The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-08-14
GREAT G. A. R.
ENCAMPM ENT
Over 100000 Veterans Meet
In Minneapolis.
RACE FOR COMMANDER
Fight Over Soldiers Home Can.
teen-Heat Kills Old
Soldier.
RACE FOR COMMANDER

MINNEAPOLIS. Mimi, Aug IA
The thrush Of visitors for the annual
encampment Of the Grand Army OF the
Republic continues undated. The
meeting will be attended by more than
10000 veterans aud their friends
Many trains running In two and three
sections are stlll on the way.
Minneapolis has risen 10 the occasion
In magnificent fashion. Numerous
committees have been appointed to re
ceive the veterans at the stations. AT
nearly every corner IN the business
quarter there Is an information
booth" which is tenanted by a young
man capable OF answering all sorts OF
questions satisfactorily. Numerous
benches are stretched along both sides
Of all the downtown streets. atfording
resting place for thousands of wea-
ricd pedestrians.
The city is decorated as though every
man had made Il his personal business
10 see that Minneapolis looked her
best Flags and bunting are every
where from roofs TO sidewalk, and ban
ners are swung In endless profusion
across the streets.
The contest for national commander
Ia chief is growing warm, although no
great amount OF electloneering has 50
far been done The friends OF Captain
l.. II. COney of Kansas are making
what is outwardly the most aggressive
campaign Other candidates whose
names are urged are X. Is. Brown OF
GAINESVILLE. o.. and Charles q. Burton
OF Missouri. There is no contest worth
mentioning for the minor offices.
A meeting Of the executive commit
tee of the g. 4. X. was held to deter
mine matters Of routine relative 10 the
business meeting OF the encampment.
which begins Thursday morning.
II Is expected that considerable de
bate will result over the recent law
passed by con"ress driving the canteen
out Of old soldiers homes. Command
er in Chief Tanner is In favor Of the
passage or resolution deprecating
the purpose Of this law, but strong
element In the organization Is against
such action.
Another feature that may crop up is
the old fight over the proposed erection
10y the women Of the south of a statue
Of Henry Wirz. notorious for his com
mand at Andersonville prison. This
question came up in 1901 and has been
more or less alive ever since. All mem
bers of the Grand Army are vehement
ly opposed to the erection of statue
TO Wrz who was hanged for his
crimes. but many of them declare that
In their opinion the intention TO erect
the statue Is not serious.
Social features of the encampment,
which are numbered by the hundred.
began with regmental reunions. and
reception was given by Governor John
son at the new capitol In st. Paul TO
the visiting veterans. The building
was specially decorated with bunting
and electricity for the event. In the
receiving line by the side Of Governor
Johnson stood Commander in Chief
Tanner and other notables OF state and
of the Grand Army. Several thousand
veterans went to St Paul for the oc-
casion. A grand patriotic concert was
the evening feature in Minneapolis.
L. V. Tllden of Antelope county.
Neb., an old soldier, died Of fatigue in
duced 10y the journey from his home.
The programme for today consists
largely of receptions and business
meetings by numerous affiliated socle
ties and reunions of various regiments