Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-14
MEMORIAL DAY.

The movement, begun some months ago,
to set apart a general memorial day for
all the states that composed the Southern
Confederacy has grown very strong.
1t seems probable that the United Con-
.federate Veterans association at its meet
ing to be held in Dallas this month will
take some action on this subject and that
the day there agreed upon will be ac-
eepted and observed throughout the south
and wherever else the graves of Confed-
crate soldiers are annually decorated.
There has never been any general uni
formity on this beautiful custom, though
It has as strong a hold as ever upon the
hearts of the southern people and there
Is no prospect that it will fall into disuse.
Louisiana has April 6 for her memorial
day; Georgia and Mississippi. April 26;
Tennessee, May 9; Virginia, North Caro-
lima and South Carolina, May 10.
The custom of decorating Confederate
graves is very general in Texas, Arkan-
sas, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri,
but different days are devoted to that SER
vice in those states and not always the
same date.
Georgia was the first state to adopt
Memorial Day. The custom of decorat-
ing the graves of Confederate soldiers on
April 20 which has prevailed in this state
so long was originated by the ladies Of
Columbus in 1866. The people Of Georgia
would regret to give up this particular
anniversary as it is endeared to them by
so many sacred associations, but they
recognize the force Of, the reasons which
are urged in favor OF establishing one
memorial day for all the southern states.
1t would have to be a day later than April
26 because in the more northern states OF
the south the flowers. do not bloom in the
open abundantly until after that date.
The Ladies' Confederate Memorial asso-
citation OF New Orleans at a meeting held
on the nineteenth Of last month adopted
the following resolution which will be
urged for adoption by the United Confed-
crate Veterans association at its coming.
meeting:
I'm order that our children may be fully
instructed in all that pertains to the rise
and fall of the Southern Confederacy, and
that the date OF the birth. OF its first and
only President will be indellibly impressed
on their minds and hearts and generally
observed with appropriate ceremonies; be
It
Resolved, BY the Ladies' Confederate
Memorial Association of New Orleans.
La, that June 3. the anniversary of the
birth Of Jefferson Davis, President OF the
Confederate States of America, be adopted
as Southern Memorial Day, said resolution
to go into effect on June g. 1908; and, fur
thermore, be it
ssResolved That this association shall
invite the cooperation of the United Con-
federate Veterans organization, the Unit
ed Daughters of the Confederacy and the
Confederate Southern Memorial Associa-
ton to secure the general adoption Of this
resolution in every southern state, as we'll
as in all places wherever 1t is customary
to honor the memory of the Confederate
dead"
This resolution is already assured of
very large support and its adoption is
quite generally predicted.
The veterans Of Louisiana, Arkansas
and Mississippi are said to be practically
solid for it.
In Georgia, Alabama and Florida the
birthday of Jefferson Davis is already
public holiday and 1t is believed that a
majority OF the Confederate veterans Of
those states will be found in favor of
consolidating Memorial Day with it. From
other southern states come many express
sions in approval of the resolution we
have quoted.
1t seems very ll6ely that after this year
June 3, Jefferson Davis birthday will be
observed throughout the south as Confed-
crate Memorial Day