The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-09
"TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP. :"
OLD CIVIL VAR SONG RINGS OUT
 IN WASHINGTON.

People c1 Washington Hum the chorus
 While ths Veterans March for Six
 Hours-President Driven Up and
 Down the LIne Of the Great Parade
 25,O0O Men fan Line.
 Washington, Oct. S.-For more than six hours to-day the people in Wash ington hummed the chorus of the old civil war song. Tramp, Tramp. Tramp, the Boys are Marching" and for an equal time the veterans constituting the Grand Army of the Republic made good the claim. The parade was the climax of the twenty-sixth encampment Of their order. The occasion was in ev- cry way worthy of the Grand Army and the parade did not fail appropriately to delineate the spirit of the war and the memory of the glorious achieve ments the army seems to keep green in the minds of the American people.
 Beginning at few minutes past ten o'clock, when the head of the column moved from it's station at the capital, it was almost five o'clock. when the last squad in the line had passed the place of disbandment west of the White House. None of the soldiers were marching any great part of the time, for the entire line of march did not exceed two and half miles in length, but those who composed the rear de- tachments were on their feet practical stunned in waiting to take their places in the line. The route of the parade was down historic Pennsylvania ave- nue, along which many of them march ed as raw recruit in going to the war In 1861, and 1862, and many others on the occasion of the grand review after the close of the war in 1865. The par ticipants in the imposing pageant en- tered with life and vigor into the spirit of the occasion. Each countenance bore evidence of the joy the experience brought to the individual and it was plainly evident that there was in the occasion much of the restoration of youth for most of them. The ''old boys for the time being evidently were re-ilving the day of their youth. Not many of them exhibited traces of age in their marching, Almost without ex- ception they walked along with alac- rity and kept step with precision.
 If the veterans had needed any spur to their enjoyment they would have found it in the crowds who thronged their pathway and in the smile which Providence bestowed on them, for the weather was perfect. The spectators were limited in numbers only by the ca- pacity of the broad sidewalks, the stands, the parks, the windows and the ilousetops along the line of march to hold them. The government depart ments and the schools were closed for the day, and practically the entire pop ulation of Washington turned out to do 1 honor to the veterans along with the hundreds of visitors to the city.
 The crowd was enthusiastic and out spoken In admiration, greeting every division of the procession with cheers and dismissing it with God Speed l that had in it both praise and feeling.
 The president of the United States also spent his energies to the entertain ment of the capitals guests. Unable to endure the strain of reviewing the column from stand. he rose from his reclining chair and had himself driven I'D and down the line. The unusual in- terest thus manifested was appreciated by the old soldiers and the president was everywhere received by them with loud applause.
 More than five hours time was con- sumed by the procession in passing the reviewing stand in front of the White House.
 There were at least 25, GOO men in line and the estimate of Commander-in- Chief Torrance ran as high as 30,O0( men.
 Tonight the veterans held camp fires in the big tents in the White lot.
 The three active candidates for the honor of entertaining the G. A. R. at tic next annual encampment of the G. A R. are Saratoga, Atlantic City and Sar Francisco. There seems to be quite sentiment in favor of choosing some city between the Ohio and Mississipp rivers and it is said that the encamp' ment may got to neither of the three cities named if city in the Middle West actively pushes it's claims.
 The leading candidates for command
 er-in-chief are General Stewart O Pennsylvania, General John C. Black o Illinois. Colonel McElroy of Washing
 ton. and General Daniel E. Sickles O
 New York. General Stewart Is though to be have the lead at present.