The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-17

Organization is not only to perpetuate the
love and affection of the army, but to
teach and perpetuate love or government
and loyalty, aud hence our organization
means more than an aggregation of old
soldiers for their own amusement end
pleasure. 1t is to teach the rising genera
ton, by contact and recital, what it cost
to make the government what it is today.
MAY not be permitted to say that all the
fruits of our service can be frittered away,
destroyed, utterly lost to coming genera
tions, by missfeps in the management and
direction of our affairs of state. aud that,
under our form of government, while we
are soldiers yet il is the duty of everyone
of US to be a statesman also? 1t was
said by Napoleon that think.
ing bayonet is the most dan
gerous subject of the throne; but in
our country the thinking bayonet was the
salvation of the republic; The man who
serves his country in the time OF war,
buckling on the sword carrying the mus
ket and manning the battery, offering his
life as sacrifice upon her altar that she
may live, may always be trusted with the
affairs of state rather than the one who
sought the life of the nation. Notwith-
standing he may have sought and applied
legislative balSam TO remove the dark
spot. yet,
" 'You may break, you may shatter the vase if
".But the scent of the roses will linger there
still
"This being the case may not properly
admonish you to put none but patriots.
tried and true, on guard. Twenty seven
years have passed since the great struggle
ended. Our youngest have grown into
manhood, and SO another duty has fallen
upon us-that of insuructlng and teach
ing the children of soldiers what it
cost to save the government. and
the lessons of loyalty that in
struction carries with it. From the earliest
days it mas been the custom of nations TO
pension the heroes of war, and early in the
life of our nation our congress adopted
that system and today by reason OF the
patriotism of distinguished statesmen, We
have the most generous and magnanimous
pension payments of any government
IT'S true, it has been severely criticized,
but principally by men whose loyalty has
at times been under a cloud, whose devo-
ton to our governments has been ques-
toned; whose service in times OF war has
been by proxy, and whose devotion to the
cause of the Graud Army of the Republic
has been marked by distinguished insults.
These are men calling themselves patriots
who fish and picnic on memorial day, and
those whose acts during the war are writ
ten in the record of some reasonable Sc
cret organization such rs the Knights of
the Golden Circle or the Sons of Liberty.
They are neither puritan or cavalier. They
now. There is no union soldier or
sailor who was true to his couu
try during the war who is not
true to his country today, and do not be-
lieve or take any stock in the assertion so
often made by those opposed to the pen
sion list of the government, that it is tine
tured with fraud and Misrepresentation
upon the major, or upon any other part Of
the pensioners.
Il have been detailed by Garfield Post
No IS, G. A. r.. department of Kansas, TO
welcome you. and you are welcome. | am
commended by the good people of this city
to extend their welcome. 1t is extended
and you are welcome. The freedom of
this city is yours. The freedom of our
homes is extended The hospitality of our
brave men, the fair winsome ladies, the
la ughing children, all say welcome The
long waving branches overhanging our
broad, cool avenues are reckoning to you
and giving a nod of welcome. The sigh |
ing winds, rustling through our cotton |
woods, whisper welcome, welcome, well |
come Grand Army of the Republic. !
saviors of our country, the perpetrators of |
our institutions, the devotees Of the flag, !
welcome, welcome"
Colonel Hallowell's address was received !
with great favor and he was interrupted |
many times with storms of applause which |
threatened the destruction of the tent. |
Towards the close of his speech the en-
thusiasism was at it's height and cries of |
that's the stuff, fire away again" and |
kindred exclaimations came from every |