The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-26
A VISION OF THE FUTURE.

10 tue Euitof VI the Edsic
| The battle was over. No one held the
field but the oying and the dead. Here
and there among the fallen figures were
passing to and fro, ministering to the
suffering or, sometimes, robbing the
dead.
1t was night, calm, clear, beautiful
night; but along the west the clouds lay
in dark bank.
Almost against the breastwork where
all day the rebel lines had held back the
Union forces there lay soldier CT the
north, shot through the breast. Beside
him knelt comrade, striving to slanch
the flow of blood.
"No use, old man." said the wounded
This is my last fight. am not sorry
that die for my country; I regret moth
ing except that cannot fight for her
until the end
but you will not need me. The cloud
that shut out the future from my vision
has disappeared, and see our country
as she will be. 1t is a glo-
rious vision! She has put down rebellion
and blotted slavery from her shores. l
see her rising from the ashes of this con-
fict thousand times more beautiful.
Her flag shows radiant with the light of
freedom, and Its stars number more than
two score. l see her people grown rich
and happy, their influence extending
throughout the world. see her planting
her foot upon the evil and exalting the
good and true.
Il see her moving fearlessly on toward
the highest pinnacle of civilization, and
the pen of history writes that never be-
fore were such achievements; never be-
fore was such advancement, such moral
ity, such success. All men are looking
to her to lead them into the millennial
dawn
The crimson life was still ebbing from
his breast. He stopped a moment, ex-
hausted by his effort. When he began
his voice was lower and his words slower.
"But cannot see whether this shall
be her proud lot or not The light is
DINNER now, and her destiny seems
hung about with mist. Yet l can see
that she is threatened with an awful
danger. l see that false leaders have
arisen ard are seeking to draw away the
people from the principles of our gov
eminent. | see that nothing is sacred
from their attacks.
''The ban is upon the freedom of the
press and upon free speech. They have
sought to rob our people of their right of
and free speech. They are
seeking to consume patriotism in the
fires Of class prejudice. They are seek
ing 20 transform "a conglomerate society
into a vast machine moving at the inn
pulse of a central power they term
the government. The memory of
our glorious leaders has been
villified by them, and their
hands are joined with those who .ought
to overthrow the nation. Virtue and in
tegrity are their laughing stock, and
their hands are raised even against re-
ligion.
My comrade, you will see the day
when this shall be. When these false
leaders come amongst you, when by
their wiles and treachery they seek to
turn our people to their way, when their
voice is raised denouncing those WHO
saved the land and crying that we must
begin anew, when they preach COM
munism and anarchy in your midst and
seek to destroy the bulwarks of our free
dom; then, my comrade, in the memory
of the days when you stood beneath the
folds of the dear old flag, for which l
die, fighting for freedom and our peo-
pie, 90 forth and meet them. Stand
against them in the name Of Freedom,
in the name of God. Oppose them for
your homes, your wives, your children;
for the happiness Of your land. Drive
them from your Must, and let no
blight of unbeIief and doubt sully
the folds of our radiant banner.
If you fail, my comrade, the light of our
nation will go out in utter darkness and
her great mission be unfultilled. o, save
lNr from their evil, rescue her from
their greed. Save our people. save
them"
1.-The last drop had flowed from his
patriot heart, and it was still. With
his passing breath plea for the safety
of the people he SO loved. the hero drop
ped back into his comrades arms, at rest
forever; and on the morrow they wrap
ped his country's flag around him and
laid him in 1.-THE last camping ground"
Men Of Kansas. That hero's Split
stands among You now. The vision that
passed before his dying eyes has been
fulfilled. The plea he made as his sonl
went up to God falls on your ears today.
Hear it! Rise in your might and crush
out from our midst the germs of destruc-
ton that are sprou.ing even now They
will grow quickly, now Is the time.
Save fair Kansas from their enfiuence
today and you annihilate them. Let
. tay, ey,raad they urill cf.r, sflrp.a the life