The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-05-19

!
/ Balm for the Wounds That Cruel
War and Defeat Made--It is Quite
| Noticeable That There is More Enthusi
asm Than at the g. A. L. Encampments
In the North.
Houston, Texas. May 1s.-(special)-
| Tomorrow morning at this place, be-
| gins an encampment and drill of United
States and Texas troops, a vehicle
| through which to introduce the fifth
| annual meeting of the United Confeder-
ate Veteran Reunion association, which
Will hold a three days session in the
| Texas City. May 90 %, and "a. An i'm
| mense structure after the style OF the
| worlds fair architecture bearing the
| name. for this occasion of the Winnie
| Davis auditorium, has been erected for
| convention purposes. The principal
business houses and public buildings,
! as we'll as many residences are draped
with flags and bunting, the national
| cilors predominating. The Confederat
| and Texas flag, "the Lone Star" min
gle everywhere with the stars and
stripes. This of course would present
| g queer appearance to Eagle readers,
| thousands of whom hav never seen the
| red. white and red.
The last few weeks of preparation has
aroused an enthusiasm which no G. \.
| r., gathering could excel, stories OF
southern valor in the civil war have
been revived, revised and retold over
and over again. The story of conflict
has touch of pathos when ii falls from
the lips of an old campaigner, and this
| is especial true when the cause for
which he fought ended III surrender.
The committee on invitation includes all
ex-federal soldiers in their welcome and
a special committee composed Of eX-
federal soldiers Will see that their COM
rades are well privided for.
WOMEN STILL SORE.
There is no semblance of treason TO
be seen or heard, except upon the part
of some southern women, VINO lost loved
ones, whose death emptied or broke a
heart which feeds today only upon mem
Dry of the past.
To be an old Confederate soldier may
help, but it does not secure places OF
trust and honor when inaccompanied
by ability to properly hold such a posi-
ton, as a proof of this fact some of the
most active promoters of the present
are just as proud of the part they took
in the war as are the men who defended
the national flag. They do not object
~ the ute Oh reDei, III TACT the SOUTH
ern man OF sense is always amused
when nothern visitor makes use of
the expression.
The faces one sees at such times as
the present are Lee, Johnson. Davis and
othern leaders, just whee Grant, Sher-
man and Loncoln would appear in a
like demonstration in the north.
Dixie takes the place Of Yankee
Doodle" and this familiar and inspir
ing tune brings forth the rebel yell in
all its I'D time enthusiasm.
The much discussed subject of north
ern hospitality is we'll developed myth,
| at least this is the case in Texas and
Houston, and Houston people being
commercially inclined, are "out for the
stuff" just as much as Boston would
be in like entertainment. Patriotism
is all right in its place, but the people
in no city upon the continent could
handle big gathering better for bust
ness purposes than will the people of
the Magnolia City of Texas.
JOKES ABOUT PENSIONS.
| Whether or not the Confederate as
ISOLATION is a fertilizer which adds TO
the growth of pensions in the north, has
been most literally discussed in this
community. The organization must Of
necessity be purely social and benevO-
lent. as there can be no special AK TO
grind except it be political prefement.
The strictly business element would be
glad to see these meetings cease, they
do not believe them to be of any SER
vice 10 the south either commercially
politically or from a manufacturing
point Of view. One gentleman, an ex-
Confederate, said to the writer: THE
Confederate reunion will add more TO
| the pension rolls than could 100 For
| akers and Corporal Tanners" There
are at Houston tonight representatives
of several leading decorative firms OF
| the north and their work adds much to
the gala appearance of course. Among
| the workmen are several eX-UniOn SOL
diers now drawing pensions and the
best joke of the season is the remark
OF one who said that If he fell and hurt
| himself while hanging the rebel flag
that he felt sure of an increase in his
pension. One of the strongest elements
/ in keeping alive the United Confederate
| Netrans Reunion association is the
fierce bidding of active. Wide-awake
southern cities IN bidding for the meet
ing the following year. Il gives any
population and bushes center a com
mercial prominence and no end of free
| advertising. 1t pushes energetic men TO
the front and is an available stepping
stone for future honOrs. 1t awakens
society and makes business lively. The
contest here between Richmond. Char
| lesion. Memphis, Atlanta, Jackson
Vile, Little Rock and other southern
cities Will be especially lively and Hous-
ton has not been backward in encourag-
ing all 10 do battle who seem SO dis
posed.
The advance arrangements are very
similar 10 those of a national conven-
ton in the north and everybody expects
/ in one way or another TO make a dollar
out Of the Jubilee. The prevalent idea
/ in the north that the southern people
Nv I'll -
| sense. but the almighty dollar IS just
as powerful here as il is in New En-
| gland.
Special committees may publish es-
says Astounding in rhetorical metaphor
| about the injustice of northern his
torians TO the people of the south, but
these same down-trodden southerners
care just as little about that historian
and just as much about a dollar as a
| VeTmonter would if placed il the same
position.
The south while not as thoroughly
practical as the north. is growing in
that direction more and more each year,
and the crop Of sentiment lessons each
succeeding season.
LOVE LEES NAME
The southern newspapers at, or near,
the time of a Confederate reunion pub
fishes a lot of editorial rubbish. the
half OF which they do not mean. but il
goes 10 the north as the actual senti-
ment OF the people and never fails 10
do the land OF Dixie an injustice.
The people OF the south love the
rame of Lee. they idoliZe Stouswall
JaCksons memory and respect Davis.
but the do not feel unkindiy toward
( the northern leaders. The war Is over
in spite OF this big hurrah al Houston,
and il is generally expected that this
gathering VIII be the last great meeting
/ OF ex-Confederates. unless the 1856 re-