The Livingston enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1914, 1892-06-04
DECORATION DAY.
1t was Fittingly Observed by Farragut
Post and Citizens of Livingston.

.
measure to the pleasant weather that
prevailed as we'll as to the carefully pre-
pared programme arranged by the com
mittees in charge of the exercises. Citi-
zens We'd with each other in assis ting
the members of the post in this annual
observance to the memory of departed
heroes. Business was generally sus-
pended, majority of the business men
closing their stores to participate in the
exercises during the afternoon.
Promptly at 1:3O the members of Far
ragut Post No. Z, assembled at post head
quarters in the Miles block and formed
in line Of march. The procession was
headed by carriage containing the ora
tor OF the day, E. G. Day, Esq, and Com
rade Dodge in charge of the floral offer
ings, followed by the Livingston Silver
band, the Uniform Rank of Odd Eel
lows, National Park lodge No. 10 A. o.
U. w., members of Farragut Post, cit-
zens on foot and in carriages The pro-
cession, under command Of Marshal of
the Day George L. Chambers, moved up
Main street to Park and west on that
thoroughfare to Third, presenting an
imposing appearance as it wended it's
way to the cemetery. Upon reaching
the cemetery the beautiful and impos-
ing burial service was conducted by
Chaplain r. E. Smith, after which the
graves Of departed veterans were deco
rated with the national colors and pro
In addition to these floral offerings a
large number Of citizens deposited flow
ers upon the graves of departed relatives
ard friends. The following are names
of veterans who are buried in the Liv
ingston cemetery: George Huston.
George Reeder, Il. Furnam, H. G. Bar
rett, Newton Seward, - Maxwell.
At the close of the ceremonies at the
cemetery the procession reformed and
marched to Fowlie's hall, which was
soon packed with the large concourse of
people assembled to witness the pro-
gramme at that place. Every available
portion of the room was utilized and
many, who arrived late, were compelled
to return to their homes through fail
ure to gain access to the hall. The ex-
ercises were opened with music by the
band, followed with prayer by Rev. r. E.
Smith. The services of the Post were
then conducted by Acting Commander
: Pierce Hoopes followed by singing by
the glee club, composed of Messrs. Men
tor Wetzstein, M. H. Brown, Edward
Baker and Charles LeBarre. The ora
tor of the day, Mr.. E. c. Day, was then
introduced and spoke as follows:
Mr.. Commander, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The defect in the American social sys-
tenn most strenuously pointed out by
our critics is it's materlalism. The fierce
strife for existence, the mad contest for
the almighty dollar, the abject homage
paid to the proud pOssessor OF millions,
so these critics tell us, are sapping the
real life blood of our nation. Honesty
has been displaced by shrewdness, pa
triotism by the greed of party place,
= while selishness and avarice everywhere
reign supreme. And yet, if a refutation
of this pessimistic view is necessary, one
needs only to point to the increased in
: terest in the observance of the nations
memorial days the chief of which we are
. assembled to celebrate. A nation, like
the individual, is marked by it's ideals
It's ideals are indicated by the sentiments
it holds most dear, and for which it is
willing to shed the most of It's blood,
and it's success is proportionate to the
progress made towards those ideals.
Measured by this standard we can meet
: our critics unabashed. Back of material
prosperity and activity lies freedom OF
pursuit and the unhampering Of individ
ual effort. Back of the marked progress
of the country is the growth of the citi
zen, and that growth and capacity OF
growth are to be found .in the funda
mental principle of our government
= '.that all men are free and equal" That
principle is our inheritance and in work
: ing it out lies our destiny And on this
o day, above all others, this memorial OF
Q that remarkable struggle for freedom, il
" " seems to me that we ought to consider
o the value of that inheritance and oul
duty towards 1T.
Four centuries ago the eager eyes oi
Columbus peered through the mists OF
: physical and intellectual slavery for the
site of that continent destined TO De
, freedoms home. Restless, dissatisfied
Europe was emerging from the shadow
of that period of darkness known in his
tory as the middle ages. An etfete chiv
airy had been put to shame by the prouo
. banner of light borne aloft by the peer
, less Joan of Arc The leaven of learn
ing created by the translation of thu
Bible by Wycliff had been quietly a
work in the mighty measures of meal o
British thought, and already the hum
i bier people were discussing around thei
own hearthstones the value of princes
priests and kings, that gave only thei
eldest sons to slaughter and returned tt
those firesides only misery and sorrow
By the discovery of printing and th'
translation of the bible in the common
tongue, the great barriers around th
classes of learning and ecclesiasticisn
had been swept away. These people, re