The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-23

charged employees because they attend cd to their duties as members of the military. Captain Jackson's speech was a fine exposition of the part and duty of the military in the preservation of American ideals and institutions.
 Major W. w. Screws. one of the Sur vivOrs, was given an enthusiastic greeting. He reviewed the splendid history of the company, its service In the Indian war, its service in the Mexi- can war and later the record 1t made in the great war between the States. He declared that if there were any reb- els in that war they were men who were gathered about that table for they went to Pensacola to oppose the forces of the United States before Ala hama had seeded and before Florida had seeded. The history of the conn pany was one that the younger men could lok. to with honor and with prof 1t. He was astonished to learn that there were merchants in Montgomery who discharged men for belonging to military companies.
 "A man that will deprive a member of your company of livelh pod. who will cut him off from his daily avoca- ton because he belongs to a military company. has a great deal of selfish ness to unlearn and he has yet to learn the first rudiments of good citizenship You can depend upon the men of the old Blues to help you educate such man out of his selfishness and his cold -bloodedness,' said Major Screws.
 Lieutenant P. O. Franson, of the Blues. spoke on The Infantry" | He delivered happy little speech. with hits at the other arms of the service. His speech was wei applauded.
 The National Guard.
 Major W. A. Thurston, of the Regu- lar Army, retired. who has been as- signed to special duty at the office of the Adjutant General. was, to his sur prise, called on for speech. He ex plained that the army officer who was good speaker was the exception rather than the rule. But he spoke well on the efforts that were being made by army officers to increase the efficiency of the National Guard.
 Captain Frank P. OBrfen, an honor ed memb of the Survivors. and May or-elect of Birmingham, explained that he was not properly prepared to make speech, having just come from prohibition town. But Captain O'Brien recalled that time in 1858 when he came as a mere boy to Montgomery and a short while later went out as a member of the Montgomery True Blues. He deplored the fact that sthere were men in the city who discharged men for belonging to the military It made him for the first time feel asham= ed of Montgomery. He declared that when the 3rd Alabama went to Nor folk during the war, there was not d man among the Blues but who could have taken the company out and car ried 1t through every military manoue- yer If the policy of the merchants of today had been followed it would have been impossible to have such com pany of trained soldier.
 Former Lieutenant B. A. Taylor of the Blues, being an eloquent speaker. the men of the Blues were determined to hear from him. He more than sus- tained his past reputation for elo- quence.
 One of the happiest speeches of the evening was delivered by Captain George H. Todd. of the Montgomery Field Artillery. Captain Todd being popular among the officers and men present, was bjected to "Gridlron Club" methods of interruptions, but he routed his interrupters and delivered his speech on Target Practice" He argued for efficiency to hit the mark, in target practice
 There was a touch of sadness about the speech of Lieutenant w. H. Am