The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-19

RS1E4CA1CE " l4AC OO444CAO4 oJC OCtN0 |
Savannah, Ga, Dec. 1S.-The visit of !
the president and his party to Savan-
nah ended tonight, after two days of
remarkable displays Of enthusiasm. !
The president attended two public func-
tions and received ovations. But far
above the Importance of the receptions
today and the receptions already re-
ported, is the fact that the original OBJ
ject of President McKinley's visit has
been entirely lost sight of. The unpre-
cedented outbursts Of loyalty to the
Union have completely overshadowed
the rejoicing over the peace with Spain,
though participation in the latter was
the avowed object of the presidents
southern trip. TO thoroughly explain
what is going on in the south today,
it is necessary to not only record the
continuous enthusiasm and hospltable
receptions, but also to recount the
causes that have made the trip so re
markable.
In ali the speeches and in all the
demonstrations which have marked the
presidents visit to Atlanta, Tushegee,
montgomery and Savannah, there has
DtEI the iclCll dullllSSloll lAioAN lAAC W IL
with Spain was the great factor in
achieving the result, but it is 10 the
result and not to the factor that the
chief trend OF speech-making and of
enthusiasm has lent itself.
Political influences seem to play no
part in the reception of President Nc
Kinley. On ali sides there is an eager
ness 10 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 loyalty that have
long lived, but which have lacked op-
portunity 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 refer
ences to and the discussion of the civil
evar have led to many delicate situa-
tions that were only saved from becorl-
ing irritating dilemmas by the tact OF
a president who fought against south
ern troops, or by the graceful utter
aaces Of the confederates, who years
ago opposed him on the battlefield.
The marvellous scenes, of an audience
in the old confederate capital cheering
the Stars and Stripes until they grew
hoarse, of confederate veterans strug-
Cling TO grasp the hand of a northern
Republican president; OF General
Wheeler leading the people Of his state
in cheers for William Mckinley in the
place where jefferson Davis once urged
the south to fight for separation, are all
redeemed from the suspicion OF fulsom-
ness or the faint praise of politicians,
by the blunt truthfulness of the men
who led in these new and tremendously
fervent declarations of loyalty.
ALABAAIA'S LOYALTY.
Governor Johnston of Alabama, said
at Montgomery:
1--WE of the south having nothing 10
regret except our dead" But he at
once went on to say that he re1oiced
in the United States, with a strong ac-
cent on United and if any man now
said. rs Alabama loyal to the Union?'
he asked an absurd question, because
Alabama's loyalty had been proven by
Wheeler and Hobson, and there We're
hundreds of other Wheelers and Hob
sons in Alabama, ready to give equal
proof Of Alabama's glad fealty to the
Union.
Such utterances as these have mark
ed the trip with more frequency than
1t has been possible to report. one
Quarter of the former cOnfederates Who
have made addresses of welcome to
President Mckinley said there had
Reen no eleventh hour confession of sin.
IN substance, lLAkN IsAN < 14l ocllNl tAAoS
they fought for what they then thought
was right: that they neither blame
themselves nor their dead fathers or
sons for eniisting in the cause Of the
confederacy. but that they accept to-
day the changed conditions with a
gladness and sincerity they never telt
until the war with Spain knit the ma
ton into q common cause, and until a
Republican president urged the people
of the north and south TO honor the
confederate dead.
In the latter. reason lies the main in
centive to the intense ana almost un-
expected enthusiasm with which the
presidential party had been greeted
since Mr. McKinley's first speech II
Atlanta Scarcely a speaker or a pa
Der in Alabama or Georgia has made
reference to the president without men
fio.1irs on every occasion his tribute
10 the confederate dead. A distin
gpished southeruer said to TINS CORE
spondent: There have been many re
unions OF north and south on papei
and in speeches. These were wei
raeant. but they signified little, becaus'
neither side had given in to the othe
on the principles that they fought over
This suggestion of the president L
care FOR our dead. is the first prac
tfcable evidence given. to the south tina
the north really means what it says
and II mas lOutAtl UlL uCeil - mn
than we can say. Coming as 1t doe
upon the heels Of the war with Spain
which gave to the south the chance {
1roye her LOYALTY. this utterance o
the president enables us to say no
only that we are true to the Union, bu
jfor the first time that we love it.
This utterance represents host o
Npublic and private speeches that hav
been made since the arrival of tn
presidential party in the south. 1t
the consensus of various opinions ex
pressed to this correspondent by stat
officers and citizens of Georgia an
Alabama, nearly all of whom are op
posed TO the president in politics. bu
who have welcomed him right Siadl
in his capacity of chief executive, an
who have given vent to wild enthus
asm over his utterances regarding IN
confederate dead. In this way, Wha
was planned TO be a celebration of tn
peace with Spain has become almo'
entirely a genuine practical ratifics
ton of the peace between north an