Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-06-09

Nearly 1000 veterans attended the
dali Tuesday night. The weather
was pleasant and the speeches elo-
quent and interesting. The large au-
dience sat patiently in the grand
stand for two hours and a half listen
ing to stories Of the civil war, of the
American soldier, Of the Spanish war,
| Of Dewey, Sampson, Schley, Hobson
and other American idols and Of his
toric Camp Randall which was the
scene of many an escapade of the
| grizzly veterans now present
who camped there 81 years ago.
! The audience was an impressive one
sea of faces scared and scanned by
years of toll and in many instances
by poverty and sorrow. But still it
reflected the sturdy manhood and no.
bility of those who freely offered their
lives for the preservation of the
union
The exercises were opened at s
o'clock by several patriotic airs by the
| university band. Senator C. b. Wei
ton, chairman of the veterans reunion
committee, extended hearty welcome
to visiting veterans. He said that
this reunion is and promises to con-
tinue the pleasantest ever enjoyed by
the old soldiers. 1t is a rare priv
ilege, he said for veteran to partic-
iratc in a reunion held on his old
camping grounds 81 years afterward,
He regretted that he had not been one
of these. This reunion he said vivid
ly recalls the stirring incidents of the
civil war. He urged all to enjoy the
occasion to the fullest extent. We've
not only unlocked the gates of Camp
Randall but we've taken them off their
hinges" he said. He urged them all
TO give themselves up to the fullest
enjoyment Of this reunion and he ex-
pressed the hope that they would be
alive and able to attend the next semi
centennial or centennial celebration
so or 100 years hence, which caused
general laugh.
He then presented Col. A. G. Weis-
sert of Milwaukee as president of the
meeting. after few preliminary re-
marks, Col. Weissert introduced Elder
W. j. Mckay who pronounced the
invocation.
Mayor C, T.. Whelan, after being
introduced, made one of his character
istic addresses of welcome. He told
the boys in blue to take the city as
they did 81 years ago; the police are
locked up in the station and the key
is lost as it was then, he said IF
the mayor interferes with you throw
him out" said Mr.. Whelan His ref
erenca to Dewey and Hobson provoked
a storm of applause.
Past Department Commander Gray
responded to the mayors welcome.
The colonel always pleased the vets,
and after some humorous remarks said
that the beauty Of the present condi-
ton of today is not because we can
whip the Spaniards, but because Of the
fact that every state in the union is
crammed full Of Yankees. He called
General Fitzhugh Lee a Yankee con-
sui general. The colonel was heartily
1lfDidu'ltu lS bdlu lItH Dlhytu
America and the old veterans sang the
chorus
Ex-Gov ". d. Hoard was the
next speaker. In his own quaint. in
imitable way he pleasantly responded
to some of the mayors eloquent re-
marks. 1T is a great honor to be
governor he said but I'd rather be
rear private than governor for mo-
ment. The continuance Of the peo-
pies favor Is not so certain as 1t might
be- The speaker then paid a high
tribute to the American soldier. we
need today in this state and every
where else" he said. patriotism In
private life. No man can be patriotic
who Is crooked in politics. 1t Is de-
manded today that the statesman shall
be as patriotic as the boy in blue.
want the people to establish standards
that will compel rectitude in govern
ment. OF what use Is 1t II internal un-
faithfulness shall tester and corrupt
that which YOU builded by your pa
triotism?"
by DR.. G C. Chittenden and Assem-
blyman H. N. Policy on flies and John
II Nichols on drum.
Rev. George b. Kulp Of Grand Rap
ids, Mich, was then introduced and
made a stirring patriotic address that
seemed 10 catch the audience.
Prof. J. C. Freeman was next in
troduced and talked beautifully of the
cost Of war, Of the grandeur of slavery
abolished ana the recollections which
the presence Of the veterans at Camp
Randall recalled.
Col. j. A. Watrous OF Milwaukee
said that there never was a juster war
tran that in which we are now en-
gagged. II the war costs s., 900, 900 900
and 100000 human beings 1t will
nave paid for itself for what 1t has
done for humanity and for the United
States" he said But II will not cost
over 100000, 900 and less than one