The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-07-21
KANSAS REUNION.
Southwest Veteran Association Of the SUN
Flower State Sets the Pace.

Kansas is now arranging to hold her an
nual Soldiers Reunions. The Sunfower
State is strong on Reunions of this charac-
ter. There are County Reunions, and Dis
trict Reunions and State Reunions, and
when you get there you can scarcely tell
ed and the enthusiasm is so intense
The highwater mark in attendance on
one of the State Reunions was that held
at Lawrence last Fall, when Gen. Abram
w. Smith was Department Commander. 1t
was of a weeks duration. and was attended
by many prominent people. Gen. John G..
Black, Commander-in-Chef of the Grand
Army of the Republic, and Mrs. Black
were there the whole week, and it was diff
cult to say which aroused the most en-
thusiasm, Mrs. Black or the General, both
being great favorites at the Campfres.
Corporal and Mrs. Tanner were there, and
also divided honors. The great tent in
which the joint Reunions were held seated
5000 people, and it was packed when the
speaking was in progress; the Haskell In
dian Band played throughout the week.
The great park was tented town, with
streets and avenues named after famous
Union Generals. Woman's Relief Corps
day was presided over by Mrs. Bradford,
Department President, and Ladies OF the
q. A. II. Day by Mrs. st. John. Depart
ment President. Oh, it was a great week,
all right, and those who attended felt that
they had been baptized anew in patriot
ism.
The series of Reunions will begin this
year with that which will be held at Dodge
City, in Ford County, from Aug. 2 to 5.
inclusive. This is called the Southwest
Veteran Association Reunion. 1t takes in
some five or six of the southwestern Coun-
ties-and anybody else who wants to come.
The Reunion is held in the great park on
the banks of the Arkansas, which is an
ideal place for such Reunion People
come for hundred miles in their wagons.
and camp for the week. tents being fur
nished by the people of Dodge City. with
hay, straw, light and water, all free.
Each County in the Association is ex-
pected to come prepared to furnish one
evenings or afternoons entertainment
These entertainments consist of band
music, songs, speaking, recitations-any
old thing that will make for the amuse-
ment and interest of the average crowd.
Each County has ce-President of the
Association. and he is President and Chair
man of the Entertainment Business for his
County. In this way every County is
made to feel that it has some part in the
affair. hence the Reunions are great JOLT
fcations.
Politics? Oh, dear, no. Politics are de-
barred, rigidly! Just the same. there
isn't a politician in the State who misses
one of these Reunions, if he can crawl
there. The Governor and his staff, mem
bers of Congress, United States Senators
all are invited and all come. These Re
unions are the very best places in the
world to rebuild fences, but, strange to say,
the building il nearly all done at night,
in the quiet hour after the big campfires,
when the veterans and politicians lie
around under the trees. smoking and
swapping" jokes, before the turn-in for
the night
The Southwest Veteran Association ex-
tends an invitation to ''all old soldiers,
sailors, Union and Confederate, Spanish
American and soldiers of the Philippine
Instruction. their families and friends, I"
which is sufficiently wide to take in the
whole State of Kansas, and then some
more. They are promised a royal welcome
from the citizens Of the town, and previous
experiences at 10 of these Southwest Vet
eran Association Reunions is quite evidence
enough that Dodge City will live up to her
| promises.
The President of the Association il q
sterling veteran, d. l.. Sweeney. formerly
Commandant of the State Soldiers Home
a magnificent State Institution located
only few miles from Dodge, on the old
Fort Dodge Reservation. Col. J. A. Ar
ment is Secretary: ]. W. Sidlow, Quarter
master; G. n. Ridenour Chaplain: Geo
Mallonee, Drum Major; Miss Nellie Del
linger. a charming young lady. is the
Daughter of the Regiment.
| Capt. James p. WorrelI, of Larned, Kan.
sas, is VicePresident.