Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-30
terms Of the welcome accorded him by the
southern people and their hospitality.
At Wheeler Memorial Meeting.

In his address at the Wheeler memorial
he said In part: Permit me to say at the
outset that to come from the cold, bleak
and winter-driven north into your beauti-
full. sunny summer southland. with its
warmth OF greeting which touches the heart
and tones Its pulsations to friendship, Is to
me like the coming home of a long absent
wanderer, for one of my ancestors vas
Lieut.. Gov Burwell of Virginia, and a Nc
k1niey was born in that state, moved to the
Carolinas and was early appointed a
soclate judge of the Supreme Court
Strange it may seem, the history of
our country discloses that two great armies
renowned for valor. the like of wh.ch the
world had never seen before contendilg
each for the teachings and traditions of its
own section, created sentiment of patriot
ism which gave to us in later days ar army
invincible upon foreign soil The lessons
which their conflicts taught did not have to
be relearned in 1898. but gave to our coun-
try an army well differed and equipped
made up in many instances of the man of
both OF the great armies of the sixties and
their sons.
What splendid epoch of history making
are the comrades of the blue and the gray
then responsible for.
Cr yof the Oppressed
The cry of an oppressed people is heard
ana without thought of Gggrandizement a,
united people amid instantaneous burst
of patriotism and in less than thirty days
from the declaration of war organized q
great army and great navy The last yes
tige of an effete monarchy was driven from
our American continent and Cuba was lib
Grated; Porto Rico became a prosperous and
happy country, dotted all over with Ameri-
can school houses; a great Instruction was
suppressed In the Philippines and the larg-
est measure of civil government possible
was established
Next ha
the United States( first to scale the walls
of Peking, was first to dictate the policy of
retirement. and through its invincihle arms
ana matchless diplomacy. became world
wide power. All this made 1t possible that
the President of the United States, Theo-
dore Roosevelt, our comrade in the Spanish
wai. could dictate peace in the orient be-
tween Russia and Japan. This advanced 20
sftion of our nation has cast upon all new
responsibilities and duties, not the least of
which Is to teach In time of peace the obli-
gSton 70 De prepared for war. No body of
men is better qualified by experience to
teach this great principle of peace than
those who have suffered by the nations
wars In the past.
mo one more completely exemplified the
sentiment expressed by the Poet Kinney in
his tribute 20 our national emblem than he
| in whose memory we meet today: coura-
geous. res,urceful and loyal to his cause
IN war: upright. steadfast and incorrupti-
bic in time of peace, deeply beloved and re-
vered. his memory Will ever iinger with US
CHRISTENING ana rennlng influence as pure
as the fragrance of beautiful flower.
The Wheeler Commission.
II was honored in being present at the
White House when the martyred President
Mckinley appointed Gen. Wheeler a brie;a-
der general in the regular army. and saw
there before me two great men who In the
past had been engaged on opposite sides in
deadly combat: who had. peace being re-
stored. resumed the duties Of citizenship,
climbing the ladder of fame, and at time
of the nations conflict with a foreign foe,
one as President and comniander-in-c hfef.
was great enough to accept the service OF
his former antagonist. and the other was
great enough to lay his life and skill as a
soldier upon the nations altar.
II come, therefore, today to do that which
my great kinsman would have been proud
to do were he living. to lay upon the cas-
ket of your friend and neighbor, our COM
rade and nations hero Gen. Joseph
| Wheeler. my humble tribute 10 his lasting
memory - citixen and soldier Of the
nation ss