St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-18
ROBERT LINDBLoM's GIFT.
Presentation Of the Trophy That
the Societies Will Sing For.

Presentation Of the Trophy That
the Societies Will Sing For.
While the babble of tongues was at
its highest. four men entered the hall
bearing aloft what seemed to be plain
white cloth. The singers cheered again.
They knew that the white cloth covered
the Lindblom banner. The officers of
the society ranged themselves behind
the trophy. Robert Lind6lOm stepped
forward and presented it to the Organi-
zation.
Association with margins, puts and
calls on the Chicago board of trade has
not prevented Mr.. Lindblom from be-
coming an eloquent speaker, with deep,
poetic feeling. In the beginning he
said:
Whatever may be said, pro and con,
on the proposition to AmericaniZe and
amalgamate the different natiOnalities
landing on these shores as soon as it
can possibly be done, no criticism what
ever can reasonably be offered against
maintaining the social features which
are dear to every good man and woman
who has had a home and a native
country.
1.-THE man or woman who leaves the
old homestead, where the mother
rocked the old cradle; where the first
impressions on memory were made;
where love and hope budded into youth
and maidenhOOd and drank deep into
the springs of unalloyed affection, and
does not bear with him through all
chimes and conditions a corner cOnSe-
Grated to the sacred memories Of home,
is not a good citizen of any country.
America does not bid her adopted
sons and daughters to forget their
natural mother. but she only asks that
in the new home, sought in preference
to the old, the new mother should
occupy the seat of honor, and that the
worship of the old should not be done at
the expense of duty to the new"
Proceeding, Mr.. Lindblom said they
had not come to organize any Clan-na-
gael conspiracy or to introduce Malta
methods. but to meet old friends and to
revel in the rapture of northern. song.
Northern mythology lneulcated the doc
trine of noble rivalry. The old Morse
men considered it disgrace to die in
bed. They got their best friends"
he continued, Ito run sword through
their body. or they would fall upon
their own swords when they found old
age making inroadS on their powers;
and then when they died they went to
their heaven, to Valhalla, where they
had a roasted boar and fresh barrel of
mead on tap every morning, and they
drank and ate all they wanted; and
then about base ball time they buckled
on their armOr and fought and killed
each other; but the next morning they
were all alive again to repeat the feast.
They had a good time-much better, in
my opinion, than to be continually
climbing golden stairs and bearing
golden harps. OF course l don't speak
from experience. l am sure, however,
that emulation has stimulated northern
heroism, and that the heroic age is still
the age of rivalry"
When he first met the United Singers
his Northern ancestry prompted him to
stimulate noble rivalry. lie went on to
say that the union of the singers meant
much for the race. Then he compll-
mented the singers on their superiority
over most races in physique, in morals,
in education, in general excellence. He
prepared to take fall out of Christian
ity, calling it but the product of a
dream, but passed on to other subjects.
| He recommended the young men to
study Ignatius Donnelly. Recurring to
the subject of the banner, he said:
"And now, Mr.. President and men,
bers of the United Scandinavian Sing
ers, have the pleasure of presenting
to YOU this banner to be disposed of by
YOU. | trust it will meet your eXpecta-
ton. | have disregarded the wishes of
many of your members that my name
should be prominent on it, and ! trust
You will see the propriety of this. In
this glorious business of ours we all do
our part, and we each give what we
have to give. One gives his time and