Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-24

| Washington. March 2i.--The hum
dredth anniversary OF the birth OF
General Grant VIII be celebrated In
few weeks on April 27th. 10 be exact.
The recognition this event win get
in Washington will be the unyeiling
Of memorial at the foot Of the
Capitol on the west side, work on
which was commenced years ago.
TO the great majority Of Americans.
Grant Is merely what they have learn
ed and read of him from the printed
page. The man alive today who knew
Grant when he was az the forefront
of those making American history
are few and far between. Prominent
among this dwindllng number IN
l"Uncle Joe Cannon. oldest member Of
the House OF Representative In years
and In point of service. Mr.. Cannon's
first hand recolections OF General
Grant are as fresh as II he had parted
from the famous soldier but week
ago.
Grant forced recognition Of his
ability as military genius. according
to Uncle Joe. There was nothing
fiashy, nothing dramatic In General
Grant. 1t 10 a dcplorable fact but
true. that brother officers iu the
Mon armies did their utmost 10 give
credit for victories and military feats
TO others. often to themselves. when
success actually was due 10 the
ability and brains Of Grant
In April 1861. this man presided
at Union meeting IN a small II
llnois town. unknown even to "a ma
Iority Of his uoighbors." Mr.. Cannon
points out In April, 1865. he pre-
sided AZ that famous Union meeting
~ Appoinaftox. when armed resist
ance 10 the Union ended lie had not
j., come 40 this success and distinction
through political favoritism or IA
yorahlo publicity unless we accept Cen
oral HFagE's epigram on Grover CIeve-
land. We lovo him for the enemies he
has made"
What fncle Joe callg tho political
generals" ana IN" literary geuerais'
hI opposed Grant. and envied him
But ln spite of tn" criticism and abuse
slued az aim. no compelled recoRni-
, ,ion 81 his military ability untu Lin
coin. before no had ever seen Grant
: made tho recently uuknown soldier
q commando pf all the Northern forces
Had No Entbusissms.
General Grant ras a perfectly nor.
, msl man" ssYq the Illinois politica
! veteran lie had nei.hor enthuslssu
nor raraiou and mo- bysterical develop
q mcut of any kind. lie had 10 sense %
Y The dramatic. ard failed 90 do thos
. things whlch lDstastiv appeal 20 tn
public eye tie was SO ralm under al
Il cir, instance 'nat h" saem4 20 har
% communicated snute - his Iuexcltabl
r rptlf" 500 those about nirn even 10 ;h
pntss n. rode. VINO ..rr heard e.
Ct Grant ou prtnr'ug. rearing ws1
Eorso' #hv. even Ihe Artists wh
a. ars ever looking Tor the dramatic an
81 picturesque have always picture
~ Grant sitting quietly on "A horse stant
p" ing on four feet an quietly az thong
~ just unhitched from the pl0w.7
'e Mr. Cannon recalled that a; Vicli
!" burg. General Grant sent Logan
take formal possession Of the cl,
when Pemberton surrendered. on n
!. historical occasion At Appomatto
~, General Grant refused 20 appes
=, otherwise than he usually did. ar
wore his ordinary service uniforr
"a Grant saw no dramatic climax in IN
,t occasion. As soon as Il was over
,d hurried back 10 Washington 20 a
Il range for disbanding the armies und
.nl his command. and sending the sOidie
ar to their homes.
on This same indifference 10 dramat
he demonstrations and situations folio
ar. cd him through life" Mr.. Cam
ie- recalls. II recollect in reading in t
IN papers OF his trip around the wor
is how ne met the crowned heads. stat,
Ie- men and plain people with the sal
al simple manner He surprised the G'
mans by walking from his hotel
the palace to call on Prince BisTnar
and the Prince, We are told, met b
at the door, instead of waiting 10
ceive him in state. He met the Que
list n England. the Car of Russia,
. l Emperor Of Japan. and the King
zen Siam in the same way. conforming
/ the etiquette OF the courts, but
himself never dropping the role OF
led plain American gentleman. He mil
lve have appeared in the courts Of Euro
eX- and Asia wearing the four stars
'hy q general, worn rightly by no n
nG- from Washingtons time TO his d
but he refused to appear in the u
our form which gave him greatest ,
mar tinction in the eyes Of the world
Target of Many Critics.
Are Hordes OF critics lerelled ii
uta shafts at Grant from the time Of
of advent on the national stage u
his death on Mount McGregor.
,uld Cannon says. These critics could
ate nothing good in Grant-no milit
ght ability nc patriotic devotion. no m'
4, courage in the soldier while his
Dor ties were in progress. but were fOI
ion. to jon in the praise heaped on
n, when mis- victories were won.
General Grant refused to have
surrender AZ Appomattox CONNIE
rated in an historic painting rel
senting him as receiving the swor,
Won Lee, as General Gates is represeI
pos in the surrender OF Burgoyne at ST
ich- toga. in the monster painting WI
Of hangs in the Rotunda Of the Cal
OF here. Mr. Cannon is authority
in the statement that Grant n,
be / touched Lees sword.
the You are aware" SAYS Mr.. Can
ave- Ivthat the Federal Government