Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-22

| stripes of the union being fully equa
in number to those who arrayed them.
selves under the stars and bars of the
confederacy.
When the call TO arms was sounded
few months ago, the people Of no par
of our country responded with more
feryor and devotion than did those oil
the southern states and none were
more anxious than they TO encounter
their country's foemen. The first of
ficer to give up his life upon the sea
was the gallant Bagley of North Caro-
lima, and the first officer to fall in bat
tie on land was the gallant Capron
from family proudly claimed by the
state of Florida-that land of sun and
flowers. While it is true that there
was no distinctive southern organiza-
ton in the Cuban campaign, vet every
state in the south was represented in
the regular regiments and the first vol
unteer cavalry. The same is true re-
garding the regular regiments which
were at Manila, while one of the best
regiments of our army in the Philip
pines is the 1st volunteer infantry
from the state of Tennessee.
Gen. S. NJ. B. Young filled the place
assigned to Gen. Chaffee. In reply to
the toast, Volunteer as Viewed by Reg
ular in Command, Gen. Young said in
part: "a call was made by the presi-
dent for volunteers. Unfortunately
and, my friends, 1 speak advisedly, I'M
fortunately we accepted and mustered
into the United States service state
guard regiments and officers in their
entirety. This was a mistake. In
looking at the volunteers, considering
them as soldiers, the fact is lost sight
of that they have not received a pro-
fessional education. We are too quick
to condemn; we are slow to remember
that these patriotic men cannot with
in week, month or year, be educated
to point where their obligations are
paramount"
The banquet was brought to a close
by responses from postmaster General
Smith, Gov. Johnston of Alabama
Mayor Warwick of Philadelphia, Con-
gress Settle of Kentucky, and Rich
mond P. Hobson.
The president yesterday received dis
patches from prominent men in all
parts of the country commencing in
hearty terms his utterances of
Wednesday to the effect that the time
had come for the nation to share in
the care of the graves of the confeder-
ate soldiers.
The president and party boarded a
special train at midnight after spend
ing two famous days in Atlanta. His
visit here has been a history-making
event and the results will be felt for
years to come. The words of his ia
nous speech before the George legis-
lature echoed through the banquet hall
last night. In his opening remarks,
Clark Howell, POSTMASTER of the occa-
sion, read joint resolutions adopted by
those bodies yesterday The memoir
able words of the president having ref
erence to the part of the north in car
ing for the graves Of the confederate
dead was cheered and cheered, and it
was with difficulty that the toastmas-
ter proceeded to the introduction of the
guest Of the evening. Before the pres
ident was permitted to begin his speech
there were three cheers and a tiger
thrice repeated and it was with difficult
ty that the POSTMASTER could quell the
enthusiasm. 1t was a noticeable fact
that in all the gorgeous decorations of
the banquet hall not one confederate
flag appeared. The presidents train
is due in Tuskegee at 8 o'clock this
evening.