The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-14
VETERANS MEET IN
 ANNUAL REUNION Governor Conner Introduced By
 General Harrison SAYS "HOWDY" TO VETS Invites Them To Visit the Legislature. Says Lawmakers Are Not "Hurt-
 ing Property Owners" As
 Is Being Charged
SAYS "HOWDY" TO VETS

Montgomery, November 1S.-(special.)-
 The reunion of the Alabama division of
 the Confederate Veterans is in session n
 the city of Montgomery.
 The gavel, in the hands of Col. Harvey
 E. Jones. adjutant general and chief of
 staff of the Alabama division of the Uni-
 ted Confederate evterans. fell this morn-
 ing at 10:45 o'clock calling into being the
 seventh annual reunion of the Ala
 bama division of the United Confederate Veterans.
 The Montgomery theatre, at which the
 convention was held. was well filled with
 a good representation of ladies present. Prayer by the Rev. James N. Mason
 was invoked, the hymn. My Country
 Iris of Thee" was sung by the choir,
 and a tribute to the Confederate dead and to the women of the Confederacy, by
 Maj. Gen. George P. Harrison, command
 ing the Alabama division, was paid, with
 responses by the veterans
 General Harrison here took the gavel,
 and after the singing of Dixie" by a young lady, elicting the greatest enthus-
 iasm, and music by the band. Governor
 B. B. Conner was introduced by General Harrison.
 Governor Spoke. Governor Conner said "Howdy' to the vets, as Birmingham had done year ago. From cinnamon seed to sandy bot tom" he was glad they were here-here at the capital of the state. and while the lepicl clnfl ic in Iaoric1 ny
 had done things for future generations to be proud of. Schools have been planted
 so that trail can be found reaching from every place to a school house. Alabama
 is doing great things. We are building on education and on temperance. In consid-
 ering the cause for which you fought so
 well, you did not. as we have been ae-
 cused, fight for the negro. As all Anglo
 Saxons nave ever done, we fought for the liberty of saying that we shall not be
 taxed without our consent; and when
 ever that right is denied you will ever fight for it. (Yes; fight till we die!' said
 voice.) For this is the Caucasian trait
 which came out in 1861. (Cheers) The governor invited them to the capi- tol. There a flag will be found floating from flagstaff sent by R. P Hobson, l who fought in the interest of an alien | people that were maintaining their ideas of freedom
 N Flag at Capitol.
 On the dome of the capitol they would | find another flag, their own Confederate
 flag. Some one had asked Gan that be
 placed there?' The governor replied: "The
 vets can do anything they like" "The right to secede is dead, but the
 principle of state rights is alive But there are those who would challenge the right of the state to control It's own af-
 fairs. Think of power too big in
 state to obey the law. Think of men try ing to coerce the legislature of Alabama
 to adjourn sine die The state is taxing all property alike. The biggest corpora
 ton is and should be on an equality with
 the man who owns only a mule" The governor opointed to the monu-
 ment of the Confederate dead to be seen at the capitol. representing the | thousands who had fallen on every bat l tlefeld. He said:
 Go up to the legislature and see what they are doing. Are they hurt ing property owners? No. They are the
 conservators of every property inter est In the state But they stand be-
 tween you and trusts and combines and
 say to them Thus far thou shalt go | and no further"
 c. A. Lanier spoke for Montgomery, and in a delicious manner welcomed to
 the Capital City, the Cradle of the Con- federacy.
 General Harrison replied to the well come given by the city and the state
 in behalf of "a remnant of the great est army that ever shouldered a gun" He was sorry the governors duties called him away He wanted to thank him and the legislature for what they had done for the old soldiers. The first reunion was held in this city. Now there are over seventy ac- tive camps and from 3400 to $500 old soldiers members. But the old soldiers are getting what is their due in part because they are standing up for them selves as never before. He himself
 in the legislature some years ago said
 this debt to the old soldiers ought to be paid, and that Alabama was behind Georgia and South Carolina in paying it. He told them that 1t should be
 done even if money had to be bor- rowed.
 He was specially glad to come to Montgomery-the place wh ere the Con federacy was porn. lie liked to look at the capitol and to see the star where f Jeff Davis stood. all reminded him of the best part of his life spent in a service which he would perform again if necessary
 The governor talked about fighting
 for the privilege of saying whether we should be taxed or not. q fought" said
 he, for home, for mother. And when you analyze it that. is the basis of what
 we call patriotism"
 He urged that comrades get close to- gether. They could not be together
 much longer in reunions.
 With a tender appeal and with striking an deloquent encomium upon Confederate commanders and men, he closed with the homely, but taking de-