Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-05-17
MEMORIAL DAY.
General Order No. 10 Committees
Appointed for Observance of
the Day at Wa-Keeney.
HEADQUARTERS G. A. R,
DETROIT. Mich. April "a, 1890.


General Order, No. IS.
Again Memorial Day will call us to as
semble to pay our tribute of respect. love
and veneration for the heroic dead. No
sight so quickens the heart of the veter-
an as to see the children with their bas-
kets of flowers at the grave of his COM
rades. Why is it that we observe Memo
rial Day after the lapse of these many
years? No legislature ordered it, no
governor directed it, yet in every state Of
this Union it is religiously and reverently
observed. It is custom no other nation
or people ever followed. All nations have
honored their soldiery; they have well
coined home their victorious armies with
many demonstrations of love and affec-
ton. Monuments have been reared to
perpetuate their memories. It has been
left to the American volunteer soldiery
to inaugurate Memorial Day.
Better than all monuments, better than
all triumphal arches, better than all stat
utes, is this beautiful tribute.
Better by far that this country have no
granite shafts than to forget this sacred
day. 1t is living, breathing patriotism,
renewed each year. It is monument re-
built annually in the hearts of the people.
Granite or bronze monuments are erected
but once. 1t is by far the best lesson of
loyalty that could be taught to the chill
- 1. H.
women of the nation.
Better for the Nation that its children
and youth remember this day than that it
have armies as large as those of all
Europe.
No war of disunion will come to this
country so long as it observes Memorial
Day, which, securely entrenched in the
hearts of the people, will make the gov
eminent safer than a myriad of forts
'bristling with cannon.
It matters little how large or small
may be our standing army, if we give to
the people the education this day teaches.
1t is day which the people themselves
created. 1t is founded upon the best and
hottest sentiments of our nature.
At Gettysburg Lincoln said: ave have
come to dedicate portion of that field as
final resting place for those who gave
gave up their lives that the nation might
live. 1t is altogether fitting and proper
that We should do this. But in a larger
sense we can not dedicate, we can not
consecrate, we can not hallow this
ground" And so each year, on the 30th
of May, as we gather TO dedicate anew
the hallowed ground, where rest the
brave-we, in a higher sense, can not ded
icate, we can not consecrate, We can not
hallow the ground-the brave men who on
a hundred battle fields gave their lives
that the nation might survive, have con-
secrated it far beyond our power to add
or detract.
It is for us to dedicate ourselves to the
the work Of perpetuating the Union they
preserved-the country they saved-to
the end that their devotion, which ended
with their lives, shall not have been in
vain.
It is earnestly recommended that such
posts as can not jointly attend Memorial
Services at the cemeteries, or other ap-
propriate places, hold such services in
their post halls or other convenient places
and invite all patriotic citizens to join
them. BY order of
Il. A. ALGER,
Commander-in-Chief
GEO. A. HOPKINS,
Adjutant- General