The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-08-18

| gramme--TwU Lackawanna Men
Are Candidates for State Offices.
| Unless all signs fail. the coming state
| camp of the Patriotic order Sons Of
America to be held in Wilkes Barre
next week will be one of the largest
ana most important sessions ever held
| by that body. There win he S6S dele
gates present and as many more visit
| orS will come along to watch the pro-
oeedings and participate in the clabor-
ate entertainment which the Wilkes
| Rarreans have provided.
On Thursday, August q, when the
parade occurs, it is estimated that there
win be fully eight thousand members
| of the order in attendance.
| The Lackawanna camps will go down
rs one delegation 1900 strong, taking
with them all the best bands and sew
erat drum corps. They will be distin-
guished by a natty uniform specially
designed for the occasion, consisting of
g blue coat, with flag epaulets and q
| white fatigue cap with gold braid in
! front A round-trip fare of fifty cents
! between Scranton and Wilkes Barre
has been secured for that day, from
the Delaware and Hudson company.
The committee on entertainment has
arranged the following programme:
Monday, August 2l-Reception of dele
gates by members of Wilkes Barre and
vicinity.
Tuesday. August %. $50 a. m-Parade
of delegates from Public square to Nes-
bitt theater.
Tuesday. August 90, o'clock p. M
Oratorical contest at the Nesbitt thea
ter.
Wednesday, August 2G-Evening picnic.
Thursday, August "a o'clock p. M
| Parade.
A trip through the mines. breakers and
factories of vicinity has been arranged
for those who wish to take it.
oRATORICAL CONTEST.
The oratorical contest is always one
of the most interesting features of the
| convention. 1t is open to all men,
bers of the order in good standing and
never fails to bring out a large num-
ber of contestants. This year there
are nine, two of them being from
this city, Archie Jones and d. w.
Phillips, of Camp us.
The contestants are divided into two
classes, according to age, twenty
years being the dividing line. A first
prize of a solid gold badge and
second prize of a gold ana silver badge
is offered for each class. The judges
are appointed by the state president
on the night of the contest.
| The committee on decoration has
signed a contract for the erection of
an arch at each approach to the pub
lie square as well as one pyramidal
column, 30 feet in height, to be erect
ed near the Lehigh Valley depot, one
at Hotel Sterling, and two others at
the Nesbitt theatre. where the conven-
tiOn will assemble.
pretty feature of the theatre dec
orations will he white silk ribbons,
each a yard long and five inches wide,
bearing the names and number Of the
900 different camps.
The convention will open Tuesday
morning and continue till Thursday
evening. The annual address of State
President A. j. COlborn will be deliv-
cred at the Tuesday morning session.
| The nomination of officers, reports of
officers, election Of officers and reports
Of committees will follow in the order
named. Then will come the discussion
of amendments to the bylaws and
constitution. the hearing of petitions
and appeals and the like.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
One important amendment to, the
constitution has been proposed and it
promises to cngender q bitter fight. 1t
aims to limit the representation 1T the
state camp to the officers of the cur
rent tenn and the regularly elected
delegates. This would throw out the
district presidents and past state pres
idents. who, under the existing laws,
have the same rights in the state camp
as the delegates.
There is a spirited fight for all the
important offices and especially fer the
state presidency from which Mr.. Col
bonn retires after three successive
terms. The principal candidates are
T.. f. Cook, of Nanticoke; Dr. G. Shultz,
of Danville; y. j. EckeTt, of Potts
vile, and r. VI. j. Reed, of Phladel-
phia.
Lieutenant J. w. Benjamin, of Camp
IL. Scranton, is a candidate for state
guard. He is opposed by j. NJ. Kline,
of Souderton. Henry c. Hoffman, of
Mount cobb, is the only other Lack
awanna man seeking office He as
pires 10 be state conductor. S. NJ,
Bcidler, of Philadelphia, is his principal
opponent
other candidates prominently men
, toned are:
State vice president, Josiah Berry
man, Hazeton DR., d, Il. Keiss, Hughes
: vile.
5 State master of forms. William j. Noll,
Mcyertown; William G., Thomas, Lans-
ford; II. A. Miller Easton,
= State secretary, William Weand (pres-
cnt inCumbenU, Philadelphia.
. state treasurer, Irwin S. Smith (pres-
| ent incumbenD, Shamokin,
! State inspector All FrankeL Phila-
. delphia.
e FOR THE NEXT CAMP.
+ Williamsport and Lebanon are the
leading claimants of the honor of en-
tertaining the next state camp.
The order has $1,000 members IN
Pennsylvania enrolled in 693 camps
= scattered throughout 500 different
:, places. Reading has the largest pro-
d portionate membership of any city In
r the state, with Lebanon a close second
h In the latter city there is a camp con.
:. tanning 1882 members in good stand,
g ing and two other camps with over 50C
! members each.
:, The order has grown rapidly during
: the last three years and Is now at the
: highest point i'm membership in it's his
tory. II owns property valued at near
IT Iy 100000,
\