Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-07-12

I lNDIANAPoLTs Ind, July s. The
= Loyal Legion OF Indiana met here yes
3 terday in annual session Prominent
. members of the order were present from
, oil points Of the Union. The grafton Of
. the day was delivered by Hon. George
r Peck, OF Kansas Following is an
extract from the speech:
Companions, Ladies' and Gentlemen,
From the distant West, the historic. fruitful
and now peace1nl fields OF our first civic
strife. bring you salutation and greeting.
The day and the occasion are happily mated.
From immemorial times, men who have
borne arms have enjoyed certain dlstinc-
ton, the tribute that human nature yields
to those who have played the big stakes OF
life and death. Responsive TO. or. perhaps,
created by this sentement ID the tendency OF
those who have been In the stress and riyor
OF the game 10 look back with n feeling
which Is panty love and partly pride on the
old days and the old cause.
1t matters little that many seasons have
passed since arms were stacked: nor that
we, who where young and gay. have felt the
frost In our 5Oints and on youthful forms tho
rust OF the mplacable years The soldier
must not question fate. This much Is oars:
to know that II eyes beam somewhat less
brightly and heads reveal the gray autunnnal
touch. the things that once were dear are
precious yet. and the faith of other days has
not departed.
The Loyal Legion signifies. to us at least.
that loyalty Is virtue which should never
| go out of fashion. 1--we OF country Is not,
and should not be, q sentiment that responds
only to the bugle and the drum. II il indeed
true that the finest impulses lie dormant,
waiting ths call that shall transmute them
into vital convictions But yet It is also true
n Ia haaf nHOVr IVEyh I, hs.
common every. day affection Of its people,
In peace as we'll as In war.
The people OF the United States call them.
selves Americans, claiming the name OF the
continent to mark their aspirations
and their destiny. But what is that
ideal feeling We sometimes call "the
American spirlt?" Surely 1t Is not q selfish
lust OF possession; the vulgar satisfaction
OF knowing that we inhabit an imperial do.
main, and that no one must trcspass on
what we call our own. Some better re son
must be In our hearts, some truer feeling
must inspire our lives, before we can know
what patriotism Is. Even the brute loves
his own jungle. he tiger will fight to the
death for the greensward On which 1t has
played, or the spr ng Mt which IL has
quenched Its tn rst. only men fight for a
sentiment; only men give up their lives for
The things they have not seen. Fields OF
W .
any sun that yields Its compelling rays Tho |
naivest care; not what sickle shall reap It.
Nature Is calmly indiff rent, deal ng ou' the /
rude justice OF the seasons and hee5.hg not !
the losses nor the gains. But men think; |
they alone have "that large discours, look.
ing before and after" which Is the real
basis OF moral responsibility. The true
American loves not simply the United
States, but til It for which the United States
stands. The American flag is something
more than harmon lous blending of colors
Who has not felt the awe and mystery that
dwell in holy en- rlems? What faith has not
been quickened by signs and symbols that
represent those invisible and eternal things
OF which human lips can never rightly
speak? The United States Is greater In what
1t means than in what 1t Is.
The Declaration Of independence is lncom.
parably the greatest, wisest and c!earest
statement Il human rights ever put upon
paper. and IL Is a curious fact that neither
the men who framed 1t nor their ccntempo-
raries were always successful when they
put their hands to the pen. The articles OF
confederation were, IRON the first, hope
less failure. Ten amendments to the Consti.
tuition were made almost Immediately aft r.
ts adoption, two shortly atterwari, ind
inally .as you know too well three more were
written in blood Even now there are many
respects In which It doubtless could be i'm.
proved. But tue Declaration of Independ. :
'nce remains forever lone entire and per-
ect chrysOlitc." and Is confessedy the ue )
gospel OF our freedom, the true standard of G
american rights. In that great statement of G
he equality Of men 1 s found the best medi- I
Inc for National disease, the best balm for /.
he hurts and bruises Of the body polite.
means equality of opportunity; Just q
hare In the gifts of nature; q fair chance o
n the race of life under laws thut n
II have helped to make. The right to these I,
hings Is inallenable. They can neith"r be
lken away nor can they voluntarily be II
iven mp. for the Declaration Of Independ- G.
nee means that you can not rightfully L
lake your brother u slave even by his own a
onsent. In short, this great charter, In the :,
mes and between the lines, declares that u
he golden rule OF legislation and govern. Il
ent, like the golden rule OF human con- IL
net, Is the unselflsh recogn itlon OF the ~
ghts OF others. 1t Is high ideal; too high =
srhaps for the eighteenth or nineteenth ce
injury, but not too high for tho age that Is OF
'ming, when the ashes OF the dead shall IA
ossom In hopes made real, and the blood n,
martyrs shall crimson the flower that "a
nth sets In the wreath OF the lmmortals. IN
might say, II II were right to CT
y any thing, OF somewhat effuslvc joy
ut marked recent tribute to great sol. n,
or, who gave his name and his sword to a =
use we believe to be un:peakably wrong, !l'
y not for US 70 decide how far - iiltaty DO
III or personal character can icss.n the
Iit OF treason. But Of this, oh, loyal fol
ara bc SIRE, peltheT brcnzs nor marble -
a endure long enough to change y.
ong into right. nor to cure the broken OF
n OF Robert f. Lee Some day, perhaps. Tn
other colossal form will stand by the side M,
his, grand, massive and heroic, tho statue "a
one who simply thought that soldiers %
GIFTED word meant what Il said; man oe'
o spoke little OF his honor, but kept 10 at
Iniess as the snow; soldier of the an. Stu
ne type. the greatest son Virginia gave to NJ
war-George II. Thomas, the Rock of We
ckamauRa.