Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-23
mKINLEY IN CoNFEDERATB GRAY.

The Charleston News and Courier dis
cusses the Presidents southern visit in
the following jolly style:
1t is just as well. perhaps, that Presi-
dent Mckinley did not delay his depart
ure from the South. When he was at
Macon on Monday he was decorated with
a Confederate badge. which he wore on
his coat an day; &hen he passed the
Confederate monument in that city n
Confederate veteran waved a Confederate
flag at him, while the son of a Confede-
rate veteran waxd the Stars and Stripes,
and we are told that the incident SEEM
ed to appeal to the President" When
the President reached Augusta he was
greeted by "a company of uniformed
veterans Of the Confederacy, with their
battle-scarred flags waving with the
Stars and Stripes and we are satisfied
that # he had stopped in Columbia long
enough the patriotic people Of that town
would have fitted him TO a full suit Of
Confederate gray. 1t was getting warm
for him for Il fact, and there is no tell
ing what would ave happened but for
the special railroad schedule on which
his train was nun.
When the President comes to Charles
ton next May. 81 the Presidents tailor
will be good enough TO send the Presi-
dents measure. a full suit of the right
color will be waiting for him And all
the Confederate veterans from all the
Confederate States will be here TO see
him and honor him.
The cloth for the Presidents suit Of
Confederate gray, which he viii wear for
the first time at the Confederate reunion
IN Charleston next May-that is, If we
can c0tch him-ought TO be made of South
Carolina-grown wool, woven on an old
fashioned loom, and cut according to the
style OF "the brave days of old" In
such attire the President would look
we'll. and, with his Macon badge and
other Confederate souvenirs, ne would
be able TO go right INTO the fraternal
spirit Of the great occasion.
IL will depend upon circumstance whe-
ther the President will go TO Charleston
hext May. Before that time the Grand
Army people may undertake TO discip-
pline him for what he said and did on
the Atlanta trip.
q Grand-Commander Sexton, of the Grand
Army OF the Republic. is very cautious
and reserved in his comments upon the
PRESIDENTS fraternity proposition, while
several influential Republican papers ara
severely Withholding their approval of
hts course. But for the existence of a
condition of affairs in Congress which
makes Il undesirable 10 raise a rumpus
lust now, we believe the President would
md himself harshly criticised by leading
m or his party.
II is true some G.. A. II. posts have en-
dorsed the Presidents position; but the
great majority OF them "a solemn silence
hold" "Dey are layin' low, and sayin'
nuthin'." SO It Is not safe TO predict
what will be the Presidents position
next May. In changing from the free
silver side 20 the gold side; from a peace
man TO a war man. and from being an
antl-expansionist to the greatest land
grabber OF modern times, he has shown
a great adaptatdlity 70 political circum-
He will stand by what he said
down South II he finds that his people
MIL stand by him: otherwise, we guess
he wifi allow the matter TO drop, IL that
be possible.
There Is a degree OF reticence OF this
subject on the part OF northern politicians
and papers which annot be very com
forting 20 the President. That being the
situation, we think our people would do
well 20 let our northern brethren fight the
question out among themselves.
II will be time enough for US TO accept
or reject the help OF the United States
Government after an offer OF II has been
mace.