Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-08-30
c. A. R. ENCAMPMENT
Mr.. Bryan Declines to Be
Present.
LARGE ATTENDANCE OF VETERANS
New YOrk's Delegation . Recors
Breaker - Other Eastern States
Well RepFesented-Naval Pa
rade the First Days Feature.

rade the First Days Feature.
CHICAGO, Aug. 2S.-William J. Bry.
an has followed the example of Presiden'
Mckinley and declined to be a visitor al
the national encampment. He yesterday
sent a message to Executive Director
William 81. Harper, the head Of the loca;
committee In charge Of the local end OF
the encampment, saying that because OF
the absence of President Mckinley from
the encampment he considered it advisa
bic to remain away. His telegram is a.
follows:
Nv. II. Harper, Executive Director Of
the Grand Army Reunion, Chicago
Since President Mckinley is detained by
public business / believe that the pro.
prieties Of the occasion demand that ]
also decline and thus relieve the reunion
Of any appearance of partisanship."
The local committee through Mr.. Har
per expressed its regrets at the inability
Of Mr.. Bryan to be present.
The thirty-fourth annual encampment
of the Grand Army Of the Republic
which was formally opened Sunday night
by the monster meeting in the Coliseum
Is In full blast, and in all respects il
promises to be the greatest and most sue
cessful encampment the army has ever
held. Train after train loaded down
with veterans and their friends has roll
ed into the various depots in the city, and
by last night it was estimated by railroad
officials that $4,000 old soldiers had ar
rived and that 100000 other excursion
lists had come with them. There were
many thousand additional arrivals thii
morning. The veterans have come from
all parts Of the republic, and every north.
ern state has sept strong contingent
The New York delegation is one Of the
largest the Empire State has ever sent tc
an annual encAmpment. Fully 1000 OF
them had come In by this morning, and
every train from the east brings more OF
them. New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
the New England states are all repre-
sented by large numbers of old soldiers
Iowa, Ohio and Indiana and Wisconsin
have sent larger numbers than to any
encampment of recent years. General j
Warren Keifer Of Ohio and General Ed.
ward 8. Bragg Of Wisconsin both said
they looked to see the greatest number OF
old soldiers that had marched at one time
beneath the stars and stripes since the
memorable review In Washington at the
close of the war.
The first day of the encampment was
one of ideal beauty in marked contrast tc
the hot and humid weeks that have pre-.
ceded it since the LIST of August. There
was in the early portion of the day
fresh breeze off Lake Michigan, temper.
ing the heat of the sun, which shone
brightly but not too warmly to make
marching a burden for the old veterans.
who claimed the day as theirs. The
right Of the line on the opening day was
given to the men who sailed the seas dur.
ing the civil war. The cheering was all
for them, and the honors were theirs
The army will come to its own today.
The late afternoon feature of the days
celebration, the naval parade on Lake
Michigan, proved somewhat Of a disap.
pointment. The end of the naval fight
off Lincoln park closed the official pro.
gramme of the encampment for the day.
but all over the city in various halls
and in the hotels there were reunions Of
regiments almost without number, gath.
erings of comrades who had not met
since the days Of the war and fraternal
gatherings Of ell sorts and descriptions
One of the leading affairs of the night
was the banquet Of the Iron brigade,
which was held at the clubhouse of the
athletic club at $50. On the list of
speakers were the following:
Speaker d. B. Henderson, julius G.
Burrows, United States senator from
Michigan; Governor Edward Scofeld OF
Wisconsin, General Albert ID. Shaw,
commander In chief of the G. A. r.;
Governor James A. Mount Of Indiana.
James G. Flanders of Milwaukee,
Charles G. Dawes. comptroller Of the
currency. and General Edward s. Bragg
OF Wisconsin.
A meeting of the National Association
of ex-Prisoners Of War was held in the
Coliseum, which drew a large crowd. an
attractive progremme being rendered
The address OF welcome was delivered
by Mayor Harrison. Speeches were al
so made by Governor William A. Stone
Of Psnnsylvanla, United States Senator
Penrose Of Pennsylvania and General
John C. Black Of Chicago.