The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-15
HAS MARKED An EPOCH
Mckinley Aroused Intense En-
thusiasm in Georgia.
WILD CHEERS OF APPROVAL
The Presidents Tribute to the Confed-
crate Dead Swept the Audience
From Their Feet Old Men
Cried Like Children.

Atlanta. Ga. Dec. 14.-President Nc
Einley made memorable the first day of
the Atlanta peace jubilee by a notable
utterance in his speech before the joint
sess.on of the Georgia legislature this
afternoon. His reception by the gen.
eral assembly was warm and hearty in
the extreme and his speech was pune
tuated with frequent outbursts of
cheering. 1t is admitted on all sides
that the address marked an epoch i'm
history and is tonight on every lip.
Upon the presidents arrival at the
capitol he was greeted with a field ar
tillery salute and was at once escorted
to Governor Gamblers office. There was
a short informal reception there. Upon
its conclusion the president, followed
by members of the cabinet, was con-
Quoted to the assembly chamber. where
he occupied the speakers chair. with
Governor Gambler on his right. When
President Dodson of the senate called
the Legislature to order the galleries
were thronged with men and women.
The body OF the chamber was fairly
filled with state senator's and assembly
men, while the uniforms Of various
officers and the governors stan gave a
touch of brilliant color to the gather
ing. On the first row facing the speak
er's chair sat Secretaries Gage. Long,
Wilson and Postmaster General Smith
and Secretary Porter. Beside the speak
er's desk and below the presiden: Gem
erals Wheeler, Lawton and Young, in
full uniform, sat on chairs.
The sneaker rannpd for silence and
introduced the president to the audi
ence. after congratulating the state of
Georgia upon the presence OF their dis
tinguished guest. As the president rose
the audience applauded. During the
course of his short speech Mr.. McKin-
ley referred often to his notes and con-
stantly paused for the cheers to stop.
A scene of intense Enthusiasm followed
when, amid impressive silence, these
words fell from the lips Of the presi-
dent:
Every soldiers grave made during
the unfortunate civil war is a tribute to
the American valor. And while. when
those graves were made, we differed
widely about the future of the govern
ment, those differences were long ago
settled by the arbitrament Of arms; and
the time has now come in the evolution
of sentiment and feeling under the
providence of God. when, in the spirit
of fraternity. we should share with you
in the care of the graves of the confed-
crate soldiers"
A wild cheer went up from every
throat i'm the typical southern audience,
a cheer that echoed and re-echoed
throughout the chamber until IL was
taken up by the crowd outside. Old
men who fought for the South rose
from their seats and waved their hats.
One confederate veteran. now a vener-
able legislator. had pressed forward
until he was leaning against the speak
er's desk. hanging on every word the
president uttered. When the reference
was made to the confederate dead this
old man buried his head in mis- arms
and while the cheers rang out cried like
a little child.
or all the many conciliatory speeches
which have been made since Grant
said: Let there be peace" nothing has
more deeply stirred a southern audience
than the simple words OF President Nc
Kinley this afternoon. No sooner had
President Mckinley concluded before
there were loud cries for Wheeler, and
when that little man got up. his head
scarcely higher than the speakers desk,
the audience once more gave vent to
wild enthusiasm.
General Wheeler referred eulogist-
ically to the efforts of the president to-
ward preserving peace as long as the
country's honor would permit such eff
forts and of his masterful policy after
war was inevitable. General Wheeler
paid a tribute to Admiral Dewey and
added:
THE army. in conjunction with the
navy, was ordered to attack and de-
stroy the Spanish forces at Santiago.
In four weeks that order was obeyed
and it's purposes accomplished. The
proud Spanish nation stood suing for
peace from the nation which a month
before it had help up to ridicule and
scorn."
Calls for Brigadier General Young
brought that officer to his feet with .
short speech regarding the condition
of the army camps in the south. He
said that no troops in the world were
better. more regularly fed, and better
treated than the troops in South Caro-
lima and Georgia.
General Lawton was loudly cheerad,
but refused to make a speech. He sim
ply thanked. on the behalf OF his men
at Santiago. the legislature and people
of Georgia for their tribute to himself.
Secretary Alger refused to speak,
and the legislature dissolved.
The president held a private recep-
tion in the senate and afterward
public reception on the steps of the ro-
tunda. Then hundreds Of southert~ers
crushed and jostled each other in their
anxiety TO shake a northern presi-
dents hand Many had come from miles
distant. and when at 2:l5 y. m. the
president left the capitol there were
still hundreds bitterly disappointed be-
cause they had not been able to make
their way through the surging throng