Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-06-11
WAUKESHA TO BE CHOSEN FOR
NEXT EMCAMPMENT.
STRIFE MAY OEVELOPE
Years of Agitation for Reform in
Management of Home at Waupaca
Likely to Bring Warm Contest in
Election of Trustees-Will Miss
Col. Gray.

and continue two days. At the same
time the annual conventions of the
Woman's Relief corps, the Ladies OF
the Grand Army and the Sons OF
Veterans will be held.
The encampmenL is likely to go to
Waukesha next year if the citizens OF
that place ask for it, as they have two
or three times in the past, since the
southern part of the state is entitled
to the next meeting. Fond du Lac
gave signs some time ago of being a
competitor of the Spring city, but OF
late she seems to have dropped out OF
the running, and no other city has
appeared as an applicant for it.
Madison Senior Post.
The Wisconsin department is next
to the Oldest in the country, and, in
fact, has heretofore laid claim to
being Oldest. Though the Grand
Army was born in Illinois, the
the idea more rapidly than those of
the sister state and organized the first
department. This was in 1866, the
year after the war closed. The claim
of seniority was few years ago de-
cided in favor Of Illinois, however,
and since that the state of Lincoln
Grant and Logan has led the parades
at the national encampments, with
the state of Bragg, Fairchild and Rusk
coming next in order.
In a similar manner there has been
dispute as to the seniority of posts in
the state. E. B. Wolcott post of Mil
waukee is No. /, but the first organiza-
ton lapsed a few years after the war
and thus lost it's seniority. John H.
Williams post of Berlin was No. and
it has kept it's organization without a
break for thirty-seven years. The
Madison post was originally No. 2, but
there also was lapse and the revived
post was numbered II. When it came
to the question of seniority and it had
to be threshed out the decision was in
favor Of the Madison post, putting
Berlin second.
Candidates for Commander.
There has been little said this year
about candidates for department COM
mander, though the names of two or
three candidates have been men
toned. w. H. Bennett of Mineral
Point, formerly of Madison, who was
assistant adjutant general of the de-
partment few years ago, is a candi-
date. George Spratt of Sheboygan,
who was a candidate last year, has
also been mentioned, but he has given
notice that he is not seeking the
honor and will only accept if it comes
to him without a contest. The name
Of eX-GOy. George ". Peck of Mil
Waukee has been advanced by some of
his friends, but he holds that it is an
honor that should seek the man. Elk
Gov. Edward Scofield, now Of SUI
periOr, has many friends who would
like to see him at the head OF the
Grand Army, but he has declared in
favor Of Peck if the latter is a can
didate. Scofeld and Peck are the
only soldier governors of the state
who have not been department COM
| manders, and if the place should be
given to either one it would give en-
| tire satisfaction. Judge w. r. Hoyt
of Chippewa Falls has been put for
ward by his friends two or three
times for commander. He might have
been elected last year at Stevens
| Point if his city had not been in the
field for the next encampment, but he
| wisely determined not to complicate
the situation. If his friends should
prevail on him to enter the race this
year he would be formidable op-
| pOnent. James H. Agen Of Superior
the present commander, was elected
last year at the representative Of the
northern part of the department. and
the question of locality would favor a
| southern candidate this year, thus put
ting Peck, Bennett and Spratt on
equal footing so far as that goes.
The Waupaca Home Management.
| 1t looks as though the question of
trustees for the Wisconsin Veterans
home at Waupaca would take the first
place among the problems for the Ell
campment to solve. The old scandal
OF past years has been forcibly re-
Vived within the past few weeks. and
it will have the effect Of intensifying
the periodical demand for new blood
on the board.
| The charges this year are against
! George L. Thomas of Milwaukee and
David c. James Of Richland Center,
| they being accused of selling property
to the board of which they are mem
bers. They admit the facts. but deny
! the inference that they made profit
from the transactions. Mr.. Thomas.
who is president of the board of
| trustees, sold a secondhand hearse to
the home, and James sold it a team of
! horses.
A Matter of History.
This point brings up a matter Of his
tory. In 1891, when the board of trus-
tees asked for an appropriation of
| $780, 500 for building and other pur-
poses, a demand sprung up in the
legislature and out of it that if the
! appropriation was made the home
should first pass under state control,
and that the state, not the trustees,
, should have the control of the money.
; Unable to prevail in any other way
the point was conceded by the
trustees and the fund was placed in
control of the state, with other legisla-
ton that made the home practically
a state institution, though its manage
| ment was left in the hands of the
board Of trustees elected by the Grand