The morning call., 1894-05-31
TALK TO The VETERANS.
Address by Rev. 7. Dewitt Talmage
at the MidWinter Fair.

81 wasn't there" said Rev. T. Dewitt
Talmage, with calm disregard OF the
rules of orthoepy, at the Midwinter Fair
yesterday.
Il wasn't there" he repeated. but
probably some of you were at Washington
at the grand review of the armies of the
republic when the war was over. 1t was
the greatest day this nation ever saw
God knew that the day was stupendous
and he cleared the heavens of cloud an I'd
mist and Chill and sprung tie blue sky as
triumphaI arch for the retiring warriors
to pass under.
From Arlington Heights the spring
foliage shook out it's welcome as the hosts
came over the hills, and the sparkling
waters of the Potomac tossed their gold to
the feet OF the pattalions as thew came to
the long bridge and In almost intermin-
able line passed over. The Capitol, for
whose defense these men had fought, never
looked so majestic as on that morning
snowy white, looking down upon the tides
of men that came surging on, billow after
billuw."
The patriotic address by DR.. Talmage
was the beginning of the memorial exer-
cIses at the Midwinter Fair yesterday
The orator had lunched with Director
General de Young at the British Club. and
when he arrived at Festival Hall the
auditorium was densely packed Hun
dreds were unable to obtain admission
After battle overture by CassaSa's Mid
winter Exposition Band DR.. Talmage be-
gan his address as follows:
THE ayers of this exposition. who
invited rae TO address you to-day, have
suggested three things. They wish me to
commemorate the fact that to-day we put
garlaDoS upon the graves OF the dead, and
so we shall in thought be somewhat sad
dened. But they tell me also that it is a
holiday. and people have come out from
their places of business to have good
ME also that my address must be cut short,
and all these three suggestions l shall, as
far rs possible. comply with.
This is the day when we embroider
with flowers the covering of dust that lies
on each grave where our heroic dead sleep.
On; ye enthroned lmmortals, step down
and breathe the perfume OF a nations
thanks; step down and hear the shout of
a nations redemption; step down and take
the kiss Of a nations love. 1864! 1894 :
How suggestive are these two dates, and
what change. 1864 suggests the time
when some of you went 10 the front. You
remember the good-by at the raiIcar :.
boat. and most of you fathers cry,
mothers cry, brothers and a sisters.
You smiled outside but cried ia side at the
sudden OverpOwering huZza. You re-
member when you sat on the banks Of the
river at midnight and thought of the old
folks at home. Some one started a song
to the old Folks at Hnme' and you burst
in TO flood of tears. Gal What was the
homage of the nation? What was the
gratitude OF continent? And how that
homage and gratitude has lived through
all these years, until that paid TO the dead
men Of the North has also come to be paid
10 the dead men of the South. Those
were sad days when the people at home
waited for news of battle and read the
lists OF the slain. They stood sometimes
in the telegraph Office or at the postoffice
and read the names and then fell in to
swOon. Those were the times that tried
mems souls. Thank God that those times
are passed and that we are to-day in a
time of peace"
In this manner DR.. Talmage went on to
recount the fortunes of the war that left
vacant chairs in so many homes, and then
Dramatically asked the question whether
the struggle had PAID. He asked if this
country. great as il is. was worth the price
that was paid for it. If not. then he said
that the war was All awful crime But he
answered his own query in the affirmative
and the audience voiced their sentiments
on the same side by applauding him loudly
when he did so.
By way of comparison, the speaker
quoted some facts and figures concerning
the governments of the great nations of
Europe. calling attention to the vast sums
which were paid for the maintenance of
royal households, emphasizing the ridicu-
lous offices which were officially filed, and
contrasting the federation with which the
American Government is managed he
then referred to the wonderful resources
Of the American continent, with its hun