The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-12
THE GRANT MONUMENT.

The wires, the other morning, brought
the information that the ex-confederates in
New York are arranging an entertainment
the receipts from which are to go to the
GRANT monument fund. This will be
graceful proceeding and one which should
silence and put to shame the SUPERFICIAL
shouters who are eternally bowling about
the men who fought on the losing side in
the civil war of the last generation. The
new commander of the G. A. R. has lately
been trying to gain notoriety by saying
some very mean and uncalled for things
because In recent celebration rebel
flag was exhibited. The incident meant
nothing; at any rate it did not
mean that the. men who carried the flag
were disloyal, or that they were without
respect for the stars and stripes which were
carried in the same procession also by ex-
confederates. If we are ever going to quit
fighting the war which came to an end
more than twenty-six years ago it is time
we began to stop, and if the men of the
north are ever going to have confidence in
those OF the south 1t is high time to make
commencement.
General GRANT had implicit faith in the
sincerity, the honesty, the integrity and
the loyalty of the southern soldiers, aud
he didn't wait a quarter of q century TO
acquire that faith. He had it the moment
General LEE surrendered and the war was
declared at an end That moment General
GRANT recognized in those who had worn
the gray, not enemies of the nation, but
fellow countrymen, citizens of the re-
public, men loyal to the government,
and he then and there proclaimed his trust
| and confidence in them and their patriotism.
Never thereafter did he have occasion to
regret that he had received his conquered
fellow citizens with open arms and wei
coined them as members of the great
American brotherhood His trustfulness
| was never abused and his confidence was
| never betrayed. If General GRANT could
place absolute faith in the men of the con-
federacy, 1t seems to US that the small fry
might sing low, especially after twenty-six
years had demonstrated that GRANTS iudg-
ment was correct. 1t is because the ex-
confederates recognize in GRANT a soldier
who was actuated by soldiers heart and
guided by soldiers impulses that they
are now moving in the matter of helping to
erect to his memory the grand memorial
which has been designed. We venture the
prediction that when the aid entertainment
shall pc given the dollars of the ex-con-
| federates will flow freely into the Golfers
Of the treasury and the memorial fund
will be materially swells6.
! And this reminds US that it wouldn't be
80 81 %
some kind in this city for the benefit of
the fund. Salt Lake is proverbially CO.
| thusiastic and generous in matters of this
character and our people have a good deal
Of res pect for the name of GRANT. 1t is
not doubted that handsome sum would be
raised If the business were taken I'D by
some responsible parties. The HERALD
knows the owners of the theatre so well
that it thinks 1t can safely promise that
they will contribute the use of the building
without charge, and we are equally certain
that the Home Dramatic club will give it's
services and there may be implicit reliance
upon generous patronage by the public.
1t is shame, and reflects discredit upon
New York that the monument has not been
erected. It's now understood that if the
work shall be completed it Will be done by
means contributed outside OF the city
which promised so much and has done so
little. THE HERALD would like to know
that the people of Salt Lake have a SUBJ
stantial interest in the structure which is to
mark the burial place of the great general
who is respected and admired by those who
laid down their arms to him.