The evening times., 1900-10-02
THE EVENING TINES WASHINGTON TUESDAY OCTOBER = 1900
WELCOME TO VETERANS
Annual National Eneampment Of
the e. Y. Z.
Commissioner Macfarinnd Introduces
Political References in His Ad-
dress to the Old Soidiers-Reply
by GeaeraI Dyrenforth, Com
n,mnder-in-Chief of the Order.

| The opening session of the Fifteenth
Annual Encampment of the Union Vete-
ran Union took place this morning at half
past 10 O'Clock in National Rifles Hail.
Prior to this the members of the local
commands, the Hancock, the Sedgewiek,
and the Green Clay Smith, assembled at
the headqua rters of the Division OF the
Potomac, from where they proceeded TO
the Riggs House, which is the national
headquarters during the encampment.
The division was commanded by Gen. A
NJ Legg. A reception took place at the
Riggs House, at which the citizens com
mittee and the national officers were the
guests of honor. After this the veterans
marched to the National Rifles Hall where
the first session of the encampment was
called TO order by General Legg and
opened with prayer by Major S. S. Lincoln,
of San Francisco.
Commissioner Macfarland was intro
duced as the first speaker and in his ad
dress of welcome he said:
Il offer you the welcome Of the Capital
OF the Nation that you helped to save.
The hospitality OF this city could not be
offered by its official head to the repre-
sentatiyes OF the Unicn Veteran Union
in a perfunctory manner. he very name
OF your honOFed organization dis in
guisheS il from the many others whi
have visited Washington during the year
and guarantees you welcome OF pecu-
liar heartiness 1t reminds us of the
greatest war OF history of all its hero
ism and sacrifices. and of its great re-
suits. 1t speaks of the part that you
and those you represent took in Che
great and successful struggle to pre-
serve the indissoluble union of indie
structible States. Republics are not IN
grateful. notwithstanding the pTOverb
Our nation has shown its gratitude t.
its saviors in all The ways of national
expression. And now. more than thirty
years after the civil war clcsed. IN spite.
CT all the great events that have hlp-
pened and are happening, what you did
is still fresh in the national memory
and is still being gratefully acKnowl-
edged If any OF you or those whom you
represent has felt at times that as an in
diYidual he was not receiving his due
share OF gratitude, let him snniss that
thought from his mind as unworthy, and
rest in the knowledge that he d serves
well of the Republic and that the Re
public appreciates that fact Here IN
Washington, With a Union Veteran ii
the White House, with war records and
battlefags in the War Department. with
bronze, while the United States Pension
once and United States Treasury daily
register the financial obligation af the
Union to the private soldier, we could
not if we would forget what was done
between 1861 and 1860
1T is good TO see you in Washington.
Perhaps some Of you have never been here
since you came in uniform on your way 10
battlefelds and the visit must have for you
a significance that il can for no one else.
You see the great contrast between the lit
tie Washington OF that day, great only as
the National Capital. and the great Wash
iRgton of today. a noble city in itself prac-
tically cOterminous with the Federal DIS
tTict. Then it was doubtful whether ii
would continue to be. Now its citizens are
preparing TO celebrate in December the
centennial anniversary Of the establish
ment of the seat of Government in the DIS
trict of Columbia. with the expectation
that it viii be the National Capital for
centuries TO come. Then it was the ac-
knowledgud capital of half the country
Now II is the beloved capital not only of
the whole country, but millions beyond
the seas.
''As you rejoice in the National Capital
We rejoice in you. For you are the repre-
sentatives of the most remarkable array
of men that ever stood in battle. No bet
ter soldiers ever fought, and, when the
fighting was over. 10 batter citizens ever
laboTed for their coUU 1ry. After seeing
the greatest army of soldiers ever assem-
bled III historic times transformed without
a jar into citizens again. it seems absurd
without reference to politics, TO talk about
the dangers of militarisn in this country.
We have shown that We can fight at need
as well as any men in the world but we
have also shown that we are not a military
nation bent on foreign conquest TO which
we shall succumb. We cannot seriously
think OF one OF the veterans OF our civil
war as a possible emperor any more than
we can seriously think of the Republic as
an Empire L there was the remotest
danger of real imperialism the survivors
Of the boys of '61 who showed the world
how the citizen could become a soldier and
then a citizen again, with constant patrl-
otism winning the victories OF peace as
well as those OF war. would of themselves
prevent it, but outside Of politics, no sane
man dreams of such a thing.
Your visit to the National Capital need
not be troubled by any apprehensions that
it Will be transformed in to seat of En-
pire- What you preserved will be pre-
served May you enjoy your sojourn here
with the satisfaction CT men who know
that they have wrought well and that their
work shall not be destroyed"
Commander-in-C Chief Dyrenforth re-
sponded in a SHORT speech. and gave an
outline OF the principles and purposes of
the organization-the cultivation of pat
riotism, the preservation of eomradeship,
the ammelioration and protection of the
widows and orphans of veterans. His re-
marks were greeted with loud applause.
Gen A NJ Legg. of this city, hen gave
a glowing account of the heroic deeds of