The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-01
WHILE RICHMOND IS 4 GREATER CITY
/ N WEALTH AND POPULATION It HAS
NOT OUTGROWN SPIRIT Of HOSPITALITY
Metropolis of Wealth Power the Capital of Conederacy
Clings to Memories and Traditions of Old South and
Chershes All of Those Things Held Most
Dear by Southland.

Physically the Richmond that ia
entertaining the United Confederate
veterans at their twenty-nfth annual
/ reunion appears a different city from
that which the veterans left slightly
more than Atty years ago--the capi-
1 tai of the Confederacy in ruins, the
end OF the career OF the life center
OF a nation dying. 1t also appears a
different city--a difference chiefly
| manifest In the development that
comes with healthy. ac,ive years
/ than that which in 1907 was the place
1 OF the seventeenth annual reunion.
Richmond has arisen from ruins. from
ashes left by the devastating torch
\ and the heavy heel of war, to It's
| proud position as the Hrst city In the
, South, the new American empire OF
| commerce, finance. industry and
wealth.
\ But In the rapid rise to greatness
and affiuence Richmond has chung TO
the traditions dear to the ancient city,
to Virginia ana the Southland: and.
while material progress along all lines
|. Of endeavor has been In the making.
there also has been growth OF the
spirit preservative OF all that has been
! cherished through three centuries OF
Virginia life. Richmond Is the same
old city populated by n home-loving
people. people famed throughout
the world for their hospitality.
Poverty to Presently.
Il The close of the War Between the
States half a century ago found con-
ditions throughout the South that
could not have been much worse.
Desolation was everywhere. TIE
bread winners of the South had been
decimate0 by the long struggle.
homes had been laid in ashes. fields
had been impoverished. the labor with
which great plantations had been
titled was gone. and all that made
up wealth seemed to have taken unto
itself wings. Many men who had
marched away from their homes that
they might properly protect them
from the hosts of invasion. failed to
return to those homes ut the close
of the struggle: they had given UP
| their lives on fields made red with
their blood. OF those who survived,
and who did return, there was none
who found the task before them an
easy one. Their homes. their lands,
their forces, all their assets--of which
but little had been left to them
were poor.
WONDERFUL Courage Displayed.
h II was with an indomitabfe courage
that they undertook the reconstruc-
ton of their fortunes and OF their
hoIV'
Iters nu why
.ereo o1sVeY WIN
tne oarH aass VIC" ~
OF tne MONIES eho va 'ncs 49,
cneered on 10 more nearly enaesvor
eno ufoheh men my "
Confederacy no less than 10 sne men
must 70 credit for q great part CT
the reouiidins OF the empire SON
or these women the small poruoh o.
the greater humoer AT the CLOSE UA
the war, are now IN Hichmohu WIN
the veterans. AS the veterans are
being honored SO are THESE nooie wo-
! men.
AS were conditions tnroushout tno
southiand at the close OF the srussie
ana during the years which ioIioweo-
engenoered by the presence upon .he
sacred SOIL or the conaueror, OF tne
carpet-o Dagger ana OF ,hat type Oh
men TO whom the opproorious term
| "scalawag was apphed-so. perhaps
even worse. were the CONDITIONS IN
| Richmond
From those days may he dated the
beginning OF the greater struggle that
which has placed Richmond In her pres
emit high and glorious position. During
the carrier years Seomah ~o'A
done. As the years passed on tho
weary. tfresome burdens became lass
firing and IL ourden. Dnrine inc
more recent years the Struggle mas pc
come simply the CARVING on OF 'ne
work OF deveiopment In winch nope IN
the present ana commences IN the tueuFe
has been strong.
seif reliance Deve'sps.
As Richmond grew up more SELF
reliant spirit developed. ana TINS city
steadily progressed. growing INTO the
great community winch cooperation OF
all interests Tor the greater good OF
the whole people mas MADE.
Where the business center OF Kich-
mona nrty years ago lay great smoioer-
ing mounds OF irregular shape ana
valueless, there now stand the great
buildings in which repose the sinews
OF the financial strength or a large por-
| pt,h~.exs -. h.,o~,n e.. .>.&>r -