The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-06-19
For THE RECORD.
A CHANGE NEEDED.

a CHANGE NEEDED
With fifty dollars from the city and
twenty five dollars from the county, one
would suppose that an abundance of flow
urs could be purchased to strew each
mound that covers the remains of vet.
eran in every cemetery in and about this
city. From facts given by those who
ought to know, there is actually four-and-
a-half cents per grave spent out of the
seventy-1ve dollars A small American
nag which also adorns the veterans grave
costs three cents. Tue balance is expend-
| ed for what2 To show of not the dead
heroes, nor in many cases the live ones,
because as general thing the battle
Scared, war-worn veterans are opposed
to pomp and show when it comes to strew-
ing their fallen comrades graves with
flowers as an offering of memory, which
brings up the fearful past OF carnage and
death through which they and their CON-
rades fought, bled and either died or were
wounded.
The Grand Army of the Republic gives
a privilege Of membership to any man
who served thirty days or over under
United States officials. 1t does not make
heroes, however, out of those who spent
thirty days or less in rusticating over in
Pennsylvania, and yet one would some-
times think that the whole war was set
tied by the part played by them.
No wonder the men who served all
through the war and bore the bruut OF
battle are disguised at tho condition of
affairs as at present conducted The lack
OF numbers TO parade on Memorial Day is
| not due to the warm weather, as some
would like TO make it. They would rather
see every dollar expended for flowers, so
that the hero's grave should look in some
respect as genteel and flower bedecked as
that Of the private citizen, whose loving
relatives and friends cover so munficently
every Memorial Day. II is burning
shame that only small four cent pot of
yerbenas and few scattering flowers fur
nished by the ladies and children should
suffice, when there is ample funds fur
nished gratuitously and freely by the Board
OF Freeholders and the City Council for
that purpose. Music is all right, speak
ing is all right, parades are all right, in
their place but the object of Memorial
Day-the strewing of graves with flowers
should not be stinted for the introduc.
zion of the other adjuncts. Better have
die flowers and let all the others go, than
have the graves scantily supplied with
| flowers. Memorial Day was not intended
for q gala day, as 1t is now improperly
used. The officers of the G. A. II. should
either appoint new day or in some way
try to bring back the original idea of the
sacred day. The condition of things now
and whom the day was founded is very
different. Generations have been born
since then who have no real feeling for
the events of those days of suffering like
the parents and friends who suffered with
them. The young assume that public
holiday is day of pleasure and to enjoy
themselves is what they try to do. Base
ball, horse racing, bicycle racing, pc-nics
and the various other sports of the day
are INDUCED In without one thought of
the war which made 1t possible for such
things TO be. You cannot place old heads
on young shoulders, and cannot blame
those who thus enjoy themselves when
the example is set by some who wore the
blue, who can hardly wait for the cere-
monies of the day 10 close before the base
ball field is sought and the snort entered
into as II the so called sacred duty of
strewing comrades graves was mere
matter Of form and an irksome task.
There arc other so.called pleasures in
dulged in by some on Memorial Day that
do not add honor 10 the men who wear
the G. A. II. badge.
There are many people living yet who
want, with the members of the Grand
Army, to do homage to the lifeless soldiers
who were either slain in battle or who
have died since from wounds or disease.
They do not like, however, the pomp and
show of parade, the flourish of trumpets
or the martial strains of music. A quiet,
dignified, solemn, respectful showing is
all that is sequired, and the lessons taught
by such an observance will be lasting and
deep-rooted.
The above is not intended as slur on
the Grand Army of the Republic, an insti-
tuition which is beloved and respected by
all liberty glowing citizens, but TO correct
abuses which have crept in and almost
wholly absorbed the fundt mental princi.
Piles of Memorial Day. CoMpAns
Lambertville, Jcne 10, 1896.