The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-31
A NOTABLE SUCCESS.
Close of the Annual Soldiers Re-
union in Preston County.
COMMISSIONER MASON'S SPEECH
On saturday.--His Tributet to the vete-
rans--Tho Magnificent Results of
the war--.An Organization to Build
Permanent Auditorium for Re-
union Purposes.


Special Di,pateh TO DC IntSligmea.
KIxGwooD, W. Va, Aug. S0.-For
seven years the ex-soldiers Of Preston
county have been holding annual re-
unions in the county and each year the
reunions have been more successful and
better attended. The seventh annual
gathering OF the boys in blue Of this
county closed yesterday, and it was evil
dent that the three days had been
pleasant ones for all who were here.
Before closing yesterday resolutions oii
thanks to the speakers, musicians, ana
the citizens OF Kingwood were unani.
mously adopted. The reunion OF 1882
will be held at the Tunnelton camp
ground, eight miles south OF here. Of
the nine hundred ex.soldiers in this
county nearly all have signed IN apph-
cation for State charter 10 their or.
ganization. When charter is granted
It is the purpose of the organization to
purchase land upon which the soldiers
viii erect suitable buildings and an
auditorium. This will furnish aperma-
nent place for holding these reunions.
No more interesting speeches were
delivered during the reunion than the
address of Hon. John w. Mason, OF
Washington, D. c., tho Commissioner
of Internal Revenue. He arrived here
at noon on Saturday and delivered his
instructive and pleasing address in the
afternoon.
COMMISSIONER MAsoN's ADDRESS.
He was listened to by n very large
audience. Mr.. Mason was in the SER
vice, having been a member of Mauls-
by's battery, OF West Virginia.
When he entered the court room, the
veterans cheered loud and long, and his
speech was frequently interrupted by
enthusiastic applause. Mr.. Mason be-
gan his speech by words Of greeting to
his old friends and comrades and said
that it was great pleasure to him to
leave his arduous duties at Washington
and mingle again with the friends and
comrades OF his native State. He spoke
of the tic which binds soldiers together,
which is stronger perhaps than that
which unites any other association oi
men. The best years Of their manhood
were spent together, not in rivalry or
contention, but in one common cause,
and In following the same flag. He re.
viewed at some length the hardships OF
the service and the scenes Of the camp,
tho march, the battle and. 1.-the hospital.
He said that although many soldiers
arc halt and lame now, and their eyes
,limmed by age. and perhaps they are
unable to do much at double quick,
should our country be again in danger
the men OF 81 would set the boys OF '9l
most splendid example.
He said that never In the history OF
the country has sectionalism been so
nearly eradicated rs now and happily
this country is now at peace with all
the world, and is likely to remain so
for many years. Mr. Mason then de-
voted considerable time TO showing the
greatness and prosperity OF this
country which is due to the boys of'6l
who stood SO nobly by the government
NOT RETRodRADNa.
"True," said he, there are calamity
walters in this age rs there have been
in all ages past. But these croakers are
false prophets rs any one can readily
see. If the government is retrograding,
il il is becoming weaker and poorer
every year, il it has ceased to be n
government OF the people, by tho peo-
pie and for tho people, then ! confess
that your labors and sacrifices were in
vain. need scarcely appeal to history
or to statistics to provo that such Is
not the state Of affairs. In 1860 there
we're 3O,6S5 miles of railroad in the
United States; in 1888, there were l52,-
GOO miles. More miles Of rail
road were built during the four
wears from 1850 to 1854 than existed in
the United States in 1860 In 1866 We
made in the United States ,2O5, ,603 tons
Of pig iron; in 1880 we made 0,5I9,l 40
tons. In 80 years Great Britain added
less than 10 per cent to her population,
while in the same time the United
States has added about 100 per cent to
hers. In 1860 the aggregate value OF
property in the United States was SlG,-
i5g,GlC, ,06S; in 1890 it was S62, ,00O, ,000, 900.
In 80 years Great Britain added less
than 90 per centto her wcalth,while the
United States in the same time has add
cd more than 1888 per cent to hers. We
have become one Of the very first nations
Of the world in mining, manufacturing
aud agriculture, and arc forcing our
way further to the front and yet we are
told that tho nation is not prosperous" "