The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-27

enth Memorial day. Memorial day was In
stituted in 1868 by order of General Logan.
commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of
the Republic The anniversary Is now more
generally observed throughout the North
than any national holiday. On Wednesday
more addresses will be made of a patriotic
character than all the other patriotic occa-
utilized public attention throughout the
North can be called 10 current matters Of
great moment which are very appropriately
connected with services recalling the valor
Union and preserved the Nation Every
passing year bears cumulative testimony
of the priceless heritage of free govern
ment and expanding civilization which cost
the lives of the men we honor; but fulsome
eulogy is mockery to the valor and patriot
ism of those who suffered and gave their
lives TO preserve the Republic thirty years
ago If we of to-day fail to recognize the
duties of good citizenship and to be as Wig
liant to guard against present dangers,
however obscure, were those who res
cued this country for human freedom and
popular government thirty years ago.
The rebellion was an armed protest
against constituted and recognized govern
ment. 1t was based upon the heresy of
disintegration, the logical sequence of
which is anarchy. The for the Union
devotion to popular government. The ST.
lent but potent force behind the patriotic
sentiment of country and flag was the
maintenance of law and social order. If
there was any purpose in fighting and dy-
ing for united country it was that it
might be arena over which law should
be supreme and where the end of legisla-
ton should be the enactment of laws which
secure the enjoyment Of life and liberty
and the legitimate pursuit of happiness.
The practical inquiry for the hour, and
particularly for Memorial day, is whether
or not the generation first to inherit from
those who died to transmit this govern
ment is faithful to the trust committed to
it. We get along fairly in seasons Of pros
perity but when periods like the present
come there appears to be a danger
that law will fall into contempt and that
those who should execute it will prove
faithless. From what we have the
past year there is too much cause to fear
that there is large element in this
try which, If it is not hostile to law and
order, applauds those who advocate re-
sistance to the enforcement of the laws of
the land. Doubtless the most of these peo-
pie are thoughtless, but the thoughtIess are
a menace because they the dupes of the
passion of the hour. Then there is a
class of agitators who go about the coun-
try assailing one supposed class and ar
raging one section against another. trying
to persuade people that government is con-
trolled in the interest of the few to the
detriment of the many. All the acts Of
Congress and the statutes of the leading
States prove the contrary to this assump-
ton. yet there be no doubt that these
agitators. if not making converts. are shak-
ing the faith and weakening the alegi-
ance Of not a few people in the govern
ment of this country. There can be no bet
ter occasion to reach many Of these 'peo-
pie than in the Memorial day address, and
no greater homage can be bestowed upon
those who died for the country's govern
ment and laws than to show that the men
who inveigh against law and constituted
authority are as much the foes of the Re
public as those who fought against the
Union-that the sworn officers of the law
who weakly yield to mob threats are the
promoters Of a lawlessness which will un-
derrnine popular government and inaugur-
ate anarchy.
Citizenship has been cheapened and de-
| graded by very general violation Of nat
uralization laws and the permitting of men
to vote after years residence in many
| States. Through this evil several large cit
| les are controlled by the ignorant and vi
cious vote Memorial day is of all seasons
the most Appropriate to treat this danger
| from patriotic point of view. Whether
| it was a sense Of duty or the impulse of
| devotion to a sentiment which led the men
| who died for the country's preservation
| to go TO battle, 1t cannot be said that the
| hope of sordid gain was an incentive. Is
there not reason to fear that. in the per-
Torrance Of important civic duties. we of
to-day are not inspired by the devotion
| Of the men whose patriotism is recalled and
| praised? May not the patriotism and self
| denial of these men be commended as
| worthy of imitation by the citizen and the
| public officer?
| These are but a few OF the practical
| points which should be taken up in the
Memorial addresses OF next Wednesday. If
| such occasions are to be made of prac-
teal value and men whose heroic sacrifice
| we assume to commemorate with gratitude
| "shall not have died in vain"
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THE PASSING OF BUTTZ.
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