The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-14
HARRISOI MAKES 4 THREAT
SAYS ENCAMPMENT MAY NOT RE-
CEIVE CHICAGO's OFFICIAL
MARK
MIR. HARPER MAKES REPLY
Says There Is Absolutely No Politics
I'm Approaching Grand Army En-
Campment-TeIIs of the Invi-
tatton to Mr. Bryan.


the attention of Mayor Harrison today,
and the mayor at once addressed a letter
to the encampment committee, pointing
out the omission.
Unless at the meeting Of the G. A. R.,
which President Mckinley is certain to
attend attention is paid to the presiden-
tial candidates Of both parties, Mayor
Harrison said the encampment would
pass without the recognition Of the city
MR.. HARPER DENIES.
Regarding the reports that the Grand
Army encampment is to have a political
aspect, Executive Director Harper said
tonight:
There is absolutely no politics in the
coming national encampment. Never in
the history of this organization has there
! been an annual encampment to which the
president of the United States has not
been invited as the chief executive Of
| fcer Of the nation. We naturally follow
| the precedent established in this matter
| Mr.. Mckinley, however, ts also the most
! distinguished comrade Of the g. A R.
| He is not the only special guest of Chi
| cago and the encampment. The list Of
notable men whom we have asked to
| come to Chicago as special guests num-
bers nearly twenty-five
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 William ]. Bryan. The presi-
| dent has accepted. Mr.. Bryan immediate
| ly acknowledged the receipt of the invita-
| ton, but did not give US a definite reply.
We want him here at the time of the
encampment, and will certainly extend
to him every courtesy in our power.
NO POLITICS IN IT.
There is no politics in this encamp-
mental we want Is an immense crowd
in Chicago to welcome and honor the
survivors Of the Civil war. More than
5000 general invitations have already been
sent broadcast, the list including the pres
ident and his cabinet, the foreign lega-
tions at Washington, the judges of the
supreme court, every member of the Unit
ed States senate and house of representa-
tives, the governor and other leading of
6cers in every state in the Union, and
hundreds of notable men in private life.
Not for moment has any mans pol
itics been considered Invitations have
been acknowledged by ex-Presidents Har-
rison and Cleveland; and in none of the
mass of replies received has politics been
mentioned. Absolutely and positively,
this encampment will be a non-partisan
affair, irrespective of the claims Of any
political party or party managers.
From the published reports 1t would ap-
pear that arrangements are being made
for political parade in honor of the
president. The only parades sanctioned
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 Grand Army of
the Republic on Tuesday. These process
sions will be exclusively of veterans
political organizations are barred
Gen. John G. Black, chairman of the
committee on invitations, is 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.