The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-17

Surgeon General ID. w. H.
johnson, Lincoln, Neb. /
The Grand Army encampment before
the midday recess today, under the in
duence of the oratory Of the comman-
der-in-chief, passed resolution calling
upon the confederate veterans to use
their influence with the Daughters of
the Confederacy to prevent the erection
Of monument to Captain Henry Wirz
Of Andersonville prison notoriety.
On the question Of the eanteen, the
encampment took opposite action. It
laid the canteen resolution on the table
without debate. -:
Saratoga, N. Y, is the 1907 encamp-
ment city.
A recess was taken until clock,
and it is likely that the encampment
will conclude its labors and reach a
final adjournment by. 4 o'clock or soon
thereafter.
Bitter Controversy.
Kansas, led by Captain P. H. Coney,
it's department commander, led the way
in a wordy and bitter controversy in
the Grand Army encampment today
and it is the talk of the town., among
the veterans and their friends. The de-
bate was acrimonious and the feeling
ran SO high at times that some. Of tbs
there might be serious trouble. Hap
PLY, however. these fears were not Jus
The trouble all arose over the at
tempt of Captain Coney to vote the
entire strength Of the Kansas depart
ment, forty, in favor Of Cincinnati as
the next encampment city. Last night
the Kansas delegates caucused on the
question and voted unanimously, fol
that vote recorded in the encampment
Having done this much, the great ma
jority of the delegates packed, trunks
and valises and took the trains FOL
home. =. :; ~. = - - !. -. :. =
= The question Of encampment city was
a special order for 10 am. today, anc
at once it precipitated lively debate
Saratoga on one side and Cincinnati or
the other. A viva voce vote was taken
and the commander-in-chief felt unwil
ling. to decide the question, Cincinnati
this was unwise. Following his sug
gestion, rollcall by department wal
then ordered, and everything was pro
ceeding in an orderly way when Kan
sas was reached. Captain Coney aros,
and announced that he had been in
structed to cast the forty votes Of Kan
sas for Cincinnati. The vote wa
promptly challenged, as it was appar
emit that not half that number Of Kan
sas delegates were in their seats.
Harangued tho Delegates.
Notwithstanding the challenge, how
ever, Captain Coney took the floor, AM
began a harangue in defense of hi
right to vote the absentees under las
nights instructions. This opened tn
ball, and things were reaching ivel.
stage, when the commander in-chie
quelled the tumult by announcing tina
under the well-known rules Of govern
ment the encampment absentee dele
gates could not vote, and he expressed
great surprise that SO experienced
man as Coney should undertake to vic
late them. There was much bitterness
in the speeches from the floor by thi
time, the friends Of Saratoga feelinj
that an attempt had been made to de
feat them by unfair and unlawful
means. The polling Of the Kansas dele
gates showed ten members present.
The discussion occupied almost a.
hour Of the morning session, and lef
its impress upon the entire proceeding
l.
rollcall showing that it had 403 vote
to It's for Cincinnati. Before the roll
call began, Cincinnati tried to WITHDRAW
from the, race, it being apparent tia
| 1t could not win, but the chair decide
that this withdrawal was not In order
Accepted Challenge. 3.
The bitterness of the session was II
creased somewhat by the action Of Car
tain Coney in challenging tho vote q
New York, when that state was reache
on the rollcall. With a shout Of dc
rision the New York delegation aros
at the challenge, and it was easy t
see that if there were any absentee'
they were very few in number.
Minnesota voted ID for Saratoga an
Z for Cincinnati.
During the discussion, Omaha al
! for the encampment of 1908.
A considerable number Of person
from Atlanta, Ga, have been in til
city for three days, on two-fold mi
sion. They wanted to talk in pr
liminary way about having the encaml
: ment in that city in the not distant {,
ture, but primarily they wanted th
i encampment to go on, record in fave
j Of having congress purchase the ba
tlefelds around that city and CONVEX
I them into great national park. TIL!
same request was made a year ago 8
4 the Denver encampment, and at tbs
I time was declined, because the goverl
ment has been overburdened with r.
quests Of this kind, and the encaml
i ment thought some Of the projects Fl
national parks already underway shoul
4 be disposed Of before others were tai
IeR up.