The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-07-26
FL.lREB.iCkS.

Seine weeks ago on this page of thu
Banner. following the close of the Con
federate Reunion held i'm Washington
reference was made to the fact tina
some Of Tao veterans from the South
in the absence of suitable quarters
were forced to "slceI Oh the steps anC
in the entrances to Eublic buildings.
2 Continuing, the paragraph under dis
c,lSsion said. i'm part: Fifty-od,
years aga they were physically tit t.
meet such conditions and could beaI
the Irunt of About as severe treat
ment as any body of men to he fOunt
anywhere. But not 80 to-day. Ant
surely they should expect letter treat
ment at the hands Of any city tina
invited them to gather within 1t
limits for one of their annual reunions
1t would seem Il foregOne conclusion
that Washington need never again bic
for the Confederate Reunion
These are the statements, as we TAX
1t. that have aroused friendly criticism
from at least two sources and whic!
have prompted the two communities
tionI that appear below. The readt
will call to mind that features of Ell
tertainment offered the veterans wer
also referred tc in the Banner,
which our correspondents fail t.
make note.
The first letter to reach us. writer
in New Orleans under date of til
10th by Gen. A. r. Booth, follows:
Editor the Hossicr Banner,
Rtnton. La.
Dcd,. Sir. ! am satisfied that you wout
not intentionally do people Il wrong. But
I am sure that you have unwittingly d0nt
Il wrong to the people OF Washington City
in your editorial in your issue Of the 14th.
headed Il Reunion Farce in which you
charge them with neglect of the invited
Confederate veterans.
The facts are that letters were sent out
By the Confederate Reunion Committee tt
every division. asking for information a,
to how many needy veterans would come
so as to enable proper arrangements for til,
number expc,te This information. how
ever, w:s no doubt not Obtainable from til,
division commanders. because there ar
so many of the veterans of the class nance
who are not members of the organized
Possibly the division commanders die
the best they could in estimating the num-
Der of needy ones who would want free beds
and free meals. but they failed to inform
the committee with accuracy. and the con-
sequence was that for one night there wa
an overflow and some confusion. but TT
very next morning the large hall at the
Arcade where we first met, was thrown
open and sleeping arrangements made t.
f,E ..,pp Of hn
came for the moment than had been pro
viticd for. And surely no one will SAY tina,
every effort WIS not speedily made TO carr
for all, both as to housing and feeding.
Regarding ether veterans who always &c
prepared to pay for their lodging and
meals. | believe you will hear no complaint.
The principal hotels were overcrOwded,
demonstrating putting an unusual number
in each room: but there were plenty of
outside rooms available at from 81 to 81
per day in the smaller hotels and boarding
houses and know, from some veterans
themselves, that private families threw
open their homes. and in some instances re-
fused pay when the veterans left.
Every courtesy and every respect was
shown the veterans by all classes of the
people and many private autos were used.
without pay, in picking veterans up on the
without pay, in picking veterans up on the
streets when street ears were 0yercrOWded.
and veterans were thus carried to their des-
tinatien.
am giving you this information purely
for the sake Of justice to the people Of
Washington city, and not from any par
TALLY for that city. voted against hold
ing our reunion there when the question
was up for decision hast year, but justice
always demands truth. An old adage says
something about the evil and untrue trav-
cling on horseback, while truth travels on
foot. But ] fear that in the present day
the false and evil report travels by wire
less and always keeps ahead of truth.
Yours truly,
4. Il. EooTH,
.Adjutant General and Chief Of Staff, Lou
isiana division, U.C.v.
Gen. Booths statements would seem,
In all instances. well founded. We
nc.e, however. that he states that for
enc night there was an overflow and
some confusion Doubtless the pull
lished Press dispatches had their origin
In that overflow but. aside from this
source of information, the editor ct the
Banner had Il firSt-hand report from 1,
Confederate veteran. truthful and
highly esteemed resident of Rossier
Parish. who attended the reunion. In
reply to Il TESTING query. he stated that
he did not have to sleep in the streets.
but that many of the other veterans
did That's why we wrote what we
did, and that's what riled the man who
slept cut
In passing it should be admitted that
Gen. Booth. mt least by virtue of his
office. il for no other reason. is well
familiar with conditions that might
have existed, and surely his letter
makes plain the fact that it was the
desire that all the old Confeds be well
housed and otherwise cared for.
What was said has really done no
harm. and now that we are more fanlil-
lar with the facts we feel better
about the matter.
The General is correct In his sur
mise. that we weuid not Intentionally
do Il people a wrong He will call to
mind. however, that the late editor of
the Banner was rather '.unrecOn-
structed' and that's the fOuntainhead
from which its present editor springs.
quite naturally sharing largely In his
convictions. He was one Of these who
fought in the ranks of the Southland.
and we pleasure in that knowledge
And. rs regards the veterans OF the
South as a whole, We have always held
that there was nething too good for
them. Ii that is not true with all OF
MS ut this late day, to say the very
least, it sllould be.
The second communication to come
to the Banner. written In Washington,
d. G, under date of June 21st, follows