The National tribune., 1908-09-10
WELCOME TO TOLEDO.
The State of Oi,iO and the City of Toledo
Give an Enthasiastic Greeting to the
Veterans.

veterans
The 42d National Encampment
opened with splendid meeting at the
Valentine Theater on Tuesday evening
Sept /. The Valentine Theater, which
is very attractive place of amusement
was handsomely decorated with flags in
anticipation of the event, and was
thronged to the last inch of its space by
the immense crowd which gathered. The
stage was given up to distinguished Wis
itors and Grand Army leaders, and
Comrade J. Kent Hamilton, of Toledo,
presided
Music was furnished by the noted To-
ledo Maennerchor, and Comrade Hamil-
ton introduced Mayor Brand Whitlock,
who has a National reputation. Mayor
Whitlock's speech justified what has
been said of him, and was eloquent but
brief. He said that the Grand Army of
the Republic not merely saved the Ma
ton; it created the Nation. 1t made a
Union that was real, a Union that will
live forever in the hearts of men, and it
bequeathed TO all generations beauty
of romance apdfchiyalry and lofty and
inspiring traditions. Gen. A. l.. Harris.
Governor of Ohio and veteran of
magnificent record, extended the well
come of his State in a fell welI-chosen
words. and was followed by J. III. Shar
er Commander of the Department of
Ohio, G. A. r., who heartily indorsed all
that had been said by the Governor and
Mayor. wished that Ohio could receive
the National Encampment every year.
and expressed his deep-feIt appreciation
of the honor conferred upon the State
by the presence of the veterans.
These speeches were followed by
Freedom Triumphant" the song of
the 42d National Encampment. the words
of which were written by Mrs. Kate
Brownlee Sherwood and the music by
Arthur kortheuer. This was sung by
the Mendelssohn Chorus. at the conclu-
sion of which Mrs. Sherwood briefly
expressed. her thanks for a fine bouquet
which was presented to her.
Commander-in-Chief Burton respond
ed on behalf of the Grand Army of the
Republic. He alluded to the fact that
he was born and educated in Ohio and
went to the war in the grand old 18th
Ohio, which had never suffered its flag
to touch the ground. He said that he
loved to come to Ohio, because Ohio
only in battle, but in every good and
Christian work. He dropped into
lighter vein in saying that when he was
u boy he used to sing:
"The musketos they grow tall in Maui
NEE, in Maumee,
And they bite thru boots and all in
The potatoes they grow small in Maui
NEE, in Maumee,
And we eat them skins and all in Maui
NEE, in Maumee.'
Now the comrades felt like singing:
| Everything grows tall in Maumee, in
Maumee,
And Old Glory's over all in Maumee,
in Maumee:
There's nothing that is small in Maui
NEE, in Maumee;
| But the richest blessing unto all in
Maumee, in Maumee."
He followed this with a high tribute
to Toledo's hospitality and the generous
manner in which she had prepared for
the entertainment of the comrades, and
concluded with toast on the flag.
! Mrs Kate E. Jones, National Presf-
dent, w. r. c. presented very happily
the greetings of her great Order, and
was responded 8 to by Comrade l.. e.
Griffith, the Senior Vice Commander
| in-Chief.
| Mrs. Clara NJ Sawyer, National Presi-
dent of the Ladies' of the G. A. r., came
next on thee program with greetings
from her Order, and was responded to
by w. M. Scotto of Atlanta, the Junior
| Vice Commaader-in-Ch Chief
| Edgar Allen.Iof Virginia, spoke for
the Sons of Veterans, Miss Layton for
| the Daughters lof Veterans, and Past
| Commander-in-Ghief Miller for the
| Spanish War Veterans, to which fit
ting response was made by Gen. j. War
| rem Keifer.