Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-07
NEXT GRAND ARMY REUNION
National Council Decides to Hold EN-
campmcnt During Inst week of
August In Chicago.

/ CHICAGO, Dec. 6.-The meeting OF TIN
! national council Of the Grand Army of tn
! Republic and the local general commit e
! closed tonight with a dinner and receptlot
/ to the visitors given by the department o
/ Illinois, Grand Army OF the Republic, thu
! Womans Relief corps and Ladies' OF III,
| Grand Army Of the Republic in honor o
I commander Shaw and National Presiden
Harriet J. Bodge OF the Woman's Relic
corps Dinner was served at the Palme
mouse and was followed by a reception il
the general parlors of the hotel
At the dinner Commander in CHIEF Shaw
in speaking of the next encampment said.
Doubtless the president Of the United
states will be in attendance as well as
| other leading men of the nation. Admiral
/ Dewey, who is great favorlte with ths
Grand Army. has been invited, and will pc
doubt be here as the guest Of the city of
Chicago and the Grand Army combined
i have advces from all the departments,
embracing fortyfve states where the Grand
Army exists, and they are all united in the
judgment that the year 1900 will be one Of
the most glorious in the annals of the Grand
Army. All of the commanders, the veterans
and their friends will attend the encamp-
ment at Chicago"
There was only one absentee when the
council met, those present being Com
mander- Chief Albert ID. Shaw, Adjutant
General j. Thomas Stewart, Quartermaster
General E. j. Atkinson, Thomas w. Scott,
w. II. Armstrong, F. NJ. Sterrett, p. II.
Coney and p II. Lennon.
M. d. Wickersham of Mobile, Ala, was
the only absentee. A delegation from the
Woman's Relief corps was also present.
a RFNfNN NV,,ft . f.,, IL
the close of the morning session. Mayor
Harrison urged that the encampment be
made non partisan in every detail and sug-
gested that inasmuch as President McKln-
ley would be present, the democratic presi-
Dental nominee be also invited. This will
be done.
The president is member of the Grand
Army Of the Republic, and always attends
the encampments in his capacity as a mem
ber," said Commander in Chief Shaw after
the conference. There is nothing politi-
cal in the invitation we have extended him.
The mayors request, however is a lust
one, and will be complied with"
In the general discussion of the council
it was the concensus OF opinion that the en-
campment should be held at some time dur
ing the public school vacation, so that the
public schools might be utilized as sleeping
quarters for members. 1t is said by mem
bers of the committee that there are many
veterans who might wish to attend the en-
campment but who could not stand the
financial burden of paying bills at crowded
hotels. At other encampments tents have
been used, but the committee deems 1t more
advisable to use the school buildings.
The delegation from the Woman's Relief
corps is as follows: National President Mrs
Harriet j. Bodge, Hartford, Conn; Past Ma
ttonal President Mrs. Flo Jamison Miller
Monticello, H.; National Press Correspond
ent Mrs. Frances Van Slyke, ST. Louis.
The commander in chief expressed himself
as highly delighted over the prospect for the
next annual encampment, which is to be,
IN his opinion, the greatest in the history OF
he Grand Army. The date for the encamp-
nent has been fixed from August 2S to Sep !
ember l.
General Shaw said he intends visiting. if |
possible, every department of the Grand |
Army in the United States, and for the |
months of March and April has planed |
our embracing the states of Maryland Vir-
dnia and North and South Carolina, Florida,
Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and.
possibly one or two of the others.