Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-09-08
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A BUSY Day FOR M'K|NLEY.

reviewing stand at Buffalo her flle CT
governors three eXes-Hoard, Peck and
Upham-and Maj Scofeld, together with
the two files of past department COM
manders, were directed to drop out and
take seats on the grand stand. My po-
sition was few feet to the left of Pres
ident Mckinley. With others l found
much pleasure in noting the effect the
marchers, their salutes, greetings and
cheers, as we'll as their general conduct,
had upon the modest soldier occupying
the highest official station the world can
give q man.
Here comes a post moving like reg
ulars. Every man is looking to the front
Not smile of recognition is given in any
direction. The commander brings his
sword to a salute and says: Uncover"
Every hat is lifted by left hand and
placed upon a right shoulder, and the
cOlOrS gracefully dip. So the rich city
post passes the President. What does he
do? He lifts his beaver, bows digni-
fiedly, looks pleasant, does not smile and
impressive one; the lesson one to remem-
Der. The post from the large city was
ambitious to convince the COMMANDMENTS
chief of the army and navy that its mem
berS had not forgotten to be military IN
the Strictest sense.
NUW IOI piNtuAS
Here comes village post, the most of
whose members are farmers A few flies
and drums, rather unskillfully operated,
NAL Ike it's music. When within four or
five rods of the President the farmer
commander called out in a most unmili-
tary way: There he is, boys, there's
Mckinley: get ready to cheer when we
pass him. Every dim old eye is fixed
upon Mckinley, the men march out Of
step and in zigzag lines, but they are all
getting a good square look at the man
they most want to see. When they reach
the right point off come their hats and
caps of all colors and conditions, but they
go in the air instead of resting on right
shoulders, a lusty cheer going higher
than the hats and then these old men bow
and bow until several yards beyond the
President. What does he do2 He faces
to the left the moment the post appears
faces with beaming counIenance- When
he hears the old commander tell the
'boys' there's Mckinley" he laughs
aloud and gradually settles to a smile
that is as warm as a CRATE fire. His
bowling head and swinging arms are not
made to order; they are of natural
trumps with both President and post,
and thousands discovering the fact rise
to their feet and cheer. When the Pres
ident's eyes lift from the irregular files
OF happy old men passing from view and
he again faces to the front the plain
track of raindrcp shows ON his cheek
But the sky is cloudless. 1t is not the
track of raindrop. The march of the
old men Of the village post. the warmth
of their expressions and Their look of love
and approval had done more than touch
his heart; they had tapped the fountain
of his tears.
And what a picture it was Who saw
1t to forget it? And the lesson-who of
the multitude present Will forget that?
On two more occasions that day-yes
three of them-l saw tear signs on Mai
McKinley's face.
Most of the states have prohibited the
use of the old battlefags in parades, and
guess wisely, for only little breeze
IS needed to strip precious bits from
them. even when furled Pennsylvania
and New York permitted the use of
lew OF the Old flags. As far as possible
they were in charge of the heroes who
had carried the cOlors when the sight of
them helped men TO bare their breasts
to showers of lead and iron-in the
mighty crash of battle-when their beau
tiful folds waved and sighed over win
rows of slain and sleeping patriots
There is nothing like these old flags from
the battlehelds to make veterans give a
backward glance-tO stir them to their
deepest depths. | find, too, that the gen
eral public is affected by these furled
and tattered witnesses of the great strug-
gle in very much the same manner as
the veterans.
Here comes a Pennsylvania band. one
OF many glistening silver pieces in the
hands of artists. A few rods away they
begin to play the Star Spangled Ban
ner,' and how they did play it! Did it
ever sound more sweetly? Did it ever
set hearts to beating more quickly? A fter
the band came score or more of men,
some with an arm gone, some on pat
ent leg, some otherwise scared. all gray
very gray, and much bent each bearing
a faded, riddled and furled flag from
REDEEMED fields of war. The band before
the flags were seen was cheered. but as
soon as the cOlOrbearerS swung into view
there was silence that was indeed golden
Slowly they approached the presidential
party. The President arose. removed his
hat and Signaled those close to him te
be standing. 1t was taken as signal
Tor all to stand up, and UP they stood
the men uGcovering, and all. men, women
and children, initiated the President by
bowling their heads while the old flags
were passing. When they had gone by
and the people were seated there was
shower of tears, and some of them fell
on Maj. McKinley's cheeks. Was it an
evidence of weakness? No. 1t was evil
dence of strength-strengt of the love
he and the people have for the flag and
that which it's represents.
rule had been adopted that the
President should not shake hands with
men in the procession. 1t was wise
rule. But for that the way would have
been blocked most of the time by men
who wanted to clasp hands with their
distinguished comrade In all of these
six hours of most interesting pageant
the rule was broken only once. In a lit
tie post from a back county there was an
old man who swung his hat and choered
with all the strength he possessed, ap-
parently He fairly danced for JOY when
he passed the President, who smiled aud
bowed in return, seemingly as greatly
pleased as the veteran. The old fellow
lodged out of the ranks and rushed up to
the reviewing stand, plainly showing his
desire to shake hands. Those near the
President waved for the veteran 10 go
on. Instead of going on he extended a
handless wrist, a wrist made handless at
Chickamauga. The President, with q
look of sorrow such as [ have seen on a
mothers face at an open grave, took the
bruised withered wrist in his hand ard