The leader., 1899-10-18

genius; and if we will only continue to
fraternizc and cherish the spirit of ma
tional patriotism, we will yet realize
our dreams of liberty enlightening the
world, and the mighty deeds of the
past will be drowned in the light of our
future glory as the stars are drowned
in the light of the morning. Let us
fraternize in deed and in truth; never
again, | trust, with the sword in fra
ternal war, but through all the future
in fraternal peace and brotherhood.
The Blue visited the South once un-
invited, and the Gray showed them
some of our Southern mineral resources
in the shape of muskets and cannons.
The Gray now invites the Blue to come
hlther and see our mountains of crude
metal which we are manufacturing into
pig iron to be converted into plow-
and bayonets. What we want now is
not the blood of the Blue, but their
money. The South panteth after their
pocketboOks even as the heart panteth
after the water brook. The Gray boys
once snapped the Blue boys tobacco
for coffee; they are now anxious to ex-
change coal and iron and timber lands
for cash. They once built forts; they
now want factories. They once greeted
Dewey with grape and canister; they
are now eager to welcome the hero of
Manila with grape juice and decanters.
+,~ E1 lNrto ~Nf
their comrades, true to their dead for
what they were, yet loyal to the Union
for what it is They kneei among their
monuments to kiss the Stars and Bars
in their devotion to the glorious past;
they rise to salute the Stars and Stripes,
and to pledge their devotion to the
Union through all the glorious future.
The hands that once welded the sword
and the musket have built new civili
zation on the ashes of the old. | do
not mean to say that there is a new
South, but that it is the grand old
South rejuvenated by its own match
less courage and industry. Where once
the angry columns met and clinched
and rolled together in the bloody mire,
new cities have sprung up, like beauti-
full flowers blossomng in the huge
footprints of war. Where once curled
the white smoke of hostile guns in
phantom towers and columns, high
above the dead and dying heroes of the
Blue and the Gray, now the gay cotton
fields wave their white handkerchiefs
of peace in Irritation with the bashful
fields of corn; and the big ripe ears
grin among the fodder blades, and
sigh: 80 shucks"
Ny ideal of Southern patriot is the
man who bravely wore the gray until
his flag went down in tears and llood
at Appomattox, and then accepted the
decision of war in good faith and went
home to become loyal American citi-
z and to rebuild his desolated coun-
try. My ideal of Northern patriot is
the man who bravely wore the blue
until the struggle was over, and then
laid aside the pa: aphernalia of war and
went home to help restore, not only the
union of the States, but the fraternal
relations of the sections. My ideal of
American patriotism is the reunion of
the Blue and the Gray for the purpose
of cementing all sections of our COM
mon country together forever. Let the
veterans in gray mipgle the Rebel yell
with the shouts of the veterans in blue
in giving national welcome to the
great ship smasher and navy sinker of
the world; let the dew sparkle on the
Northern hills and glitter on every
Southern flower; let the dewdrops of
Joy mo:sten the eyes of valor and
culver on the cheeks of beauty; let the
whole continent be dewey with delight
when Dewey comes sailing home.
Yours truly, RoBT. l.. TAYLOR