The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-08
Capt Wm PattGr Says Hard
 Things About COnfedefates
OBJECTS 10 HONORING LEE
Gen. J. A. Wilson Was First to Raise Question at G. A. R. Encampment and Potter Made 1t Worse.
 Roosevelt Coming Out.


 white house tomorrow for the first time since his return from Indianapolis for the purpose of driving along the line of the grand army parade. He made this announcement tonight in the following letter to B. H. Warner. the chairman of the citizens committee:
 My Dear Warner: Let me, through you, extend the most hearty greeting to the members of the grand army. I have regretted greatly that my inability to leave my room hitherto has prevented my Joining personally in the greeting. If the weather Is good tomorrow I shall for the first time leave the house so that 1 may drive along the line of the parade and see the men to whom this country owes more than to any others within It's borbers. Faithfully yours.
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
 The veterans of the grand army of the republic and their friends were enter tained today by a parade given in honor of the naval veterans and by a number of reunions held in the big assembly tents at Camp Roosevelt. The weather was threatening during the early morning, but the sun burst through the clouds about noon, that with the mild temper ature which prevailed there was no req son for complaint on that score The attendance steadily increased during the day and tonight the city is crowded as it has been only on rare occasions.
 Naval Parade Not Large.
 The naval parade of the forenoon was not as large as many that have been seen in Washington but it was in every way interesting. The veterans of the navy each appeared to be an embodi- ment of much of the nations recent his- tory and every squad of them was an object of interested observers. They were generally old men, and many bore evidences of wounds received in battle. In striking contrast to them were the young men of all the branches of the present service who marched with them. as an escort of honor as it were. This escort included representatives of both the land and naval forces. At the re- union during the afternoon at camp Phil Sheridan, Gen. J. H. Wilson was one of the speakers. In the course of his re-. marks he referred to the proposal to erect a monument to Robert E. Lee, saying that monuments should be erect ed to men who participated in the Union army and not to those of the Confeder- acy.
 Capt. William Potter of the Ninth Pennsylvania endorsed General Wilson's sentiments on the flag question. He said he had been present when Joe Johnston surrendered to General Sherman, and then had heard Gen. Wade Hampton, in command of the Confederate cavalry. swear that he would lead the cavalry to Mexico before it should capitulate.
 "Our soil" said the speaker, lis too pure to be used for the erection of a monument to any rebel"
 Freedom of City.
 Washington tonight officially extended the freedom of the city to the members of the Grand Army, speeches of welcome being delivered by Henry Mcfarland, president of the board of district commits sioners B. H. Warner, chairman or the citizens committee, and by Secretary of War Root
 A number of letters and telegrams were read from prominent men expressing their inability to be present, among them being President Roosevelt, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, General Alger, Gen. Joseph Wheeler, Ad- miral Schley and ex-Secretary Herbert
 Conspicuous among those on the plat form was Gen. Jacob H. Smith, who was moved to tears as Secretary Root, beside whom he sat during the evening, paid him a tribute to the soldiers in the Phil ippines The secretary said that the American soldier of today is the l.neal of the men of '61. He paid the soldier of today high tribute, and in conclusion said I T know it upon testimony overwhelm- ing that the army of the United States today is just as well as brave, self-re- strained as well as gallant, humane as well as courageous, and that never in the history of warfare among men has an army exhibited the highest qualities of civilization and of manhood to greater degree than the American army in the Philippines"