Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1911-04-12
1S6l..lSll

Atlanta. Georgia. an incident
occurred on the morning of March
10th, when President Taft called
the meeting to order, that should
be given wide publicity. This
meeting was held fifty years after
the beginning of the Civil war and
its proceedings were in sharp con-
trast with the events of 1861.
Then the people of the South were
preparing for the great struggle
to dismember the Nation. Fifty
years from that time the president
of the reunited Nation presided
over a session Of the greatest con-
sturctive gathering in the history
of the South. The proceedings of
that day are given as follows in
the official record of the Congress:
AT the request of Ex-Governor
Frances. of Missouri, First Vice
President. of the Southern Com
metical Congress. President Taft
welded the gavel during that
session. The, moment he called
the session to order concealed
band electrified the audience with
the strains of Dixie, and then slow
ly up through the center aisle of
the auditorium came ten business
men of Alabama carrying with
them the flag of their States. AS
their feet touched the steps of the
platform the hand ceased playing.
and in silence they came into the
presence of the President, the flag
of Alabama was handed to Lieu
tenant Governor Walter D. Seed,
and then was placed in prepa, ed
socket back of the two hundred
distinguished men on the platform,
and its folds fully extended. The
same method was followed with
the flags of Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia (received by Governor
Bro~n). Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland Missouri, Mississippi ire
celved by Governor NoelJ. North
Carolina, OkIahma, South Carolina
(re'eived by Governor B!easG.
Tennessee, Texas. Virginia ire
ceived by DR.. Denny and West
Virginia.
:. A m IRE dramatic moment has not
occurred in the recovery of the
South. For twenty-five minutes
the hearts and souls of men and
women were tense with patriotism
and with sentiment. Hundreds
were weeping and shouting. The
President Of the United States
himself was deeply affected.
Scarcely dry eye could have been
found among the thousands who
were watching the scene.
The escorts of the flags were not
insignificant men, nor accidentally
chosen. For instance. Maryland
WAS led by Ex-Governor Edw in
Warfield and Bernard N. Baker,
men of immense blu, iress influence
and Of national reputation. Col.
S. w. Fordyce who has built ten
thousand miles of railroads
through the Southwestern States
carried the flag, of Arkansas. A
Tutoring federal veteran carried
the flag of West Virginia. The
moment that the last flag was
placed in its stock and the folds
extended the strains of 1.-THE Star
Spangled Banner" were heard,
softly at first. but increasing to
burst of harmony. while from
the rafter of the auditorium where
it had been concealed. an enormous
cold Glory" unfolded and fluttcred
down. extending as a background
of the flags of the South for more
than forty feet. Then q screen
was lifted and across the face of
"Old Glory" we're seen to be
scrolIcd the words, IF Pluribus
Unum."
Not man present but felt the
thrill Of the OCCASION and then as
the audience gradually perceived
the Arrangement of the State flags