The Oskaloosa herald., 1892-12-01

ed the only refrain that breaks the still
ness of the Sombre night. The lights of
the ambulance corps-tiickering faint
ly through the darkness as the faithful
attendants go hither and thither, seek
ing by the sound of pain heard here
and there, to find and relieve the suffer
ing, while those escaping the sacrifice
of the day know but little rest; but must
be busy preparing again for the onset,
snatching for the moment little sleep,
or anon taking the simple meal to give
strength of body and steadiness of
nerve, to repeat the work of carnage,
and when finally successful, or unsuc-
cessful, to lie down again by another
camp fire, to dream of comforts of home
and friends, whichnO man ever enjoyed,
except i'll dreams) around an actual
camp fire in actual army life.
The question now comes unbidden to
our lips.
HAS THE RESULT PAID THE COST?
Or was the sacrifice in vain? In the
general progress of civilization alone,
can we find satisfactory answer. Dis
guise it as we may, no great change for
the betterment of our race has come
only through contention and strife. No
advance in thought, save through Op-
position, contumely, and cruel persecu
ton. Not in politics or religion, or
yet in the field of scientific research,
has the pathway of progress been free,
only as it has been fought out through
the fires of opposition always attended
by ''man's inhumanity to man" Thus
we found it in the contest for liberty
in the early days of the cOlOnieS-sO we
found it in the contest that we re-
member now; thus it has ever been
since the first glimmerings of desire
for freedom flashed through the hearts
of our barbarian ancestors as they roam
ed over Northern Asia. Yet, in the face
of all opposition, the march of civiliza-
tiOn has been
ONWARD AND UPWARD
until now the white winged angel of
Peace has spread her wings, about to
hover over all the nations and protect
them from grim visaged war.
We here tonight, somewhat uncOn
sciOusly perhaps, but none the less truly,
celebrate one of the steps i'll the grand
march of prOgre s, destined to bring
the nations to recognize, adopt and
practice the principle of arbitration So
| nearly is this millennium come, that the
black cloud of war so long threatening
Europe with devastation and death is
already receding, promising in the early
future to dissolve like the miStS of the
morning.
To-day our country counts 65,OOO,OOO
of people Next year there will as
semble within the very center of our
domain, the representatives of every
civilized nation on the globe; here to
compare notes of the past; here to ex-
hibit specimens of their skill; here each
to vie with the other in devotion to the
cause of humanity.
This very day there sits in the an
cient city of Brussels an international
Congress the president of which is an
honored son of our own country, and
one of the chief actors is a citizen of
our own state of Iowa. Next year in
Chicago it will be congress not tor
one question alone, but there will then
assemble the wit, the beauty, the strength
of the civilized world; and sitting,
queen of them all and over all will be
our own fair Columbia. That this
might be so, you went forth to war
that over all the grand gatherings OF
the wealth and wisdom of the world
there might float the flag of our com
mon country, one and undivided, al
American flag waving to the breeze
over all. For this grand consummatiOr
you and others Comrades, in common
cause, offered up all that made life dear
: but for that offering it could not have
! been. Has it paid the cost?
|, Go where you will. read the utterance'
of the men who make history ever!
+ where, and you find the statement O
!. Bismarck verified-''the United State:
is the most prosperous, the most intlu
entail, the wealthiest nation in tn,
earth" without your offering this could
not have been. Has it paid the cost
Had not the loyal sons of the North
! aided by the loyal sons of the South
answered to Father Abraham's call fo
100000 more and still thrice 10000
more, this flag would have trailed in tn
dust. This nation would have passe,
into history-and upon its ruins woult
; have risen a hundred petty states s-ad
instead of six billions of treasure AM
two millions of lives sacrificed, tn
whole fabric would have fallen; tn
wealth of the nation would have bee
wasted; life would not have been wort
the living; republican institution
would have existed only in history
democracy would have been a by-wor
!, among the nations, and the hopes c
!. human freedom set back for centurie
: Then, my Comrades, may we not mos
I surely give thanksP Although we ma
d not have secured every result desires
0 although the contention for truth an
+. right principle still goes on, let us nj
n adopt the pessimistic view of thing
S but rather the optimistic, Keeping stea'
d lily in view the grand object of huma
freedom for which we fought and b
h lieving in its ultimate success. "a
: plause was given the speaker sever
a times9