The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1900-07-20
BRYAN WAS INVITED.
Director Harper Replies to a Com
plant Made by Carter Harrison.
No Politics WI Enter into the National
Gathering of the Grand Army of the
Republic ut ChicagO-DsmOcrAt
Issued Invitations.

Chicago, July 1.-THE fact that
William j. Bryan had not been in
vited to attend the Grand Army en-
campment TO be held here next month
was brought to the attention of May
or Harrison and he at once addressed
| letter to the encampment commit
tee pointing out the omission. Unless
at the meeting of the G. A. r which
President Mckinley is certain 70 at
tend the same attention is paid to
the presidential candidates of both
parties, Mayor Harrison said the en-
campment would pass without the Of
fetal recognition of the city.
Director Harper's Statement.
Chicago, July 14.-Regarding the re-
ports that the G. A. K. encampment
Is to have political aspect Executive
Director Harper said last night:
There is absolutely no politics. in the
coming national encampment. Never In
the history of this organization has there
been an annual encampment TO winch
the president of the United States has
not been invited as the chief executive
officer of the nation. We naturally fol-
low the precedent established in this mat
ter. Mr.. Mckinley, however. is also the
most distinguished comrade of the ..
A r. He is not to be the only special
guest of Chicago and the encampmenJ.
The list of notable men whom we have
asked as special guests numbers nearly
25. When the formal invitation was sent
by Gen. John c. Black. chairman of the
committee on invitations, to President
Mckinley a similar invitation was for
warded to w ]. Bryan. The president
has accepted. Mr.. Bryan Immediately
acknowledged the receipt of invitation,
but did not give a definite reply. we
want him here at the time OF the en-
campment and will certainly extend to
him every courtesy. There is no poll
tics in this encampment-all we want Is
an immense crowd in Chicago to wei
come and honor the survivors of the civil
war. More than 5000 general invitations
have already been sent broadcast, the
list including the president and mis- cabi-
net the foreign legations at Washington,
the judges of the supreme court, every
member of the United States senate and
house of representatives, the governor
and other leading executive officers of
every state in the union and hundreds
of notable men in private life. Not for
a moment has any mans politics been
considered. Invitations have been ac-
knowledged by ex-Presidents Harrison
and Cleveland. and in none of the mass
of replies received has politics been men
toned. Absolutely and positively, this
encampment will be a non-partisan af-
fair, irrespective of the claims of any
political party.
From the published reports it would
appear that arrangements are being
made for a political parade in honor of
the president. The only parades sane
toned by the encampment committee are
those already arranged for-the naval
veterans and eX-prisoners of war on
Monday and the grand parade of the
G. A. r. on Tuesday. These professions
will be exclusively of veterans-pOlitical
organizations are barred.
Gen. John G. Black, chairman of the
committee on invitations. is a democrat,
and the entire list of names to whom
these cards were sent was prepared by
him. Mayor Harrison is also a member
of that committee