New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-30

wider in his ambition by beslavering the ont
to which he does not belong with unmeanini
praise. He will compliment the Southern Army
who killed the men upon whose graves n'
stands; or being d Southerner, he Will damn tut
Yankees with faint praise. The speeches OF the
| political leaders on both sides last Decoration
Day would make O foreigner wonder Ii there
had really ever been anything more than
slight disagreement between the sections, ana
what cause could have filled these myrlads OF
bloody trenches. If all these honey1uglina
orations Ito borrow a word from war tlmes)
arose from hearty feeling of forgiveness anu
good fellowship, they would be the most whole
some symptom of our social condition. but
they are made nv Ofice-seekers very rarely by
the men who fought in the war, or who lost by
it.
THE tribune, at the time when in gust oil
loval fervor the day was made legal holiday,
ventured to question tho expediency CT such
action. 1t foretold exactly what has come to
pass: that the solemn anniversary whose
simple, pathetic ceremonies originated In the
hearts of II few loving women, would be speed
ily debaSed into an occasion for drinking, street
parades and unlimited buncOmbe. There Is
only one way to rescue it from its present con
diton and to preserve it sacred to the memory
of the noble dead. The TRIBUNE also pointed
out this way two years ago and was warmly
seconded by the intelligent and thougDtlul
part of the nation. Ii is, to keep the day sacred,
not to the memory of the victims OF the CIVIL
war alone but of the brave beloved dead every
where We have no wish to saw Il word III dlS-
arrangement of the soldiers who died for the
Union or for the COnfederacy but 1t must be
admitted tiiat when we pay equal respect to the
Federal or Rebel private, the lesson OF loyalty
% the Government must he wholly lost /; it is
only the brave man we honor. under whatever
FLAG he died Why not then, the brave man
who died in the war of the revolution, the AZ
of 1872. the war with Mexico2 Why not the
hero who never fired a gun, but who went down
to a humble death to save the victims OF the
pagnel Why not the engineer who gave his
own life to save Il tram Why not honor, III Il
word those courageous souls, whether men or
women. everywhere who have lived noble, IN
selfish LIVES and died in the long effort to help
their brother man, to make the world lighter
and better aud the road to God through 1t
easier to their poor and unfortunate brothers
There is not one of us who does not know some
such one let us lay flower upon his grave
and tell the reason why we do it to on chill
dren. They shall learn thereby not only that
the man who dies in battle for his country Is to
I've honprri. but that there are other services 20
mankind as high and heroic which also deserve
respect.
There are FORGOTTEN graves in every viii
lage churchyard where rest men and women
who lived quiet patient, helpful lives and died
without recognition. Let us who owe them
much give them the poor reward of flower
and grateful remembrance to-day. BY such
widening of it, meaning the day can be kept
sacred and worthy OF the feeling that prompted
IT.