The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-02-20


club has been trained. The club was
enchored, and rendered s'The Break
OF Day"
DIR. T. j. Davis. who acted as the
president Of the evening, delivered
the following address:
The world. SO long as it can be NOV
ed by sympathy and exalted by fancy
Will not let die the tender strains and
pa1heGlc Tres of true song. Neither
the lab0rl0us tolls of the husband
man, the noises of factories, or the
Speculablons Of the tradeSman, in this
utllIIarlan age. have as yet drowned
the sound Of the Tyre or quenched the
passionate fires OF poetry. And body
workers and brain-wOrkers still con-
tinue TO turn, in their hours OF relaXa-
tiOn, TO the charms Of recitatiOns and
song. Because Of this, the EiStedd-
fOd still lives as fresh in the heart and
memory OF everyCymrO as when 1T was
first instituted. in the sixth century,
by Iallesyn, chief of bards, at Tegan-
wy, North Wales. There has never
been a community or nation that has
not had Us festivals or national hO1-
days, and which owed much TO Them
IN the early days of our christian era
such gatherings were more important
for hIgner civilization than. multiple
bonds OF union
As thell history shows, marked
influence on the segregated states OF
Greece was produced by their common
festivals, The Olympic, Pythian and
Nemean games. To these the HELEN
ic races We're admitted, and none 9TH
er, as competitors for the prizes given.
The right to contend was highly es-
teemed. Each state habitually sent
representatives, and so did colonies
when scarcely any other tie was main
tanned with the mother-cOuntry.
1t could not be but that The assoc
iating thus. as members Of one fami-
ly on equal footing, did keep alive TO
some extent, feeling OF common n
teresI. Whatever their dissenbi0ns
among themselves, as against the rest
OF the world they We're Of one blood:
they madea clear distinction between
Greeks and Barbarians, and their na-
tiOnal games helped to draw this line
of sepera ion and to draw them TO
each other.
Among the Romans there were ma
ny festivals. private and public, and
the latter were fixed. movable or oc-
casiOnal, and were divided into days
Of sacrifice and days Of banQuet1ng,
days Of games and days of rest. Some
OF these 1eaSts were celebrated With
very great pOmp.
But The character of a festival like
this is very different from those par
ticipabed in by the Greeks and Ro-
mans, hence the teachings and results
are different. With them the deveI-
Opment Of physical prOwess was pre-
dominating feature, and as a result
scenes were often enacted that were
revolving to persons Of culture and
refinement.
While your festival is an intellect
ual feast, at whose shrine the lovers of
music, poetry, recitation, and oratory
meet on neutral ground TO compete
for honor in these several departments.
Competition at such festival Is
cOmmendable, and its teachings IN de-
Yeloping taste for pure literature
and music cannot be otherwise than
elevating. Its remarkable how Pro
violence has. in all ages, brought up
on thSStage of action true and loyal
men in every great national emergen-
cy. In his generation, Luther was
the most conspicuous figure, and the
grand work he did had much to dc
towards moulding the character OF
that people, and placing Germany TO
day in the forefront Of European ma
lions. America is no exception TIC
this general rule. In her days OF
small beginning and struggle for lib
erty, Washington rendered valuable
service to the infant republic, fol-
which succeeding generations have
reVered his memory. Later on, when
her existence was again in peril, Lin
coin was called to stand at the helm
to guide our ship of state through an
internecine war for four long weary
wears. And right grandly did he
with his field marshalls conduct heI
into the harbOr Of peace. His name
viii be held in grateful remem brance.
for all time, by the American people.
especially so by the black race, whose
shackels he unlO0sened. Mention was
made Of his cp-l0bOrers in the field
one OF the noblest Of which has just
crossed the dark river and Joined hi
comrades on the opposite shore. To.
day our natsonal ensign is hung
aGhalf mast and the nation
mourns the death Of the last
of the grand galaxy Of her general:
| Grant. Sherman. Sheridan, Meao
and ThOmas-who rendered such con-
spiciOQs service TO their country dur
ing that memorable struggle. zen.
! Sherman was one of the greatest gen
erals Of his generation. and one OF the
grandest patriots that ever coun-
Gry has produced. He viii be missed
more by the men that wear this but
! ton at their camp-fires than any NAL
living. May we not, my coun1ry-men
at this annual gathering, express Oul
grief, with that of the nation VINO
| mOurns the departure Of her great SOL
and Of the survivors Of the battle
SCARED veterans whom he led to VIC
tory and peace. The name IallesyI
/ is a household word TO every Welsh
man and viii be remembered and hon
Ored for all time by the Celtic race
/ An investigation Of the social, pOlIbI
cal and moral status Of BrIbOn at 6ht
time Of the inauguration Of the Els
teddf0d reveals the urgent necess1I.
of the blishment of such a nation
al gathering. By thus drawing TO
gether, at stated periods, the bes1
blood of the race, with It's eleyatIng
tendencies and moral teachings, L
has done much toward prolOnging TIT
life of the nation on the high plain L
| hoe maintained Tho cy0nd he did IL