Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-05

country. They died that we might live.
This great united nation, with its secure
| liberties, with its magnificent future, is
| the heritage of these heroes of the Civil
War. Happy the nation for whose welfare
her sons are not afraid to diel
Why David DID Not Drink
Now see what David did when the men
came back, bringing the cup of water. He
would not drink it. He took that battered
cup as if it were the silver chaliee of
sacrament and poured the water reverently
out upon the ground, like libation in q
sacrifice. But why? 1t was the same
water of which David had drunk before
often and earelesslv. The look oft, the
taste of it, had not been changed. 1t was
common cup of common water, Again and
again at Bethlehem, beside the well, one
friend and another had given David the
same kind of cup filled with the same Kind
of water, and he had never thought of
refusing it. 1t was very good water, but 1t
had never occurred to him before that there
was anything sacred about it.
But now he would not drink it. Now IL
was somehow different, consecrated. He
cound only stand, thirsty as he was, and
pour it all out unon the ground. with tears
in his eyes. Why? Was it not because
IndI cup OF water 0dQ become Tie sVHDOI or
bravery and devotion? The cup meant
love.
That is what the graves mean which lay
marked with flags to-day in all the eeme-
teries. Sacred graves! Symbols OF the
love that brave men had for liberty for
union, for our country! 1t was well to
scatter the flowers upon them and to sing
hymns of freedom over them. and to stand
beside them reverent as David stood. We
may not have known the man who laid
down 80 years ago in this grave or that,
weary with the fighting of our battles; even
his name may have a strange sound in our
ears. But he was soldier; he was one Of
the heroes, who for our sake broke through
the host which compassed us about and
brought us the water of national life out OF
the we'll of liberty. Honor to him, and
gratitude, and reverent remembrancel
Politicians and Patriotic So disrs.
Would that men might love their country
in the DAYS of peace as these men loved it in
the days of war, and be willing to give
their lives still in Its service, not by dying,
but BY living for its welfare. Sometimes it
seems as if the patriots, having saved the
nation, had given over its best interests for
safe keeping to the politicians. There is
this difference between the good patriot and
the bad politician; the patriot fights not for
himself, but the politician fights for himself
only, first and last and all the time.
1t is the bane of this nation, in our great
cities, in the administration of our State
governments, in the concerns of the whole
country which center in the Capitol at
Washington, that the men are few who
serve as David's heroes did; or as they did
our heroes-whom we have In grateful
memory; for love not of themselves but OF
a leader, Of a great cause, or of great
country. Vampires they are, who are suck
ing the life blood of this nation for whose
honor the veterans who laid last week
beneath the flags and the flowers, shed the
best blood of their lives.
Every man in every office whose main
purpose it is to get our money without Civ
ing us any useful service Tor it, every poll
tician in every party whose feet are swift
in pursuit of plunder, who fights for vic
torv oniy that he may steal atterward, is q
traitor to the country. He is rebel. He
must be met and whipped as we met whole
armies Of men a thousand times better than
he is, and sent them flying, in the Civil
War.
A Battle Fought Wfh Ballots.
He is a spy sneaking in the camp that he
NAV betray the cause OF our Israel into the
hands of the Ptilistines. He must be fought
not with bullets but with ballots. 1t is q
great Inlng 10 De SOOu sOluicI' IL 10 On
even greater thing to be good citizen. It
is a great thing to die for ones country-a
great and glorious deed is that-but it is
even greater and more glorious, yes, and
more difficult to live ior ones country, to
love ones land and nation with a love so
true that when national interests and per-
sonal interests come into conflict the per-
sonal interests sink out of sight. Thirty years
ago " e needed soldiers, and men came forward
counting even the love of home less than
the love of country. To-day the great need
is for citizens. We have enough men In
this nation, counting men as the census
taker counts them, but what we want is not
more men but more man. We want men whom
no manner of party allegiance, no persua-
sion of political alliance, no bribes nor
threats can induce to follow any leader who
purposes to leal them against the interests
of this great nation.
Perish the Democratic partvl Perish the
Republican party! IT the leaders OF either
one put plumber in the place of patriotism,
plan for their own mercenary interests
against the welfare of the country, and so
turn rebel Higher than any party IS the
United States of America, over which may
the God of nations. year upon year, extend
his protecting benediction.
GEORGE HoDGEA