The Portland daily press., 1897-04-16
DEPARTMENT. OF MAINE.


in some greatsgathering we should be a
better people.
Commander Clarkson then humorously
contrasted Nebraska, with its annual
production of 500 600, 600 bushels of corn,
and no one to eat it, and New England
where you had to scrape with knife
between the rocks to get chance to
plant anything and where the towns
were SO thick that they had like. North
Conway and West Conway. to be labeled
North, South, East and West because
there [were not names enough to go
around.
Speaking of his travels in the South,
the commander said that 1t was an edit
cation to them. He spoke of his reluct-
ance to go there fearing that his septi-
ments might arouse enmity among the
old Confsderates towards the Union vete-
raEs. His fears were groundless for he
found that his patriotism was echoed by
tie Confederates themselves, many of
whom were in his audience and person.
ally told him that they agreed with what
he said, adding, that they served in such
and such a Confederate regiment. All
are one people ncw. Even In Montgom-
cry, Ala, .where JEFF Davis was sworn
in. had to leave my own comrades to be
entertained by the Confederate veterans
whostook the whole afternoon in telling
me that they love the old flag now as
much as do. They said that they be-
lieved they were right. then but they
thanked Godsthat it turned out just az
it did.
Then Commander Clarkson said that
he asked wLat had brought about this
state of things and he found that it was
largely due to the influence of 1.-THE
Union veterans who had settled in the
South. The Southerners in the first place
told them that they shouldn't and they
couldn't live there but they have staid
just as we ssaid between 81 and '65
and now we must look out boys or all
the people down there will love the OLD
flag better than we do ourselves.
Gen. Clarkson also spoke of the pro-
gress made by the negroes. In conclusion
he spoke eiuquently OF the work of the
order which is not yet finished. 1t wants
to see the flag above every school house;
it wants tc have the young men taught
the duties of the soldier because it. is an
organization which has learned the
horror of war and the value of peace and
believes that the way to secure peace is
to be prepared for war; it wants immi-
grafton restricted to keep ont of this
country anarchists and their kind; it
wants to exclude from the public schools
books of history which teach that Jeffer-
son Davis was a great and good man
and intimate that A braham Lincoln was
an insignificant figure in history, ana
it will work to secure to all citizens
whether In Mississippi or in Maine equal
rights regardless of color OF creed.
At the conclusion of Gen. Clarkson' q
speech. HRS. E. NJ. Drew in behalf of
Custer Relief corps presented him with a
basket of beautiful flowers.
After the campfire the veterans ad-
Journed to the hotels. The opinion
among them lis, and it seems we'll
founded, that Mr. Carleton will have
Walkover in tomorrow's election.
Among prominent Grand Army men
present are Commander Carver, Gen. J.
2. Cilley of Rookland, Judge H. H.
Burbank of Saco, Hon. Matthew c.
Morrill, of Gray, Hon. F. S. Walls of
Vinalhaven, Col Wainwright Gushing
of Foxcroft. DR.. Thompson of Dover,
Col. W. Z. Eustis of Dixf1ed, Col John
d. Anderson of Gray. Past Department
Commander VIM. Fl. Green, Captain
Whitman Sawyer, E. G. Milliken. A.
M. Sawyer, e. C. SWEET, HIS. Thrasher,
Geo. E. Andrews and others of Portland,
Hon. Frederick Robie of Gorham. Cap
tain q. Il. Smith Of Houlton, Fred D.
Aldus Of Camden. Col. A. S. Bangs Of
AuGflGfa