The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-31
This paper Is Democratic In principle
and Is Independent &m its Vteaos ON al
local questions.
A Day will a Lesson.

IN Oby Will a ACS5Ohs
There is one virtue which is so great
that it IAN glorify a bad cause SO in
disputably high that the materialist
can not degrade it, nor the idealist
overrate it-courage.
There is another which is held in
such regard that no n will confess
that he has none of it-gratitude. To
these two Decoration Day is sacred.
The courage of the soldiers whom the
Rebellion called into the field has
never been questioned the debt
which this generation yves to their
devotion-to their example, aside from
the results of their labors-cannot be
overestimated. If the crowds that
bore the flowers to the soldiers graves,
yesterday, were not mindful of these
things when they went out to the cere-
mony 1t is to be hoped that some con
sideration of them vas induced by
what was said and done. Such is the
purpose of the day and it is eminently
good. And more than that, from all
one sees and hears on Decoration Day
it is quite evident that the observance
does not fail of it's purpose.
The times in which we live are SO
given over to the hard considerations
of fact that one almost feels called
upon to apologize for any act inspired
by sentiment alone. Beautiful as is
the custom of decking dead heroes
graves, it cannot be impressed upon
an g like this except some utility
can be shown in 1t. But that is not
difficult. Something learned is some
thing gained: and who can fail to find
a lesson in the day? In spite of pessi-
mistic logic it is a fact that men will
do the right in preference to the
wrong except under strong tempta-
ton. To fix the standard of good is
then an eminently useful and practical
task, and it can be done in no way SO
impressively as by the public com
mendation of good deeds. The flowers
fall upon the soldiers resting place in
token of the general consent that he
has won an honorable place in popular
regard by his heroic devotion to u
good cause. That cause, in the
present instance, is Freedom. The
battle is not yer The single position
which the army struggled for is won,
and the visible shackles have fallen
from the limbs of a race. But the
fight must be resumed. The cause of
freedom needs to-day just such heroes
as died for it on the battlefields of the
rebellion and were honored In the ma
tion's remembrance yesterday. The
oppressor Of the poor, who will not re-
lax his hold upon the bodies of men;
the leaders of false doctrines which
enslave their souls; the corrupt politi-
clan, the boss who by foul means has
thwarted the will of the people and
threatened the right of the ballot-all
these and many more are drawn up
on the side of slavery, and it takes
courage to oppose them. Can we not
learn from those who gave their lives
in this great cause twenty-five years
ago, to help it on, with just such high
devotion as was theirs2 If Decoration
Day al teach us this, may its name
be blessed.
After the struggle of the Rebellion
have come a harmony and a fraternal
feeling which are the best encourage
ments in honorable strife. He who
wins his opponent to be his friend is
doubly conqueror, and in this sense
the North and South today are vic
tors, both. By honorable, peaceful
methods cannot such a victory be won
again, and the misguided leaders of
oppression in this latter day be made
to see that there is something better
than the unjust power they claim?
WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS has car
~tod hfo nofn+s arofucA RireooroL IN