The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-06-06

4
stitution and to preserve the nation.
1t is fit that we strew flowers on their
graves; we who know what they
faced, the hardships and dangers they
endured, their bravery and their
worth. 1t is fit also for those not in
the army, who enjoy the fruits of their
labor that they too, strew flowers on
these graves and deck this monument.
This is beautiful ceremonial,
this strewing flowers once year on
the graves of the nations defenders
of thus showing the love and respect
of comrades and the love of the peo-
pie and their appreciation of the work
which these men and we did and their
gratitude for their valor and patriot
ism.
What is Decoration Day Mem
orial Day, as it is now called u like
Decoration Day best-when and how
did it originate, will it be kept up,
and for how long?
Decoration, or Memorial Day Is the
Both of May, set apart by and es-
tablished by the commander in chief
of the Grand Army, Gen. JnO. A.
Logan, in 1868.
To answer the last part of the
question will this observance be kept
up, and for how long? We cannot
make answer With certainty. We hope
and believe Il will be kept up for
very long time. Let it be so: 1t is
the nations day to honor patriotism.
1t has lived for % years exactly; this
is the quarto-centennial Of its Observ-
ance. + is firmly established with and
for the present generation. 1t will live,
as said in that first decoration day
order, las long as the light and
warmth of life remain to u.s." We
can be sure it will live longer than
this. The time is coming when the
old soldiers and comrades of the war
will be too few and too feeble to have
charge of these exercises. Then others
will take charge, and the few surviv-
Ors of veterans of 1861 to 1865 will be
hOnored guests of those occasions. We
believe that after We are gone, and
the Grand Army is no more, the Sons
of Veterans and the Women's Relief
Corps, and grateful people will still
honor the graves of the nations de-
Tenders, and that May 3Oth of every
year will still be memorial day,
decoration day." We believe that on
that day for many years professions
will march to cemeteries and grateful
hands strew flowers on Cur graves.
May this be SO. Not that We care for
such for ourselves. living "a dead /;
but that it teaches lesson of LOYALTY
and true patriotism. So let it be kept
up.
We said some gave up their lives in
the war, and others had theirs much
shortened, and thus gave up part.
Is this true? Look about YOU and
see the ages at which the old soldiers
are dying. Do you know any very
old men who served for any consider
able length of time in the army, in
the war for the union? In the main
it is true that those who were Young
enough to serve long in that war can |
not now he very old men. But in
counting on who of your acquaintance |
will live to be quite old, does it ever
occur to you to fix on any of the old |
veterans! | think not.
The last report of Gen. Black, COM
missioner of pensions made in Decem-
Der, 1883, he being Of an administra-
tion admitted by all to be not friendly
to the old soldiers of the union, con-
tanned some interesting figures and
He said the records of
his department showed that on the
average those drawing pensions had
each served over two years in the war,
that they were then on the average
between is and ~ years old. and that
they were dying at the average aye
Of 56. Also that inquiry showed that
their fathers had lived On the average
to be ~ years old, and their mothers
to % years. If all this be true then
those men then drawing pensions gave
up % years each, of their lives. Per-
haps these pensions are after all pretty
learly bought? i only speak Of pen
sions incidentally. That subject shall
form but small portion of my remarks,
Is it engages not much of my thoughts.
have never been radical on that
question; will say in passing that it is
quite certain that no Objector to pen :
lions would like to buy a pension at {
he price and by the means that most i
# those drawing them made the pur- q
base of the same. l am myself dis z
'Osed to doubt if the fathers and
mothers Of these men lived to such i