The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-23
a co,,summation devoutly to be wished a reunited people.
 : Hon, G. B. Gerald's Speech.

Hon. G. B. Gerald of Waco. paid trib- ute to the Confederate soldier. both m war and in peace; condemned imperiai- ism and opp Jsed the admission or Confed- crate Veterans to homes for Union sol dicrs. though he said he honored Presi- dent Mckinley for his expressions upon this subject. adding that "he thought he voiced the sentiment of the South when he said that McKinley's death was the greatest calamity this land has known since the death of Lincoln"
 Mir Gerald's welcome to the Veterans was in the following words:
 Comrades, Ladies and Nisitors-An old time Greek has said. Build monuments of irnperishable marble to commemorate victories over foreign foes. but only those of decaying wood to perpctuate the mem ories of civil strife Perhaps it would have been better had this sentiment taken deep root in this land of ours, but 1t has not done so. and the organization of the Grand Army of the Republic and it's Sons of Veterans naturally produced the Confederate Veterans and the Sous and Daughters of the Confcderacy. The men in blue light their annual camp fires. tell stories of the past. and rejoice in the victory won. so. the men in gray meet annually to revive the memories of the past. contribute to the facts of history: while they sing no peans of victory they proudly point to a cause that went down in the gloom of defeat without one stain of dishonor; and for this reason, l am standing here today in response to the high compliment paid me by this associa- tion in welcoming in behalf of the Con- federate soldiers of Texas, not only their old comrades who have come to join in the celebration of the lost. but not for gotten cause. but all others, no matter from where they come, or whether they rejoice in the victory of the blue or mourn over the defeat of the gray. welcome you in the name of the city of Dallas to the warm hearts and hospitable homes of it's noble men and splendid wo- men. who are but typical of all the gem erous qualities found among the people of Texas, and I assure you that 1t is the wish of all the peope of this most splen- did of our young cities that you may, one and all, find kindred hearts and congenial souls. and be able to recall the day spent with us as among the most pleasant of your lives. In welcoming the old com rades of our States, with some of whom for four long years we shared the tolls of the midnight march, the dangers of the morning fight. I can do so with the assur- ance that the Confederate soldiers of Texas, both as citizens of the State and l of the Great Republic. have not proved false to their record in the past.
 To the Sons and Daughters of the Con- l federacy. I extend to you a double well come for you are bone of our bone and | flesh of our flesh, and to your hand is committed the task of helping to vindi- cate the truth of history when we are | gone. And I charge you today. Sons and l Daughters that you never grow weary of l the trust committed to your keeping. Re member how long it took the world to | learn for what William the Silent fought, | for what Horn. Egmont and thousands of l others died and that there is surely | sleeping in the womb of time the pen of | some other Motley which will dive | through the musty records of the past | as 1t tells the true story of the rise and l fall Of the Southern Confederacy, and when it is told if will i've crnbaimed in story and In song uniil the English Ian i guage dies.
 slight shower came like a bcnedic- l tion early in the day. cooling the air
 and laying the dust, which had been
 carried into thousands of eyes during the | last forty-eight hours. The rain over, visitors were in possession of perfect l weather. Owing to delay of trains l considerable apprehension was felt before | the meeting opened that the various
 speakers on the program would not reach l the camp in time to participate in the | ceremonies.
 Gordon's Dramatic Entrance. At 1:l5 D. m., Commander-in-C Chief Cor don arrived. The manner of his en- | trance to the vast audience was dramatic
 General Van zandt had announced that all hope of the presence of General Cor l don had been abandoned, and the meet | ing had been turned over to General s | D. Lee. Commander Of the Army of the | Tennessee.
 l General Lee was in the midst of his l speech when number of voices and q l stamping of feet was heard from the real of the hall. The roar grew to thunder | ous proportions and above 1t all coulc
 be heard the magic word Gordon"
 At that name the veterans rose to theii | feet. 'I will speak no more" said Genera
 Lee when the commander had ascended tc l the platform. Our beloved commander l can say to you words that will please | you more than those of any other man. | It was no fault of mine" said Gen | eraI Gordon when the assemblage hat | subsided that I was twenty minutes late Maybe you boys can remember 2
 time vssSn was not late.'
 He spoke as follows:
 Governor. Mir. Mayor, Gentlemen Oi | Committees and my fellow countrymen o
 think of Texas. ot her great hearted people her broad prairies and stil
 broader hospitality? l but poorly ex
 press the thought of these Veterans wher say that whether we look at hel aphically. historically or sentimen tally, Texas is about the biggest thing
 We ever saw. She can raise cattl' enough on her wild lands to furnish al
 the canned beef for the armies of Uncl Sam, John Bull and the German Empire and still have fertile lands enough left if planted in the heecy staple, to mak
 more bales of cotton than are now pro 1 duced by American Egyptian com bincd or, if planted in grain crops, t feed every man. woman and child in tn | Union.
 With such territory-almost equal t
 that of the original thirteen States whicl
 threw off the yoke of bondage ant
 wrenched freedom from the greatest O
 empires-ths great commonwealth hold
 today within it's borders a population de
 voted to those same imperisha ble prin
 ciples-a population which, if tho occa
 sion should come. would wage anothe
 seven years war in defence of this in
 herited Republic. it's flag. it's laws ant
 it's regulated liberties
 In the few moments in which propriet.
 permits me to speak. l dare not trus
 myself. to make more than the briefes
 allusion to Texas history. I cannot sur
 vey even the confines of that vast field
 made so rich and so inspiring by the grea
 deeds of her martial sons. Indulge m just long enough to say that from he
 birth. through all her costly experience
 as a struggling Republic and throug I sfT Taxra