The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-07
THEY OWN CITY.
G.. A. r.. Veterans Are in Charge
Today.
All Hotels and Boarding Houses
Are Full.
AN EXCITING CONTEST,
Election of Department Com
mander Creates Interest.
Sentiment for the Reelection
of Capt. COney.


Lincoln Post Drum Corps.
At 3:45 assembly call by chief bugle,
| of department. c. H. Hoyte.
| At 4 p. m prelude on organ by pas
| department commander. T. J. Anderson
At 4:10 p. m. song greeting comrades
by DR.. ]. H. Solecki
At AIS preliminary courtesies by
chairman of committee of arrangements
for encampment, Colonel James Chap
| pelle, who Introduces Mayor Capt VIM
! Green, who delivers address of well
come, extending greetings and courtesies
of the city.
Response by Department Commander
| Coney.
Formal opening of encampment in
regular order.
| Every train arriving in the city yes
| terday and today brought it's quota of
members of the G. A. R. and the aux
| iliary organizations now holding their
| twenty-fourth annual encampment in
/ Topeka. Today is the opening of the
| encampment though there were several
| thousand men and women in the city
yesterday as advance guards of the Or
CARNATIONS which will be represented
during the encampment.
No demonstrations were attempted
yesterday for during most of the day
drizzling rain fell uniting more close
ly the red white and blue of the bunt-
! ing arranged about the city for decora-
tive purposes. But no program had
been arranged and most of the visitors
stood about the parlorS and corridors of
the hotels renewing acquaintance made
at former reunions.
The hotels were taxed to their capac-
ity early in the day and by night time
many of the homes of the city which
have been thrown open to the visitors
were filled. AS yet there are a number
of locations placed at the disposal of the
committee which are not occupied
though they expect to be compelled to
make another call for accommodations
The G. A. r. encampme1t formally
opened at $3.50 this afternoon by the
sounding of the long roll call by Lin
coin Post Drum Corps, though through
out the day receptions have been held
for the visiting organizations. The ladies
of the G. A. r. are keeping open house
in the senate chamber at the state house
while across the hall in the house of
Representative the members of the W.
r. c. are receiving. At the Pythian hall
a reception has been in progress all day
for the Sons of Veterans. AS soon as
members of any of the organizations ar
rive and register the committee on en-
tertainment locate them with their
/ friends.
With the gathering of the forces in
terest in the election of officers in
creases in the separate departments
and while the fight of the encamp-
ment will be made over the election
of department commander there is an
equally interesting contest in the
Woman's Relief Corps as to who shall
succeed to the presidency of that or
ganization.
There is but one avowed candidate
for the commandership of the G.. A.
r. r. A. Campbell of Hutchinson,
senior vice commander, who claims
that he is entitled to the place on &C
count of pledges made last year at the
encampment at Salina that he could
have the commandership this year if
he would withdraw in favor of P. H.
Coney at that time.
He has the support of the large
following of old soldiers who feel that
a mistake was made when the prece-
dent was broken and Commander
COney given a second term. Com
mander Coney was a candidate for
commander of the national organiza-
ton and many of his supporters of
that time claim that they were as
sured that he would be elected and
state cOmmandership.
The friends of Commander Coney
claim that he is not a candidate for
the third term but that he is to be
wants it or not. The Kansas encamp-
ment is to make another fight to land
Coney national commander and
many of the members of the G. A. r.
feel that IL he is honored with a third
term that it will assist materially in
securing his election
Commander Coney is noncommittal
on the subject of his candidacy but
in the past has announced that he
would not be candidate for the
place, though his friends say that he
will accept 1t if he is elected without
being compelled to make a fight for
it. The time for holding the cleo
ton in the different bodies has not
been agreed upon but will be some
time towards the close of the encamp-
ment and until then the interest in
the outcome will be intense, particu-
larly in the ranks of the G.. a. r. and
the Woman's Relief Corps.
Witt. tho w. II. c.
There are three avowed candidates
in the field for the position of presi-
dent of the Woman's Relief Corps and
they with their friends We're among
the first to arrive on the scene yester-
day A reception was held by the
members of this department in the
parlors of the Copeland hotel last
night which resem bled a senatorial
caucus as much as anything else save
that the atmosphere was free from
tobacco smoke.
The friends of the three candidates
were busy and the dizzy mill of a
drove of Kansas politicians is about
the only fit comparison that could be
made Of the scene. Delegates and
friends of the candidates edged in and
out of the throng of dress goods in
their endeavors to get the ear of some
promising delegate.
The hooks, corners, corridors and
smaller reception rooms were filled
with the workers looking after the in
terests of their chosen one. There
Lelands and Mort Albaughs of the
Woman's Relief Corps buttonhoiing
and holding private confabS in Sc
Guided hooks and corners.