The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-12
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY
President Mckinley Addresses
the Reunion at Evansville.
THIS is A HAPPY LAND
The North and the South Are United and
Peace and Plenty Prevail-At Vim
cennes Mckinley Touches on
Financial Question.


rainfall, the first in two months, that
set in early in the morning and con-
tinued all day had the effect of dim
lnshing the expected attendance at
the first national reunion of the Blue
and the Gray to-day, notwithstanding
that President Mckinley and his cab
met were in the city part of the time.
This was the principal day of the re-
union. President Mckinley and his
cabinet arrived from Chicago at 8
o'clock and left for the north at noon.
The presidential party was escorted
from the train through the drenching
RAIN which did not drown out the ire
mendouS ovation from patriotic vet
eran threats, to the tri-state fair, where
the president was introduced by Gov
ernor Mount and addressed 10000 peo-
pie. The president remarked before he
left that this was the greatest recep-
ton in the rain that ever had been
rendered him. Speeches were also
made by Secretaries Long and Gage
and Attorney General Griggs, Senator
Fairbanks and others.
The president and his party were
then escorted back to the train and at
noon left for the north. No exercises
devoted to drills by military organiza-
lions.
At O'Clock in the evening a banquet
was held. S. P. Gillet. late lieutenant
commander of the United States navy,
presided as toastmaster. THE South
ern Patriots were eulogized by Colonel
Josiah Patterson Of Memphis, and the
toast THE Northern Patriots" was re-
sponded to by General John c. Black
of Chicago. Among the other speak
ers We're Senator Fairbanks of In
diana, Colonel w. A. Hemphill of At
lanta, Ga; Colonel G. A. West of At
lanta; Governor Jones of Arkansas and
Governor Mount of Indiana.
President Mckinley and his cabinet
came to Evansville from Chicago
this morning to attend the ma
tional reunion of the Blue and the
Gray. A heavy rain was falling. but
despite this 5000 veterans and visitors
thronged about the railroad station and
the veterans in gray We'd with the vet
Grams in blue in rendering a tremen-
dous ovation when the presidential
party arrived. The party was at once
escorted to the fair grounds.
Mayor William NJ. Akin presided and
c. A Debruler of Evansville welcomed
the distinguished guests and veterans
to the city. Governor J. A. Mount fol-
lowed with an address Of welcome on
President Mckinley. The president
said:
My Fellow Citizens: 1t gives me
very great pleasure to participate with
you, men of the North and men of the
South, in this glad reunion of hearts.
We are already unified. The peace
which Grant and Lee made at Apo
mattox has been kept by law and re-
straint and we believe fraternal re-
gard. The union to-day rests not on
force that fails, but rests in the
hearts of the people-that union can
never be severed.
IF I have been permitted in the
slightest degree to help in the work of
reconciliation and unification, l will
esteem it the greatest honor of my life
When I made the call for troops to
prosecute the Spanish war, men of the
North and the South without regard
to political belief or religious creed raj
lied to the standard of the union. The
best men of the South came; the sons
of old confederate soldiers. The best
men of the North came, the sons Of
the old members of the G. A. R. All
came together, in heart and hand to
follow the flag of their country wher-
ever it might lead. We have been rec
onciled: more than reconcled, for our
reconciliation has been baptised in the
best blood of both sections of our be-
loved country. If a northern slider
put the flag up at Santiago, southern
soldier, the gallant Brumby of Geor-
gia, put in up over Manila. It rests
with us to look to the future, putting
the past behind us. And this govern
ment relies upon the patriotism of the
country, the North and the South to
stand by the purposes of the gov
eminent and follow in the pathway of
it's destiny. We come together. not as
We came a third of century ago, with