The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-09
soLprERs REuNroN
At EQualfty--Hon. J. Thomas HeAin
 Speaks.


 At EQualfty--Hen. !. Thomas HeAin Speaks.
 Equality. Sept. 5--(Special Cor)--Fer- haps the most successful and best att tended local soldiers reunion ever held in this section of the State assembled here yesterday. A meeting of the ven- erable old Confederate Veterans whom every loyal Southern loves, and whom every true American respects, is ai- ways an inspiring occasion; but this one, perhaps because of the immense crowds that came. the excellent speeches of the day, and the splendid order maintained throughout, will be long remembered by every one who was present
 It was a pleasant scene to watch the hundreds of people gather into the thriving little town of Equality from every highway. Long lines of crowd cd vehicles might be seen in every di- rection. one now and then occupied by venerable gray head. which served to make the whole scene one almost sa- cred. Almost every inch of hitch ing space about the town was taken. and buggies and horses attended the eye as far as could see. A conservative estimate of the people present is three thousand, and the number of old sol dierR was seventy-five.
 At t0:30 o'clock the people began to assemble in the splendid auditorium of the school buildings, which has a ca- uacity for fifteen hundred people. For half an hour the half dozen faithful usher were kept in a rush seating the continuous streams that poured into the auditorium from the two entrances. Nor dld this eease till every inch of standing room and every seat was ta- ken and hundreds of pebble were turn cd away. To watch the enthusiastic crowds pouring into the building caused . pleasant thrill of animation.
 Al il o'clock, J M. Parker, the young est veteran present. took the gavel and with fitting remarks introduced the ex- srcises of the day The speaker of the nnorntng was the Hon John R. Mccain, of Montgomery, 8 man who has done much for the cause of education throughout the State; a man wIso never misses an opportunity to lend his infiu- ence and. when called upon, the power of his eloquenee for creating health fer educational sentiment. and a man to whom perhaps more than any other, the building of the magnificent school at this place. and the same educational sentiment of It's people Is due. MT. Mo- Cain gave a history O. the building of our educational system on the ruins of the Confectionery and on the class of re-
 
 ute to the Confederate soldiers, who re- turned from the war shattered in health and fortune, to a devastated home. de- spoiled by the carpet-bagger and yet who. in so short a time, had erected a splendid educational system in the new South. He pointed out and explained the acts of the recent Legislature, which means so much for education in Alabama. and closed with burst of eI- oqpence in honor of tAe Confederate Veterans. who so heroicaHy redeemed our home of the Southland Mir. Me- Cain held the audience spell-bound for an hour, after which recess for dinner was taken.
 Be 1t said to the credit of the hos that of all the great crowd not A ors Iett the table hungry and not a little or the ample supply of provisions was unconsumed While such a ahowine IS credit to any community, yet 1t was no surprise to those who know the good people of Equality. and who have before shared their hospitality.
 Promptly after dinner the enthusi- astic audience Feassemhled, and the in- spiring scene of the forenoon was re- enacted After the chairman had called the audience to order. the Con- rederate soldiers marched down the atsles while deafening cheers greeted the beloved flag midst the strains of Dixie. After this, another incident which perhaps out-rivalled the former, was the introduction to the audience by the chairman of Jack and George Fanton. two of the six brothers whose mother. being a. kinsman of Jefferson Davis, at the beginning of the war, called her sons together and said, My sons, Cousin Jeff is the President of tAe Confectionery; he has upon his shoulders the responsibility of this great war: he needs you; go to Cousin Jer and tell him send you to him to obey his commands, even in the face of death, till this war shall close" The two venerable and feeble vete- rans who alone of the six survived the war. were then assisted to the ros- trun, whose meek and feeble appear ance first resulted in an awed silence, but when they were assisted from the rostrum, terrible burst of cheers shook the hall.
 The speaker of the afternoon, the J. Thomas Hefiin. was then Mir Hefin. in his intro auetory remarks, said; T have been l caRions, and for the past two years I | nave desired to accept several other | invitations which pressure of business | 'orced me to decline; but when I re- | ,eived your kind request to address | the Confederate veterans here. I de- | dared that If lived I would come" After warm eulogy upon the bravery | md nobility of the Confederate sol- Hers, Mir Hefiin most Interestingly re- counted the glorious part which the south took in building the American ] Republic from the period of coloniza- lon down to the Civil War He said hat in every Important movement in | American history, the Southern states nan was prominent; in instigating the epuhlic, in passing the resolution for in writing the Declara- ion, in leading the armies-Southern nen were most prominent. He said hat the first tea party was not. as