The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-06-11
RIG REUNION CLOSED
WITH GRAND PARADE
THROUGH STREETS
,o.cLuoINe EVENT or ANNUAL
GATHERING or CONFEDERATE
VETERANS rs INSPIRING.
FVIEs IS COMMAEDER.N.C CHIEF
e,tussd to Make Race But is Forced
To serve-Mobile Lands Next
Meeting by an Overwhelming
Vote.

Vote.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. June 10.-AfteI
rejecting Gen. Clement A. Evans
Commander-in-Chief over his vigorous,
hut futile protest, and selecting Mo
lille Ala. as the next place of re-
union the United Confederate Vet.
Grams adjourned their business meet.
ipgs Wednesday night on the heels of
avery stormy session. The big feature
of the reunion, the parade of the
veterans. was held today, and this pa.
-ade closed the reunion of 1909.
The only candidate for Commander.
ip.Chief placed in nomination was
a.. william NJ Cabell, Commander
oethe Transmississippi Division. Just
before nominations were in order Gen.
Evans read an announcement to the
convention in which he declined re.
election. He said he had served in
every capacity from the lowest to the
highest and that he felt that the high
est honor in the veterans gift should
be passed from one ex-Confederate to
another in turn. But the delegates
disagreed with him and by a vote Of
1.54O TO 744 for Cabell, reelected him
TO command With tears streaming
down his cheeks and shaking with
ha rTo fnI nd
bowed to the command of his com.
rades.
His election followed one of the
stormiest session of the organization
which old-time delegates can recall.
After Mobile, Houston, Nashville,
Chattanooga and Oklahoma City had
been put in nomination for the next
reunion, some one began to introduce |
outside speakers.
SWeltering in a temperature of over :
100 degrees. the veteran delegates OBJ
jected strongly and yelled vigorously |
for vote. But the disorder was de-
sultory. Finally John W. Apperson,
Commander-in-Chief of the United |
Sons of Confederate Veterans, secured
the floor and introduced Congressman
T. U. sisson, of Mississippi, as the
spokesman of the Sons. Nearly every
one thought Sisson was TO spring .
dark horse" candidate for the next
meeting place. But as it became evi.
dent that the young Congressman
merely desired to make a speech, the
delegates became noisy and calls Of
sit down" and vote" were insistent
Sisson was game, however, and won
out on test of endurance. He an
nounced that he wished to repeat his
speech in Congress, delivered in an
swer to Congressman Calderhead of :
Kansas who charged that the South
ern people were lazy Sisson received :
some encouragement and some Kisses, {
but he persevered. Finally he con- +
Guided in burst of eloquence, say 6
ing. ,
The principles you fought for were !
right in 81 and are right today You
were not conquered then, you are not 7
conquered now, and the greatest mon 6
uments in your honor are the millions +
of pensions the Federal Government :
pays to the widows and orphans your f
valor made and the 10000 graves in h
Arlington Cemetery which the Federal
Government decorates each 30th OF
May. As long as these monuments "
are perpetuated to your honor you
need erect no others" ]
Sisson's speech was received with II
mingled cheers and Kisses, and many e
lontederates left the convention in h
disgust. others crowded around him IN
md swamped him with congratula- VI
ions.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Moore Murdoch, OF ia
Dallas, Tex, was endeavoring to be re-
heard. She wanted to second the nom p
nation of Houston, Tex, for the next
eunion. She possesses a very mas ct
u.ne voice and manner of delivery, 81
md She soon quoted the assembly. de
he veterans listened in patience until III
he declared: -
We have lived as rebels, we are n
OH. rebels and we will die as rebels" B
Then pandemonium broke loose. 1t &
.as difficult TO tell whether the ma 6
lnty favored her sentiments or OPP 3
osed them. Cheers were mingled y
nth cat-calls and Kisses, and above g
u reverberated the ear-splitting rebel 3
leer Several other speakers were B
Iroduced, but no one heard their 9
'mes nor what they said until Gov. u
askell, of Oklahoma, was introduced. B
Ven he had a stormy greeting, which 81