Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-06-17
THE OLD VETS
Got Through With Thels Reunion
and Adjourn.
MEET NEXT IN MOBILE
Gen. Evans, the Aged Commander
in.Chief, Declined Reelection to
His Office, But the Honor Is Thrust
Upon Him Again BY His Old
Comrades.


Upon Him Again by His Old
Comrades.
The reunion OF the Old Confed.
Veterans for 1909 at Memphis. Tenn,
Is over. After re-electing Gen.
Clement A. Evans commander-in-
chief over his vigorous but futile pro-
test, and selecting Mobile. Ala. as
the next place of reunion, the United
Confederate Veterans adjourned their
business meeting Wednesday on the
heels of a very stormy session. The
only candidate for commander-in-
chief placed in nomination was Gen.
VIM. NJ. Cabell, commander Of the
! Ira Mississippi division. Just be-
fore 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
highest honor in the Veterans gift
should be passed from one Ex-Con-
But the delegates disagreed with
him, and by vote of 1,540 to 744
for Cabell, reelected Gen. Evans to
command. With tears streaming
down his cheeks and shaking with
emotion. the stately and aged soldier
bowed to the commands of his COM
rades.
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
temperature OF over a hundred de-
grees. the Veterans delegates object
ed strongly and yelled vigorously for
a vote. Finally John W. Apperson,
commsnder-in-chief of the United
Sons of Confederate Veterans. Sc
cured the floor and introduced Con
gressman T. U. Siseon. Of Mississippi.
as the spokesma of the Sons.
Nearly every one thought Sisson
was to spring a dark horse" can
didate for the next meeting place.
but as II became evident that the
young Congressman merely desired
TO make a speech, the delegates be-
came noisy and calls OF sit down
and vote" were insisted. Sisson
was game, however. and won out on
a test of endurance. He announced
that he wished to repeal his speech
In Congress. delivered in answer to
Congressman Calderhead. of Kan
sas, who charged that the Southern
people were lazy. Sisson received
some encouragement and some his
ses, but he persevered. Finally his
concluded in a burst OF eloQuence,
saying:
The principles you fought for
were right in '6l and are right to-
day. You were not conquered then.
you are not conquered now. and the
greatest monument in your honor
are the millions OF pensions the Fed
eral government pays TO the widows
and orphans your valor made and
the forty-six thousand graves in Ar
lington Cemetery. which the Federal
government decorates each 10th OF
May. AS long as these monuments
are perpetuated to your honor, you
need erect no others"
80 Sisson's speech was received with
mingled cheers and hisses. and many
aconfederates left the hall in die
Arnst. Others crowded around him
axnd swamped him with congratula-
tfons.
Meantime Mrs. Moore Murdock. OF
Dallas, Texas, was endeavorinS to
ne heard. She wanted to second
sbe nomination OF Houston, Texas
Tor the next reunion. She posses
ses a very masculine voice and man
ner of delivery, and she soon quieted
the assembly. The Veterans listened
In patience until she declared:
I'VE have lived as rebels, We are
still rebels, and We will die as
rebels"
Then pandemonium broke loose
II was difficult to tell whether the
majority favored her sentiments ol
onposed them. Cheers were mingled
with cat-calls and Kisses and above
ALI reverberated the ear-splittint
rebel yell.
Several other speakers were In
trOducpd Dut no one uoaiu u NhcI
names or what they ssid until Gov
ornor Haskell. of Oklahoma, was In
troduced. Even he had storm,
greeting. which might be construct
ono way or another. Finally. how
over. he tired out the crowd an
made diplomatic speech, invitin
the Convention to choose Oklaho
ma City for the 1910 reunion.
.'You will find Confederate Neter
ans IN most OF the Offices OF the State
from Supreme Court Judges to cor
stables" he said. and you will fin
as hearty a welcome as you wi
6rd anywhere on Gods earth"
Immediately after tho Governor
sneech the vote for the next RI
union city began. Every ono picke
uouston, Texas. as the winner. br
Mobile. Ala. seemed to have col
ducted gumshoe campaign. an
q soon became evident that the All
Aan,a city had won. She pole