
who participated in the with Spain
eligible to membership in the G. A. r.. but
il is believed it will be defeated. ON the
ground that the soldiers and sailors IN the
war just ended achieved enough glory to
! ehtitle them to form an organization by
! themselves.
II is proposed to abolish the annual pa
rade of the Grand Army, for the reason
! that the march is too wearying to the old
! soldiers, many of whom, 1t frequently oc-
cNrs. are unable to keep up with the pro-
! cession. Tnay fall out by the way, ana
| sometimes die as the result of excessive
| fatigue. The advocates of the doing away
| OF the parade urge that it is only ques-
| ton Of few years when none of those who
| fought in the war of the rebellion will be
| able to march, and they think it would be
| better to do awfy with this feature of the
annual reunion of their own volition than
| to wait until compelled to do SO because
| there are no more men to do the marching.
Peace Jubilee.
| The business SESSIONS yesterday were in
| terrupted by a Yarade of civic and indus-
| trial organizations in the afternoon This
parade incl1ded the floats of all lines of
| manufacturers and dealers, and was the
| most entertaining Of all the demonstra-
| tons. 1t ir celebration of peace a
| jubilee day. Over 100 concerns were repre-
sented in line with decorated wagons and
bodies of employees, some mounted ana all
| IN gay uniforms while fifty secret, military,
| political and other bodies were represented
by over 10000 men as escorts to the peace
| foats. Some of the floats were drawn by
a dozen horses. most of them by four
| LoIses, one by twenty boys, and all af-
| forded amusement as well as attracted at
| teEtion along the whole line of march This
| demonstration was followed by high car
| nivai all over the city as we'll as at the
| summer resorts.
| GOV. BushneIPs welcome.
There were about 1 200 national delegates
present whan the ercampment proper was
| called to order at Music Hall at 10 am,
| with Charles Wentzel as officer of the day.
The welcome address was delivered by Gov
| Bushnell of Ohio, with a supplemental well
| come address by Mayor Gustave Tafel of
Cincinnati and by NJ. q. Ingalls,, chairman
| o. the cltizens committee. There was ex-
| cement music TO the opening session, and
| the nall was elaborately decorated In his
| response, Comma nder-in-chief j. P. S. Go
pln referred most eloquently to the attrac-
tchs OF the week and the lavish entertain
! nieht or the citizens of Cincinnati.
| Gen. Goblin wore the fine gold watch and
| CHAIN mat had been presented him at the
camp nre last night by his old comrades of
| the attn Pennsylvania Regiment, and on
| the assembling of the encampment he was
timber.
The national encsmpment of the Wo-
! mems Relief Corps opened at the Scottish
| ft1te Cathedral with an address by Miss
| Law while the Ladies of the G. A. r. re-
| sumed their SESSIONS at Odd Fellows Tenn
pie. The efforts to unite these two orders
| nave not been successful 80 far.
Gov. PinEree InsuIted.
An unpleasant episode marked the pro-
ceedlngs at the big camp fire last night IN
MUSIC Hall Gov. Pingree was entering
upon his address, and it was evident the
audience anticipated an attack upon Ssc-
! retary Alger. Whs.t created this impression
Is only known in general way, but when
| the governor had referred to the work of
! Mlchlgan in gathering nup her soldiers in
| the south, he said thereehad been misman-
aesment Of affairs, and added: