The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-27
Veterans at Reunion Pay Respects to Granddaughter
 of Jeff Davis
GREAT ENTHUSIASM IS
 PREVALENT AMONG ALL
Governor Conner Delivers Address of Welcome and Speaks of Current Questions-GeneraI Evans
 Declines Reelection

L. , ciad, frightened girl stood on a raised p'a'lorrh today and while six thousand eonfederate veterans cheered, and while 'ne bands played Dixie" score or more of gray-bearded Confederate general off, cers passed in review before her and z with uncovered heads kissed her hand. The young girl was Miss Lucy White Hayes, granddaughter of the only presi- dent of the Confederacy.
 The incident was the climax of the first days session of the United Confederate Veterans. The big tent, which is said to seat comfortably 5000 people, was packed 10 its topmost tier of seats. The sides had been raised and the throngs outside mad pressed in. When the new 'daugh- Ter of the Confectionery was being pre- sented to the convention the old veterans went mad. The band was playing "Dfxiep three of them were-but the combined masses could not drown out the cheers. The veterans surged forward, but the ropes stopped them. Then one by one the stately general officers on the stage moved In review before the frightened. trembling girl and each kissed her hand as he passed. Miss Hayes eyes filled
 
 with tears and she seemed overcome with emotion as she passed back to her seat. on the arm of her maid of honor. Miss Ella Mitchell. Miss Hayes is the .spon- sor for the southern Confederacy," in the reunion, and takes rank over all other sponsors and maids.
 a The afternoon session of the reunion Was brief. The Confederate choir sang and Judge L. B. Mcfarland of Memphis delivered the oration of the day.
 Tonight the credentials and resolution committees are in session and their re- ports will be made tomorrow
 Sessions Held i'm Tent
 Although the opening of the reunion was Set for o'clock, 1t was after 10 when Mrs. J. Griff Edwards, commander-in- chief of the Confederate choir, swung her l, baton over the gray-clad young choir of women. and a bugle sounded assembly. Meantime scores of bands and drum corps were leading delegations of reent arrivals into the camp grounds.
 The sessions of the reunion are being held in a huge tent in Monroe park. It looks like a circus tent, with thousands of seats in the amphitheatre and tier upon tier of family circus benches rising all around.
 The tent was filled long before the opening number, and finally the sides were raised and those outside were per- Initted to see if even they could not hear
 The arrival of Gen. Clement A. Evans was the signal for the first ovation, which drowned out the efforts of three brass bands, each playing different air, but when Mrs. Edwards signaled her choir to rise and faced the audience, her slender |, figure, almost shrouded in a huge silk ' Confederate flag, there was roar that outclassed even the greeting to the com manding general
 Dixie came the call from all over the huge tent, a band from Little Rock answered the call and another ear-split- ting demonstration followed Meanwhile the chairman, w. K. P. Wilson, was pounding vigorously for order. He start cd to talk and finally quiet was restored
 The chairman succeeded in making his talk and then the demands for Dixie were compiled with. Escorted by score of Confederate generals in full uniform herself wearing a major generals in- signia, Mrs. Edwards took the stage Surrounded by her choir. the orchestra struck into the war hymn of the south Mrs. Edwards clear soprano voice filled the tent When the song was over there was another demonstration. Miss Vera Williams, one of Mobiles prettiest young. women, recited an original poem and Governor Conner of Alabama was intro duced. The word had gone out that the governor would have some tart things to say about the federal government, so he was greeted unanimously and given the closest attention.
 Conner Delivers Welcome Address
 In his address of welcome at the open Ing of the Confederate reunion here to- day. B. B. Conner governor of Alabama Tn addition to greeting the old soldiers m cordial way. took fall out of At ! rorney General Wickershaw for his prose- cution of the men who tried to break up tho cotton pool holders.
 Ana now We have the rema arkable spectacle of an Attorney General of the United States instituting legal proceedings Tor the arrest of citizens who are trying 10 break the power of speculative cliques, which. through the New York exchange . have fattened by using millions of money to coerce the price of cotton up and down. and without regard to the effect on th5S grower, the consumer or the manufA turer say we have an At forneW General of the United States in stituting processes of court for inc ar rest of business men who are trying to establish regularity in the price of cot ton founded on supply and demand"
 The governor asserted that the Attor ney General failed to show that it ia his purpose to prevent speculative sales of cotton whenever it suits the spectators to press down the price of the staple. He charges that when the speculators are caught short and are forced to de- liver the thousands of bales they never even saw, they call on the federal gov ernment and in helping them the Attor i, ney General forgets the interests of the toiling masses of the south, the poorest paid labor in America. He was aston ished at any officer thus attempting to injure the citizens of the south for the benefit of the spectators in the south's freat product. h
 \, 1"we of the south," he said. after con-