The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-16
M'KINLEY in THE SOUTH
Ex-coNFEDERATE on THE LOUIS
lana CAMPS PROTEST.
All Southern Soldiers should Join In
Welcoming the Executive-opin-
ions on the Political Aspect.
L. w. LoyIess. in Atlanta Journal.

Why all THIS ClSCuSSiOn dDOul lIlNlllnS
President Mckinley to attend the reunion
of Confederate veterans in Memphis next
May? What possible harm could his
presence on that occasion do? What SEN
timent that is cherished by any survivor
OF the lost cause could it do violence to-?
The Memphis veterans, 1 am glad to see.
have ignored the protest of their Louisiana
comrades and propose to send committee
TO Washington to urge the presidents &C
ceptance. And in doing so they will be JUS
titled by the best sentiment Of the entire
South.
1t is very apparent that there is more
politics than patriotism in the protest of
the Louisianians; and politics, it seems to
me, has no place in such an organization,
True perhaps, President Mckinley has
done violence to certain customs and sem
timents of the south in some Of his ap-
pointments, but it is generally conceded
that he has stood between his party and
absolute negro domination in the south.
In other words, Mckinley is, and has al
ways been. a white Republican; and If he
could have his way, he would eliminate
the negro entirely from the Republican
party. He has shown this spirit through
out his public career, and those who are
closest TO him know that the Southern
in his side. and but for him, there would
be twenty negroes filling federal offices in
the South where there is one to-day. Nc
Kinley, In fact, Is one OF those Republicans
who have long cherished the idea of a
white Republican party in the South, and
he has done all in his power TO remove
what he considers the obstacle to such a
thing.
But politics aside. what other president
or what other Republican has ever had the
courage TO do justice to the Confederate
soldier? Who does not remember his ia
nous speech made in Atlanta during the
Cotton States Exposition.
And what veteran of the lost cause can
fail to respect and honor the man who, IN
the face of sectional hate and party tradl-
tons, could dare TO express such senti-
ments2
/ remember very we'll the effect they
had upon the veterans of Bibb county
and 7 do NOT believe any drawer or truer
survivors of the lost cause live than they
No man in the country ever received
warmer or more sincere ovation than Will
liam Mckinley received from the veterans
of Macon few days after he uttered those
words in Atlanta.
Along with Maj. William Henry Ross,
Judge Emory Speer, William r. Rogers.
Capt. l. b. English (all of them Confed-
crate veterans),- / was a member of COM
mittee OF five appointed by the Chamber OF
Commerce to receive President Mckinley
and make arrangements for his entertain
ment in Macon upon his visit TO Macon fol-
lowing his Atlanta speech. Major Ross,
as true and gallant Confederate as ever
l1yed-and as stanch a Democrat, by the
ygay-suggested that ii would be a happy
feature of the entertainment TO have the
Bibb county Confederate veterans meet him
fin a body at the train, as a token OF appre-
cation for the sentiment expressed In mis-
Atlanta speech. The idea was Immediately
adopted. Then the thought occurred to me
that the suggestion would be improved by
having the Confederate veterans wear
badges on that day. with McKfnley's pic
ture printed thereon, together with the
above extract from the Atlanta speech.
This suggestion was also accepted. and
furnished the badges, five or six dozen OF
them. They were made Of Confederate
gray ribbon, two inches wide, with Mckin-
ley's picture and the wording printed in
blue silk and bow knot of red, white and
blue ribbon concealing the pin with which
they were attached to the coat.
I was really surprised to see how the
idea took. Some sixty odd old veterans
marched to the train that day with a
picture of Mckinley flying from the lapel
i will put against any man for simon
pure Democracy and loyalty to every
Southern sentiment. busted himself to see
that every veteran was supplied with a
badge, and when ] finally told him on the
morning OF McKinleys arrival that the
ribbon had run out he said: "D-n it, get
more. II you have to search every store in
town. and I'll pay for it,
The old vets were at the depot in a
body when Mckinley arrived, headed by
that gallant Confederate and true South
a brigadier general of the United Con-
federate Veterans, and just as the Pres
ioent stepped from the train there was
such a rebel yell as he had probably
never heard since 1865. He was evident
IL surprised. but he caught the signif-
canoe of the compliment and seemed to
appreciate IL. And just as he stepped
from the train. to the amazement of ev-
cry one. DIR. Roland b. Hall. himself a
Confederate veteran, walked up to him,
and, taking the Confederate badge from;
- BOD 60 hca oil nod kx,f.,
It on the President The latter gracefully
acceded. and for the first time in history
a President of the United States wore a
Confederate badge on his coat Then the
crowd went wild and there were more
rebel yells' that would make the hair
stand out on ones head. We marched
where Mckinley made a short, but patri-
otto. talk, all the time wearing his Con-
federate badge. He then reviewed some
eight or ten thousand Union troops. at
that time stationed in Macon-all the time
wearing his Confederate badge.
The next day the. newspapers of the
country were fun of 1T, and many hot
headed Northern editors-pretty much the
same. sort OF people as our Louisiana
friends, guess-criticised him severely for
accepting the badge. He should have
looked for a time as If the incident was
going to ruin Mckinley with his own peo-
pie. But he never backed inch, but
wore that badge throughout his stay in
Macon.
Upon his return 10 Washington his pri-
waite secretary wrote and asked for some
more badges. saying some of the Cabinet
ladies and others desired them. / sent
Them Then came requests from every
part of the country. / sent TO Atlanta
and finally to New York for more Con-
federate gray ribbon. Scores of requests
came In for badges. mainly from Northern
states. and every paper in that section
continued TO harp on the episode, the
New York World and others going so fan
as TO reproduce the badge in its columns
xrrff n TOT
the nerve" TO pin Confederate badge on
the President OF the United States.
1t became sort OF national issue. but
i judge the President managed to live IL
over. for / see he was reelected by a
pretty handsome majority. much of which
he received in the North.
President Mckinley, say, has ever been
willing to stand between the white people
of the South and negro domination, and
wherever ne has yielded IL has been under
the severest party pressure. Instead, there
fore. Of displaying rank and narrow preju-
dice against him. / am convinced that he
rather deserves to be commended by the
people Of the South for the things he has
not done
At any rate, he has had the courage and
the manhood and the patriotism to dc
justice TO the old heroes of the lost cause
and for that alone they and their descend
ants should honor him
i have no patience. anyway, with that
sort OF prejudice that would deny the great
ness OF Lincoln or the grandeur of Lee
And while William McKfc,ey is neither a
great man nor peculiarly grand man.
God Almighty never put that sort of face
bad man. and whatever his politics
may be. and no matter which uniform he
wore, he Is entitled TO all the praise that