Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-19

the evening in the parlors of the hotel unJl
the time came for them to depart for Ma
con, for which place their train left at
midnight. On the way 10 the depot the
president was greeted with hearty cheers,
as indeed he has been every time he has
come within sight during his visit here.
The visit Of the president and his party
TO Savannah ended tonight after TWO days
of remarkable displays of enthusiasm. AL
though to-day was supposed TO be a day
of rest, the president attended two public
functions and received oyations. But far
above the Importance of the reception to-
day and the receptions already reported, is
the fact that the original object of
President Mckinley's visit has been entire
ly lost sight of. The unprecedented out
bursts of loyalty to the Union have COM
pletely overshadowed the rejoicing over
the peace with Spain, though participation
in the latter was the avowed object of
the presidents Southern trip. To tho--
oughly explain what is going Oh in the
South to-day it is. necessary TO not only
record the continuous enthusiasm and hos
pitable receptions but also to recount the
causes that have made the trip SO re-
markable.
In all the speeches ard in all the dem
onstrations which have marked the presi-
dents visit TO Atlanta, Tuskegee, Mont
gomery and Savannah, there has been the
tacit admission that the war with Spain
was the great factor in achieving the re-
suit, but il is TO the result and not to the
factor that the chief trend of speechmak-
ing and of enthusiasm has lent itself Po-
litical influences seem to play no part in
the reception of President Mckinley. On
all sides there is an eagerness to publicly
express the loyalty OF the Southern states
and to admit that the war with Spain
not only helped to weld the compact of
the sections, but gave to the South the
opportunity TO express sentiments of 10y
atty that have long lived. but which have
lacked opportunity of expression, and this
has been done chiefly by Democrats, many
of whom fought for the stars and bars
and TO all Of whom the name of Davis is
a sacred memory. The frank references
to and the discussion of the civil war have
led to many delicate situations that Were
only saved from becoming irritating di-
lemmas by the tact of a president who
fought against Southern troops or by the
graceful utterances Of the Confederates
who years ago opposed him on the battle
field. The marvellous scenes of an audi
ence in the old Confederate capital cheer
ing the stars and stripes until they grew
hoarse, of Confederate veterans struggling
to grasp the hand of a Northern Repub-
lican president. of General Wheeler leading
the people of his state in cheers Cor Will
liam Mckinley in the place where Jeffer-
son Davis once urged the South to fight
for separation, are all redeemed from the
suspicion of fulsomeness or the faint
praise Of politicians by the blunt truth
fulness of the men who led in these new
and tremendously feryent declarations Of
loyalty.
Governor Johnston, of Alabama, said at
Montgomery: We, of the South, have
nothing to regret. except our dead" but
he at once went on to say that he rejoiced
in the United States. with a strong ac-
cent on Emitted" and that If any man now
said rs Alabama loyal to the Unon?" he
asked an absurd question, because Alaba-
mas loyalty had been proven by Wheeler
and Hobson and that there were hundreds
of other Wheelers and Hobsons in Alabama
ready to give equal proof of Alabama's
glad fealty TO the union. Such utterances
as these have marked the trip with more
frequency than it has been possible tC
report On the part of the former Con.
federates who have made addresses of wei,
come TO President Mckinley there has beer
no eleventh hour confession of sin. In
substance they have all said that they
fought for what they then thought wa.
right, that they neither blame themselve.
nor their dead fathers or sons for enlist.
ing in the cause of the ConfederaCy, but
that they accept to-day the changed con
ditions with gladness and sincerity they
never felt until the war with Spain kni
the nation into common cause and unit
a Republican president urged the people ot
the North and South 10 honor the confed
crate dead.
In the latter reason lies the main in.
centivC to the intense and almost uneX,
pected enthusiasm with which the presi
Dental party has been greeted since Mr.
McKinley's first speech in Atlanta. Scarce
ly a speaker "a paper in Alabama oi
dent without mentioning on every occasion
his tribute TO the Confederate dead. A dis
tinguished Southerner said to this CORE
spondent: There have been many re,
unions OF North and South on paper anC
in speeches. These Were well meant. bu
they signified little. because neither sid,
had given into the other on the principle.
that they fought over. This suggestion o
the presidents to care for our dead is tn,
first practicable evidence given to TIL,
South that the North really means wha
IL says and IL has touched our heart
more than we can say. Coming as II doe
upon the heels of the war with Spain
which gave to the South the chance {,
prove her loyalty. this utterance of tn,
presidents enables us TO say not only tha
We are true to the Union, but for the frs
time that we love it,"
This utterance represents a host of pub
lie and private speeches that have bee
made since the arrival of the presidentia
party in the South. II is the consensus o