The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-10

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united people. The wounds left by the
great Civil War, incOmparably the
| greatest war of modern times, have heal
ed; and its memories are now priceless
heritages of honor alike to the North
| and to the South. The devotion, the
| self sacrifice, the steadfast resolution
and lofty daring, the high devotion to
| the right as each man saw it, whether
Northerner or Southerner-all these
qualities of the men and women OF the
early sixties now shine luminous and
| brilliant before our eyes, while the
| mists of anger and hatred that once
dimmed them have passed away forever.
| All of us. North and South, can glCry
alike in the valOr of the men who wore
the blue and of the men who wore the
gray. These were iron times, and only
| iron men could fight to it's terrible finish
| the giant struggle between the hosts
! of Grant and Lee. To US of the present
| day. and to our children and children S
| children, the valiant deeds, the high en-
deavor, and abnegation of self shows in
| that struggle by those who took part
| therein will remain for evermore TO
mark the level to which we in our turn
! must rise whenever the hour of the ma
| tions need may come.
REUNITED COUNTRY.
When four years ago this nation was
compelled to face a foreign foe, the COM
| p1eteness of the reunion became instant
| ly and strikingly evident. The war was
not one which called for the exercise
of more than an inignificant fraction of
| our strength, and the strain put upon
us was slight indeed compared with the
results. But it was q satisfactory thing
to see the way in which the sons of the
! soldier of the Union and the soldier of
the Confederacy leaped eagerly forward.
| emulous to show in brotherly rivalry the
| qualities which had won renown for
their fathers, the men of the great war.
1t was my good fortune to serve under
an eXConfederate general gallant old
Joe Wheeler, who commanded the cavalry
division at Santiago.
| In my regiment there were certainly
as many men whose fathers had served
! in the Southern, as there were men
whose fathers had served in the North
| ern army. Among the captains there was
| opportunity to promote but one to field
rank. The man who was singled out
for this promotion because of conspicu-
Gus gallantry in the field was the son
of a Confederate general and was him
self citizen of this, the Palmetto State
and no American officer could wish to
march to battle beside more loyal,
| gallant and absolutely fearless comrade
than my former captain and major
your fellow citizen, Micah Jenkins.
| few months ago. owing to the en-
; a. of ha
| Philippines, it became necessary to nom
| mate Vice-Governor to take his place
one of the most important places in
our Government at this time. l nomi
mated as Vice President an ex-Confed-
crate, General Luke Wright. of Tennes-
see. 1t is, therefore, an ex-Confederate
who now stands as the exponent of this
Government and this people in that
great group of islands in the eastern
seas over which the American flag floats
General Wright has taken leading part
1 in the work of steadily bringing order
and peace out of the bloody chaos in
which. we found the islands. He is now
taking leading part not merely in up
! holding the honor of the flag by making
it respected as the symbol of our power.
! but still more in upholding it's honor by
unwearied labor for the establishment of
j ordered liberty-of law-creating, law
abiding civil government-under it's folds.
The progress which has been made
under General Wright and those like him
has been indeed marvellous. In fact, a
letter of the Generals the other day
seemed to show that he considered there
was far more warfare about the Philip
pines in this country than there was
warfare in the Philippines themselves.
1t is an added proof of the completeness
OF the reunion of our country that one of
the foremost men who have been instru-
mental in driving forward the great
work for civilization and humanity in the
Philippines has been a man who, in the
Civil War fought with distinction in a
uniform of Confederate gray.
II ever the need comes in the future
the past has made abundaatly evident
| the fact that from this time on North
erner and Southerner will in war know
cnly the generous desire to strive how
each can do the more effective service
for the flag of our common country. The
same thing is true in the endless work
OF peace, the never-ending work of build
ing and keeping the marvellous fabric of
our lHuuStTlal prosperity Inc upDufid-
ing of any part of our country is a bene-
lit to the whole, and every such effort
as this to stimulate the resources and
industry of particular section is entitled
to the heartiest support from every
quarter of the Union. Thoroughly good
national work can be done only if each
of us works hard for himself and at
the same time keeps constantly in mind
that he must work in conjunction with
others.
KEEPING FAITH WITH CUBA
You have made particular effort in
your exhibition to get into touch with
the West Indies This is wise. The
events of the last four years have shown
us that the West Indies and the 18TH
mus must in the future occupy a far lar
ger place in our national policy than in
the past. This is proved by the negotia-
tions fer the purchase of the Danish is
lands the acquisition of Porto. Rico, the
preparation for building an Isthmian
, canal ard. finally, by the changed rela-
, tions which these years have produced
between us and Cuba. AS nation we
have an especial right to take honest
pride in what we have done for Cuba.
Our critics abroad and at home have in