Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-06-07
GRAVES WE FORGOT TO
DECORATE.

freighted alike with sorrow and Joy
Grateful America, mourning for hel
fallen heroes and honoring her brave
defenders with flowers and songs, ora
tions and prayers. This We will annu
ally witness while the fires of patriot
ism burn upon the altar of American
hearts. 1t is as monument buildeC
and perpetuated in the memory, patri
otism and love of grateful people.
One hundred thousand soldiers graves
were decorated; perhaps one hundred
thousand more of friends who died a,
home, we're wreathed in flowers as the
highest tribute of respect surviving
friends could pay to the dust of those
they love SO we'll.
But larger number than this have
been forgotten-a number larger than
those who fell in battle. How did we
forget them? They, too, fell for their
country. Not to save it from disrupt
ion, but to fill its Golfers with gold, and
to save its administration from pass
ing into the hands of its enemies. .
They are not the victims of secession,
but of a business licensed and protect
| ed for the nation revenue. It may
be said that they are the victims of al
appetite for which the governm ent is
not responsible. This may in a sense.
| be true: but it must be remembered
that it is not l,ps,i,le for US to be IA
| ton of drunkardS If the national gov
| ernment prohibited the manufacture
sale and importation of Intoxicating
| liquors and enforce these laws with the
same vigor that it enforces other laws
Then the national government is re
sponsible for the legalized traffic in al
cohol. Why is it legalized by the gov
| eminent? To increase its revenue.
How many were killed on both sides
during the late war? Three hundred
thousand. How many have been killed
to increase the nations revenue since
the war? One million three hundred
and eighty thousand, or more than four
times the number that was killed on
both sides during the war.
Does the nation need this revenue?
No, she has now surplus in the treas
ury that she does not know what to do
with. Why then does not the nation
al government stop this business of
killing men in order to raise revenue
she does not need and cannot use when
raised? Because the government is
administered by one of two great parties
who hate each other bitterly, and be-
cause the men who are engaged in the
killing are making money out of it, and
swear to defeat the party that inter
feres with their business of killing,
and because millions of Christians who
pray for God to save men would rather
see a million more of their countrymen
20 down to hell than to see "the other
party in power" If the other party
referred to is the enemy of the gov
eminent as charged in the indictment,
and this is the only way to save the
government from falling into the hands
Of its enemies, then these men sacrl-
feed for such purpose are martyrs as
much so as those who fell in battle for
the union. They are the annual vic
tins offered upon the altar of nations
sacrifice
Now l do not believe that this sys-
TEN Of revenue is for the nations
good. Neither do [ believe that unal-
terable opposition to it "would turn
the government over to its enemies
But this is the argument We meet on
every hand, and, if it be true, then the
conclusion is irresistible that they are
martyrs. Then these patriotic souls so
DESTROYS of saving the country at so
great a cost, should hasten to repair as
quickly as possible the neglect of the
whole people in not strewing the graves
of these fallen ones with flowers.
The two great parties have learned
to regard each other as enemies to the
government. This is a wrong view.
They simply have different ideas as to
the best methods of administering the
affairs of the government. Not the
feeling that it is for the greatest good
Of the people, but party prejudice and
hate cause Christian men to cast their
votes with parties whose policy towards
this traffic is protection. This means
the continued sacrifice of $4,000 men
every year. This large army of men
are not led by daring heroes to victory.
They do not fall in glorious conflict to
return with honors amidst showers of