The Washington times., 1902-09-28
-Four Candidates fos Com
mandes in Chief, VIII
Theis State Delegations,
Presenting Solid Fsonfs
for the Battle.

for the Battle.
One of the most interesting feature!
of the coming G. A. R. encampment II
the four-cornered. good-natured figh
for commander-in-c chief to succeed Gen
Ell Torrance. of Minneapolis. and the
five-sided contest among cities for the
next annual meeting of veterans. The
candidates for commanderin-chiefa are
Gen John c. Black, OF Chicago; Gen
Daniel E. Sickles, of New York; Col
John McElroy. OF Washington. and Gen
Thomas ]. Stewart, OF Norristown. Pa.
The cities which aspire to entertain
the next annual encampment are: Sar
Francisco. Saratoga Springs, Atlantic
City. Pittsburg, and Los Angeles.
Not In several years has there been
% much uncertainty regarding the elec-
tion Of a commander -in-chief. This
year four good men are up. Each has
q host of friends and each feels conf
dent of the election. The issues are
fairly joined, and 1t will be pretty
open contest. A good man is sure to be
chosen
For the past few weeks the friends OF
each candidate have been active in push
ing the campaign Of their favorite. The
organization has been pretty well
sounded. and 1t is believed the forces
are lined up extensively for one or an
other of the candidates. There is abso-
lutely no method by which the result OF
the contest can be foretold. The candi-
dates themselves agree that 1t will he
close. and while they appear confident
OF success. are making no great boasts.
General Blacks Claims.
General Black. of Chicago, is pretty
certain, it seems. to be somewhere near
the top of the list when the first ballot
10 taken. He has the solid Illinois contin-
gent back of him. and this is a force not
to be disregarded. The State has 55S
posts and membership of $4,000. with
llfty-two votes in the encampment. 1t
Is understood the Illinois veterans are
coming here with broad front to fight
for Black and nothing else.
The grounds upon which General
Black bases his claims to the Office of
commander in chief are that he is 8
popular Western man. that his military
service entities him to recognition and
that as an orator, executive and legal
head of the G. A. R. he will bring honor
and influence to that organization.
General Black entered the army as
captain in the Thirty seventh Illinois
Infantry in 1861 and served throughout
the war. He was made a colonel and
'brevetted brigadier for efficient service
and for galiautry in the assault on Fort
Blakely at Mobile. General Black was
wounded in both arms.
In politics he has had notable ca
reer. He was Commissioner of Pen
sions under Cleveland during the latter's
first term as President, and seSyed one
term In the National House Az Repre-
sentative -at-large from Illinois. Dur
ing Clevcland's second term Gen. Black
was United States attorney for the
northern district Of Illinois. He is
lawyer by profession. having practiced
1n Chic-go ever since the war.
Although there is, theoretically, no
politics CT religion in the G. A. R.. the
fact that General Black is Democrat
will both help and inJure his chances Of
winning the election as commander-in-
chief. His friends make the claim that
he should be chosen simply because he
Is a Democrat-there never having been
q Democratic commander -in-chief. His
opponents. 1t is expected. will argue. at
least quietly, that he should not be chos-
en- because he is a Democrat. General
Black has served the G. A. r. as COM
mander of the Department of Illinois,
which position he held in 1885,
General Siekles' Record.
Another strong candidate for comman-
Sickles, OF New York city. General
Sickles has occupied a prominent posi-
tion before the public for the past half
century, having been a brilliant and
notable member OF the national House
before the war. General Sickles was a
for the commandership honors
at Cleveland last year, but retired from
the contest in favor of General Torrance.
He bases his candidacy on his high mill
tary rank-he is today the ranking major
general Of the army. taking into con-
sideration both the active and retired
list-upon his wide acquaintance with
the influential members of the G. A. R.;
upon his ability as an orator and his
strong backing in New York.
The Empire State has 591 posts, 80, 900
members and sixty-seven votes in the
Unlike Illinois, however.
New York will probably not be solid for
any one candidate. even General Sickies.
Its veterans are so numerous there is
always a division of sentiment on all
big questions affecting the organization,
and in addition to this the State has a
city seeking the next encampment.
General Sickles' war record is too we'll
known to discuss. He was one of the
foremost. bravest and most efficient gen.
srals the North possessed. and his sery-
Ices were equaled by but few II any of
bis contemporary officers. General
sickles entered the army as a brigadier
from New York. in command Of Excel
Dior Brigade He later became COM
manfer of the Third Army Corps and js |