Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-14
(. A, R. ENCAMPMENT
Over 100000 Veterans Meet
 In Minneapolis.
HOT RACE FOR CONAANDERSHIP.
Captain F. N. Coney of Kansas Most Aggressive Candidate-Fight over Soldiers Home Cantecn-Heat
 Kills Old Soldier.

SOlutefs' Home Canteen-Heat
 Kills Old Soldier.
 MINNEAPOLIS. Minn., Aug. IA The thrush of visitors for the annual encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic continues unabated. The meeting will be attended by more than 100000 veterans and their friends. Many trains running in two and three sections are still on the way.
 Minneapolis has risen to 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 b0Oth,' 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, affording resting place for thousands of wea- ried pedestrians
 The city Is decorated as though every man had made it his personal business to 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 in chief is growing warm, although no great amount of electioneering has 90 for hoou dopo The fr;nn1c nf Con<o Tn F. H. Coney of Kansas are making what is outwardly the most aggressive campaign. Other candidates whose names are urged are R. B. Brown of Zanesville, O., and Charles c. Burton of Missouri. There is no contest worth mentioning for the minor offices.
 A meeting of the executive commit tee of the G. A. R. was held to deter mine matters of routine relative to the business meeting of the encampment, which begins Thursday morning.
 It is expected that considerable de bate will result over the recent law passed by congress driving the canteen out of old soldiers homes Command CT in Chief Tanner is in favor of the passage of 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 by the women of the south of 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 Wirz, 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 regimental reunions, and a 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.
 F.. V. Tilden of Antelope county. Neb., an old soldier. died of fatigue in- duced by the Journey from his home.
 The programme for today consists largely of receptions and business meetings by numerous affiliated socie- ties and reunions of various regiments.