The Mena weekly star., 1907-05-09
]. IHE STA|E ENCANPMtNT
Hundreds of Kansas Veterans of the c. A. R. in Topeka for
 the Meeting.
OPPOSITION TO THIRD TERM FOR CoNtY
Assembly Wac Sounded for the Old Soldiers at 3:3o Tuesday Afternoon Interest conterins in Election of officers-PubIic Reception to Com mander Coney at Auditorium.

Topeka, May S.-Hundreds of men and women whose hearts were stirred by the greatest Civil war the world has ever known, and their descend ants and sympathizers are to be the guests of Topeka for three days, com mencing Tuesday The occasion is the twenty-fourth annual encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic of Kansas and meetings of affiliated or ganizations, four in number. The hosts of men who fought in the Union armies of the rebellion, and those be- longing to the other societies com menced arriving Monday. In response to the first faltering step of these old veterans the city took on patriatic air. Flags and bunting were dis played from many places over the city. Arrangements for electrical illumina- tion by night were made, and the show windows of business houses along Kansas avenue were decorated with the national colors.
 The other societies which are to meet are the Sons of Veterans, the Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic and La dies Auxiliary of the 2 ms of Veter ans. The c. A. R. encampment did not open formally until 3:30 Tuesday afternoon when assembly was sounded from an old war bugle and the long roll'' not heard in many years at Kansas c. A. R. encampment was sounded. Following it there was a meeting at the Auditorium, opening with a prelude on the pipe-organ by Past Commander T. J. Anderson. There was a brief exchange of courtesies and the encampment was formally open.
 In the election of officers which is to come during the latter part of the meeting of each body there Is consid- erahle interest," The most vigorous fight will be for department com mander of the c. A. R. Friends of the incumbent of that office, P. H. Coney, are pushing him for a third term. This is said to be against the usual practice in the order and 1t appears that there is a strenuous opposition to such programme. Commander Coney satd Tuesday that he would say noth- ing regarding his candidacy for the office. He said he wanted to do that which was best for the Grand Army cf the Republic whatever it might mean. Not only the third term feature is giv- ing rise to opposition to Commander Coney, there is another. R. A. Camp bell of Hutchinson, senior vice com mander, is openly and decidedly ac- lively a candidate for the place. He has a strong backing for it.
 Tuesday night at the Auditorium there was public reception to De partment Commander P. H. Coney and his official staff, participated in by Gov. Hoch and others. A brief musical and literary programme with interesting features followed.
 Conventions of the Woman's Relief Corps and the Ladies of the G. A. R. were opened formally at g o'clock Tuesday morning in the State House. The Woman's Relief Corps is holding its sessions in Representative hall and the Ladies of the c. A. R. meet in the Senate Chamber. A programme here tofore announced was rendered dur ing the morning hours, to which the public was invited.