The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-09
THE PUBLIC RECEPTION.
0 Toole and Mayor Curtin Welcome
\ tho S0ns to Helena.

Gov. ToOlo and Mayor Curtin Welcome
the soas to Helena.
At two .. m. a public reception was held
81 the auditorium in honor of the visiting
sons. James B. Walker. of U. 4. Grant
Camp No. !. Helena. was the chairman,
and on the platform were Commander in
Chief Barlow 8. Weeks, Adirtant-G General
Raphael Tobias, Major A.. L. Davis, of
Pittsburg. the founder of the order, Gov.
Tools, Mayor Curtin. Judge Dudley Du-
Bose, Col. 9. ,. Nolan. f.: T. Sterling, Of
WRdsworth Post, G. A.. r., and members
Of the Ladies Aid society. Gov. Toole was
received with loud applause as he arose to
speak. He said:
have been invited to extend to you the
welcome of Montana. / do it with pleasure
and assure you that it 10 universal. cordial
and continuous. We Welcome you because
w delight to entertain the stranger and
tell him of the wealth and wonders Of this
new state. 1t 10 said that no man ever left
1t willingly or was happy until he returned.
Whether it be the health and vigor OF our
climate, our lofty mountains, rich valleys,
stately pines, fresh air. pure waters. mineral
wealth. sparkling sapphlres. gallant men
or beautiful women, or all of these COM
bined, that %infatuates I do not undertake
to saw, but certain it il that some of these
will claim You as their own if your power
Of resistance il not greater than the average
stranger. But aside from this We welcome
you for what you are and what you rep
resent.
Your patrimony may take wings and de-
part forever, professional and business en-
tsrpriss may fail you. health and strength
may degenerate and leave you dependent,
and finally when tho sun goes down upon
the battlefinished you may be gathered to
the tomb, but there is oomfort and glory in
the reflection that even tho grave is not
wild enough or deep enough to hide the
honor that belongs to a soldiers son who
emulates the virtue Of his father.
Commencing with the Order of the Gin
cinnati. which sprsng from the fires OF the
revolution, a long array OF sooieties might
be paraded to illustrate the devotion of the
American people to those heroes who con-
tributed to the establishment and perpetu-
alton of civil liberty in this country, but
none had a worthier inception or fuIhlIs a
Veterans" Through your organization
the purposes Of laudable ambition are
transmitted from generation to genera
ton. public and private virtues are
kept untarnished and love of coun-
try is blended with the love of
those who gave force and character to a
great cause. In that awful emergency
their value WAS supreme, their endurance
was superhuman. their suffering was in
tense. their confidence was abiding, their
victory was complete, but their reward re-
manned in what prophetic vision had por-
trayed, d peaceful, prosperous and united
country. Whatever was worthy Of ACCOM-
plishment in that great struggle il worthy
of Commenoration, not in the narrow seusa
of kindling anew a dead flame of sectional
animosity but in the lal ger sense that we
may be ankful for more than e~1ultunt
over the achievements of the men to whom
you are SO closely related by the ties of
blood and affection.
Many q delusion, many a false prophecy
and many a harsh declaration has bsen
8tillcd by the conflict of Ards and they are
buried forever among the errors of the past
10 be remembered only that they may be
avoided hereafter.
You will find in this mountain land many
kindred spirits and loyal friends. In this
teeming and fruitful west We count our
patriots as We count our people. If from
any cause the honor or reputation OF the
nation should again DO assalled OR imper-
lied and the dread alarm of war should be
sounded. I predict that the contingen,
from Montana, headed by the Sons of
Veterans" inspired by the memories of the
past, would be swift to follow, if not &c
lead, in just defsnss.
nation of the earth has contributed to the
cosmopolitan population that greets you.
They
Closed the prairies. as Of old their father,
crossed the seas.
no make the west. az they the east. the
homestead Of the free.
Every one of these IL instinct with ap.
plause for the deeds which have made you
fathers conspicuous among men, and will
elaborate and emphasize. as occasion offers
the brief welcome which it has been my
pleaaurs TO extend.
In response Commander in Chief Weeks
eaid:
viii not ~ sisters and brother. be-