Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-05-17


esting and main part Of the show.
1t was really children's day as well
as flag day, and what more inspir.
ing sight can be witnessed than that
Of the American people dedicating
their youth to the cause of educa-
ton beneath the folds of the starry
emblem of our liberty. The fathers
and mothers and teachers may well
be proud, but the public officials in
charge have the highest hOnors of
all-they are the fathers of the fu-
ture If this nation.
THANKS.
State Supt. McElroy returned
thanks to all those who had assisted
to make 1t Il grand success, and es-
pecially to the visiting bands. Rev.
Doane pronounced benediction
and the procession moved back To
its starting point in good order.
THE JOURNAL will in a futher re-
port present the other speeches in
full.
HON. BISGER HERMAN's LETTER.
/ beg to acknuw ledge the receipt uI
! your kind invitation of recent date,
aud To thank you for the Suggestion
IN references to the flag raising over
he public school building in Salem.
Your ceremony by the Grand
| Army of the Republic is exceeding
~ appropriate. There is more than
! sentiment involved. There Is a
irluity Of the graudest combination:
The public School, the Flag of our
Country, and the Grand Army of
he Republic.
The common schools Of the nation,
may he said to be its corner stones.
fine public school is the dispeucer of
rducatiOn to the rich and the poor
alike-and like the great nation
which it educates, all within it are
equal. Here every young American
is enabled to read and understand
the constitution of the Union of
States, and the magma charta of our
liberties. The common school is the
beacon light to the Nation. 1t also
| lights the way of freedom.
The star spangled banner is the
| flag of freedom and the emblem of
our Republic. Wherever its ample
folds float to the breeze, there we be-
hold the symbol of the power, the
glory and majesty of the greatest
nation on the globe. Forty-two
stars are emblazoned upon its field
of blue; and furty-two sovereign
states watch with Jealous care that
each star in the grand constellation
shall have just and equal protection
of the whole
The Grand Army of the Repub-
lie stand 10y with patriotic hands to
unfurl this flag of freedom and raise
it aloft above the editice of the pub
tic school. Who OF all others are
better entitled to unfurl this sacred
banner than those who wore the
blue, and bore it amid its baptism Of
blood aud war, offering life aud limb
in defense of its lnsulted dignity.
To the Grand Army which is to
raise the flag, we look to find the
brave men who rushed To arms and
proved to the world that they loved
1t better than their lives. They
raised the same flag once before, but
it was when the world stood by, n
witness To deeds Of sublime heroism,
of exalted patriotism and of inde-
scribable sacrifices, of which the
historian records no equal.
Let us, then, who are the i'm
mediate iuheritors of the priceless
legacy they preserved to us and our
pUsterity, bear for these gallant men
our grateful remembrance aud
veueration for the brief period they
shall yet survive among us, and
then leave for all time To celebrate
in thanksgiving and In song the
glorious blessings they fought for
and won.
Thea raise the dear old flag, and
with il pronounce the prayer that II
may forever float in TRIUMPH as Il
protecting aegis over the liberties of
the people, aud the school houses of
the Republic, and, when the pat riotc
hands which preserved it shall all
| have crumUled TO dust, may the eX-
ample they set continue 10 inspire,
with patriotic ardor. endless genera
tions Of freemen yet unborn.
SENATOR DOLPH'S LETTER.
1t is proper that our flag, the en-
blem of our nationality and freedom,
should float over the building where
the youth to whom; in few years,
must be instructed for safe keeping,
the grandest and best government
ever devised by man, are being edu-
Gated.
our government Is founded upon
the viii of the people, and is subject
To change in accordance with their
will, orderly aud lawfully expressed.
lt has become nn aNiun III our poll
ties that the best guarantee Of our
liberties Is To be found In the iutelli-
geuce aud virtue of the people, ard
so the destiny of the nation is init
Ilately connected with its schools
No matter how great our national
prosperity may be, II will not neces-
sarily teno To the perpetuity Of our
free institutions, Vast territory,
great wealth and population, the
multiplication of the means of
transportation, deVelupement of
our great resources, aud the increase
of our internal aud foreign com.
nerce, all blessings, II properly used,
may prove Ia he sources of national
weakness. The character of its
citizens.
To make good citizens, the chill
dren must be educated and in
structed IN the principles Cf moral
ity aud Vi!tue. They must be
taught the character of our instltu-
tious, that they may appreciate
their value. They must he iutelli-
gent that they may know and be
prepared To perform their duties as
citizens; and understand, and be
able To defend their rights.
There is connected with the cere-
nlony of raising the national flag, a
sentiment which is one Of the lof
test that can animate the human |
breast, aud which should bo early I.