The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-10-17
OPTIMISM TIE WORD.
Chaplain Sheppard Sees Light in the Dark
Places.

Chaplain Sheppard Sees Light i'm the Dark
Places.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I was
! much interested in the closing article of
"Cannoneer in recent number But was
not its tone 4 little gloomy-a little too
| blue? He speaks OF the young hustlers
| who are cTowding us old fellows of the
| stage of active service. What he says is
| true enough, and pity tits, It's true" But,
at the worst, is this not what each young
generation does to its predecessor?
For my part, as l like "snap" and know
| that competition renders husting necessary,
| admire the push" that intends to get
| there"
| Anyhow, as so many Of the young thus
| tiers" are the sons and relatives of the old
soldiers, surely we may expect much con-
sideration.
do not know why he says that Republics
are ungrateful. Does he or anyone know of
| any form of Government that has paid for
the blood shed in its defense? This, how
| ever, may not be because they would not,
but because they simply cannot.
Our treatment is gilt-edged compared
with that received by the patriot soldiers Of
the Revolutionary war. At the close Of
that struggle the vast volume of paper
money issued by the States and the CONT
mental Congress was not worth in gold a
dollar TO the CARLOAD, and, if / remember
history correctly, was never made good.
The only way that thousands of those
heroes got any compensation for their serv-
ices was to accept wild land and hew out
new homes from the wilderness.
presume we all have had some of the
Sights the Cannoneer" speaks of; but as
we did not get to die heroically on the bat
tlelield, and are so lovingly enshrined in the
hearts of countless numbers of loyal men
and sainted women, let US ignore any
Sights which come our way and die sweetly.
Let us be too patriotic to doubt our country
men, and too proud to betray our feelings if
we did.
But it was the following of which I especi-
ally wished to speak. Speaking of the bulk
and character Of immigration to our shores,
he says: :" / do not see in our young genera
tion of native Americans any development
of patriotic spirit calculated to cope with
the ever-growing forces of this invasion.
If these Slavs, Huns, Poles and Italians
assimilated with US like the Irish, Germans
and Scandinavians, the evil would correct
itself But they do not The
country will have need, of strong conserva-
tive counter balance, such as the Grand
Army is now. But the Grand Army will be
gone then" 49,
Now, am not writing to correct "Can-
noneer." He does not need criticism. But no
one man can see question on all sides. And,
at least there may be no harm in a brighter
view. / see quite. number of very hope
full developments OF patriotic spirit"
Grand as is the Grand Army, 1 rejoice to
believe that when we are all dead there will
be patriots in whose hands the dearest in
terests of our beloved land will be safe.
But let us see what developments of patri-
otism are now in sight
When "Cannoneer" and / were young,
the North and the South were constantly
getting farther apart. We now have one,
flag, one undivided country. 1 believe that
this fact gives depth and volume to the pa
triotism of all classes which we never had
before.
We have more patriotic orders than we
used to have. True, the Grand Army is melt
ing away, but the Sons of Veterans Will be
of more consequence when no longer eclipsed
by us. Then, we have the Patriotic Sons of
the Revolution, indicating how our grand
children will kindle the fires of patriotism
on the affairs of our country years hence. The
children who now celebrate every historic
day in our public schools, from all of which
y,
viii form the conservative balance
which "Cannoneer does not see.
What Of the movements for better Gov
eminent in all our cities? That is an ex-
preston of patriotism OF the truest and most
valuable sort. Our young citizens are loyal
and alert They are already graphing with
the immigration question in the most direct
way in the efficient fight making for better
Government In the danger spots of the land
the great cities.
What of the young peoples societies Of the
churches? If you want to have patriotism
Jingle to your finger ends, you should attend
the monster meetings of these societies. just
awhile ago il was the tremendous hosts of
Christian Endeayor at that Cradle of Liberty,
Boston. Then it was the Epworth League
at Chattanooga singing America on Look
out Mountain. And lately the thousands
OF the Baptist Union have just been meeting,
waving their flags, discussing ." Good Citizen
ship" and singing the Star Spangled- Ban
ner" in Baltimore, where it was written.
What can more fully assure the liberty
and perpetuity Of our institutions than the
enthusiastic organized, intelligent, and de- |
voted efforts Of these hosts of young people, |
intent on promoting righteousness individu- |
ally and through the body polite.
Let us take Courage. OptiHism Is the |
word. The spirit of Marathon, Saratoga and |
Gettysburg can never die. Our battles were |
with powder and ball. The battles that our |
young people are to fight are more difficult, |
even, than ours. They must he fought in a
way, but will demand courage and |
leadership equal to any displayed in the |
civil war
Itseems to your correspondent that loyalty, |
n:&fr N de-
and purer currents, and that great as are the |
evils to be met, our successors, with Gods |
blessing, will meet them nobly.-CHAPLAIN |
f,afeeD
Saved Their Guns.
F. Hansen, Sioux City, Iowa, writes: 81