The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-10-09
Selection of New Officers
This Afternoon-Four Ri
yalS Striving 10 Succeed
General Torrance.
Col John McEIrcy the Local.
Candidate for the Horor.
Veterans Beginning to
Leave the City.

For the first time since the Grand
Army invaded Washington earIv in the
week, the ela'ter Of marching veterans.
the rattle Of drums aad piping Of afes
was not heard On The streets today. IN
fact, but few old soldiers were visfbtzz
considering tbs great number who are
stiil n the city The civilian strangers
stiI ihsesEs ehe sidewalks. Bar the saasi
blue sSat and worn cap wers not seen
50 pIentisully.
The reason is that today the business
sessions Of the eneampment began, ara
every veteran Is engaged IN some work
or other connected with the affairs of
the great organization In the First
Congregational Church the encampnen..
as the legislative body Of the Grand
Army is known. held its initial session
of the thirty-sixth gathering.
There is much to be discussed and
much to be settled within the next two
OF three days. and as the veteran was
enthusiastic in his fun the early part Il
the week. so now he is enthusiastic IN
his work. Reports are 10 be received.
considered. and disposed Of: a hundred
and enc minor business details mus Be-
carefully looked after The place OF
holding the next encamDment must be
decided upon. and finally, but most i'm
portant. officers for the ensuing year
must be elected,
General TorTance's Annual Address.
The features Of todays session Of the
eneampment were the annual address. OF
the eommander-in-chief, Ger. Ell Tor
rance, and the report Of the IegislaFivs
committee on its years work
About the encampment hall today
there was much political discussion. rel
alive to the four -cornered contest Tor
commander-in-ehief TO succeed General
Torrance.
The vote on the selection of COM
mander- in-chief VIII be taken this AZ
teTnoon. and in the meantfrie some ae-
tive campaigning is being carried en- by
the friends OF the candidates. VINO are
Col. John McElroy, senior vice conman-
der OF the G. 4. r. post commander OF
The Department Of Potomac. and editor
Of the veterans paper. The National
Tribune" Gen. Daniel E. SickIes. Of New
York; Gen. John c. Black. OF Illinois.
and Gen. Thomas J. Stewart. OF Penn
sylyania. row adjutant general OF the
Pennsylvania National Guard. Gener-
al Black served as Commissioner OF
Pensions in President Cleveland first
term The other three candidates are
Republicans.
An Evenly Matched Fight.
As vet it is uncertain who will bs
chosen, as the strength Of the candidates
seems TO be pretty evenly divided. Colo
mel MeElroy has an extensive acquaint-
ance and The influence Of his paper, it is
th0ught, win also aid him materially.
General Stewart. as adJutant general OF
the Pennsylvania Natioral Guard. and a
prominent G. a. r. man since the war,
has wide acquaintance among che vet
erans- He viii have the solid PennsyI-
vania delegation back OF him
General Slack IS backed up by the big
Illinois delegation and has 2 record as
an orator and a successful lawyer and
politician General Siekles' friends are
counting Cn his war record and his high
military rank 10 enable them to forge
him to the front. Most Of the large New
York delegation viii be with him. al
though the Grand Army in the Empire
State is so large it is SELDOM solid fox
any one candidate