The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-08
VETERANS PUT UP A PROTEST.
REUNION COMMITTEE OBJECTS TO
CONFEDERATE DAY AT FAIR.

vision, to he Held Here in NOvem-
Der. should BE Thus Anticipated
and Its Attendance Diverted.
Chairman Screven to Protest to
Gen. Evans Against His Lending
Ills Countenance to the Proceed
fnE-spicy Talks by Members OF
the Executive COmmittee-MOre on
the Tapis.
AT meeting of the executive committee
of the Confederate reunion. held at the
court house last night, the members en-
tered their protest against the action of
those in charge Of the state fair, in APP
pointing Oct 49, as Confederate Day thus
attempting TO anticipate the attractions
and divert the attendance Of the reunion
in Savannah.
As a result of the consideration of the
matter and the discussion thus brought
forth, 1t was determined that the chair
man. Coz. Screven, be requested 10 write
to Gen Evans, commander of the Georgia
Division of Confederate Veterans express
ing the regret of the members of the com
mittee that he should, as he has, lend his
countenance and approval TO this thor
oughly characteristic piece Of Atlanta dis
courtesy. 1t was felt that it would serve
no useful purpose to appeal TO the man
ayers of the fair, and that the only rA-
course left the committee was the express
sion 10 Gen. Evans of the fact that the
members of the committee did not feel that
they and their enterprise had been treat
ed with consideration, and that there had
been an entire lack OF regard for the
amenities the occasion and the subject
would seem TO demand on the part of the
managers of the fair. This it was decided
should be done
The discussion of the question brought
out some interesting and biting speeches
from some members of the committee. The
resolution finally adopted, that the chair
man should be requested to state the po-
sition of the committee in letter to Gen.
Evans. was offered by Capt. Frank D.
Bloodworth. In Offering the resolution,
Capt. Bloodworth said
1T would be useless for us to appeal to
the managers of the fair. The fair is
private enterprise, inaugurated and man
aged by private individuals, whose inter-
est in the matter is that the gate receipts
should be as large as possible"
1T Is characteristic of Atlanta, Inter
posed Capt. John r. Dillon, that is prob
ably the reason that Atlanta is called the
Gate City" There was general laugh
OF appreciation at tnlS retOft ana capt.
Bloodworth proceeded;
THE only thing that we can do is to
request our chairman to communicate
with Gen. Evans, and to say to him how
much we regret his countenance of this
proceeding. / am not sure that this will
have any effect. but il will serve to show
how we feel about the matter, and think
1t 1t due to ourselves and the members of
the camps we represent that this should
be done. L move, therefore, the passage
of the resolution l have offered"
The motion was seconded by Capt
Usina, and passed without a dissenting
vote Col. Screven will draft the letter
during the day, and after submitting it.
as he expressed a desire to do to some
members of the committee for their APP
proval, wiz forward il to Gen Evans.
The only official notification of the in
tcniion of the managers of the fair to hold
what they can Confederate day on Oct
%, has not come to the committee, but to
Judge Falligant. 1t was in the form of
a communication, signed by various prom
inent Atlantians, and containing an in
vitaton TO Judge Falligant to deliver the
Grafton 10 the veterans, who, il was ex-
pected, would be assembled in Atlanta on
that occasion. For private reasons Judge
Fallgant has declined the Invitation, but
he showed the letter to the chairman and
other members of the reunion executive
committee. 1t is the news contained in
this letter that has excited their indigna-
ton, and it was The information therein
conveyed that formed the basis of the
discussion at the meeting of the commit
tee.
II was evident that the trainers of the
letter were aware of the fact that their
action would not be taken in good part in
Savannah and that they had attempted TO
mollify before hand the feeling of indig-
nation they were sure would be aroused.
For instance In speaking of the mass
meeting of Confedera ties" that they hoped
TO assemble they were careful and az pains
TO say that no refreshment or entertain
ment would be offered them and no extra
inducements rendered. further than the
pleasure and the attractions of their own
society.
over this other particularly Atlantaesque
explanation, made, apparently, in dead Sc
Tiousness, the members OF the reunion
committee caclled silently, but gleefully.
Capt. Dillon voiced the opinions of his
fellow committeeman when he sail, no
one who has ever attended a meeting of
any public body, that was held IN AT anita,
would think this statement al AL neces-
sary. To me, whose experiences of this
nature have been many and various, it
seems woefully redundant and superfiuous.
My inVariable experience has been that
the entertainment existed only in the i'm
aginations of the newspaper reporters be-
fore and after the performance, and was
manifested physically only in type and
printers ink. Otherwise it was without di-
mensiong'
In the course OF the discussion 1t was
brought out that the question of where
the reunion should i. be held had been
preached and decided at the Charleston
convention. The Atlantians there present
had urged the claims of their city and
had particularly said that the fact that
the state fair was TO be held there was
an extra inducement. 1t was the opinion
of the members of the committee that had
the matter in charge that the reunion of
the division should not be a side show
TO the fair or to any other function, but
that when il was held it should be the
principal attraction. For this reason
among many others it was that Savannah
had been selected.
1t does not seem to the members of the
committee here and TO the members of the
various Confederate organizat lions
generally that good faith and
the courtesy that should be
felt and exhibited towards "A sister citv