Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-09
GALLANT TWENTIETH
Sixty Thousand People Welcome
the Fighting Kansans to Topeka.
THIRTY-TWO BANDS IN The PARADE.
The School Children Sing on the Capitol
Steps-The COlors Returned-A Sword
Presented to Gen. Funs ton-A
Banquet and Fireworks.

knew. Sixty thousand people demon
strated that Kansas is delighted at tn
safe return of the twentieth Kansa
regiment. The first section Of tn
train, bearing Gen. Funston, Col Met
calf and Lieut.. Col. Little, arrived a
1855. The last Of the four section
pulled in at S:45. Each section was re
ceived with cheers from a multitude o.
threats, and it required the united
diligence Of 80 policemen to keep the
crowd from blockading the tracks and
overrunning the railroad yards.
With the exasperating and unavoida
bic delay in the arrival of the trains
bringing the soldiers it was after foul
o'clock when a parade Of the city be
gan. A guard of honor for the boys Of
the Twentieth was the civil war veter.
ans, the members Of the national guard
and many civic organizations. There
were 80 bands in the parade, the per.
formers numbering nearly 1000 must
clans. The entire parade line, over
two miles, was mass Of cheering hui
mainly. Gen. Funston, with his wife,
rode in the carriage of honor, while
Col. Metcalf, on a white charger, and
Lieut.. Col. Little, on prapcing black,
took their appointed stations at the
head of the regiment. All received
ovations at every point on the line.
When the parade had passed Col.
Metcalf wound his way through the
crowd to the platform and the formal
ceremonies began. Marshall's band
struck up the tune of America. 1t
was the programme for this to be sung
by the school children, of whom 1000
were gathered on the capitol steps, but
before the first stanza was half finished
the entire throng was singing. 1t was
with difficulty that Chief Justice
Doster, who was master of ceremonies,
commanded silence and said:
I have the pleasure Of introducing to you Col.
Metcalf, who will return the colors of the regi-
ment, and Gov. Stanley, who will receive them
back In the name Of the state.
Gov. Stanley and Col. Metcalf adj
vanced to the front of the platform.
The colonel stood erect and soldierly
and said
Gov. Stanley, had long speech prepared
but 1t is too late. can only say for myself and
the regiment am grateful for the honors paid
us here. This stand Of colors was presented to
the regiment on this very spot more than IS
months ago. We carried them to the Philip
pines and it Is our glory and our pride that we
took good care Of them. On February they
were put on the firing line and they never left
1t after that until the regiment was ordered
home for muster out. They have been pretty
badly used, torn by bamboo and pierced by
Filipino bullets. but it gives me great pleasure
to return what Is left Of them to the governor Of
the state
Gov. Stanley's response was appro-
pirate, but brief.
Judge Doster then announced the
of the $1,000 sword and
j. X. Hudson and Gen.
Funston. The two men walked to the
front Of the platform amidst the cheers
of the crowd, and Mr.. Hudson said:
You and your gallant officers and men have
the recognized truth that the per-
petuity of the republic rests upon an intelligent
and patriotic citizenship. present you in the
name of the people Of your state, this sword,
the emblem of u soldier token Of their ad-
their love and their gratitude
In accepting the sword Gen. Funston
said:
/ have no at words in which to express my
thanks for this expression of the feeling of the
people of Kansas for the soldiers of the Tween
tieth regiment and myself But | want TO say
right here. and W Mt 1t written down, that |
5hink am getting more glory out Of this affair
han deserve. must thank you again for this |
beautiful sword and the sentiment for which 1t |
stands, and promise you that when bring it
,ack with me from the Philippines If come
oacls, the states of Luzon and Mindanao will be |
rs docie as Massachusetts.
Later in the evening an elaborate
banquet was served in the new state
library rooms to the soldiers and Off
,ers of the Twentieth The day closed
with the most magnificent display of
fireworks in the evening ever given in
The states history.