Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-06-27
m.kiNLEY AT OTTAWA.
Ohro's Governor Addresses a Large Crowd


day was even more than it promised to
be. The trains brought representa-
tives from all the surrounding towns,
and by noon it was estimated that 49,
600 people had come to do honor to the
governor of Ohio. The distinguished
guest was welcomed to the state by
Gov. Morrill,, and after the response
hundreds shook hands with Gov. Nc
Kinley. At o'clock promptly he COM
menced his address to his Grand Army
comrades and the vast audience that
had assembled. Gov. Mckinley said IN
part:
did You ever seriously reflect what
it means to be a fighting patriot? Many
people preach and profess patriotism,
but the true patriot is he who practices
it, and he seldom practices it by proxy
Patriotism is an absolute conservation
to country; it is the total abandon
ment of business; it is the turning away
from plans which have been formed
for life's career; it is the surren'
dering of bright prospects and the
giving up OF ambition in a chosen
work; it is the surrendering of all the
ties of home and family, and almost
the swapping of heart strings which
bind US to those we love; it is the con-
secration of self to the demands OF
country; it may mean disease con-
tracted by exposure or from wounds
in battle; it may mean imprisonment,
insanity or death; it may mean hum
ger, thirst and starvation. In our
civil war it meant all of these.
I'm this land of the free and home
of the brave there were nearly 5000, 600
who so loved liberty and union that
they were willing at any cost or sacri-
| @ + IL ~. "a
half million men was eXacted in that
fearful conflict to save the country and
there are men to-day by tens of thou
sands who are suffering from dis
ease contracted in the service of the
government, and as many thousands
more bearing wounds from which they
suffer every hour of the day, and some
of these, alas, are in distressing power
| ty. Our asylums contain many more
| of the poor fellows whose hard service
dethroned reason and unbalanced mind
| forever.
''Can we ever cease to be debtors to
| these men? Is there any reward in
reason they should not receive? Is
there any emolument too great for
them? Is there any benefaction too
bountiful? Is there any obligation too
lasting? Is there any honor to these
patriotic men which living people can
bestow that they should not eXtend2
What the nation is, or may become, we
owe Loyalty to them. If there is one
of these old patriots sick at heart and
discouraged. should not the cheerful
and the strong who are to-day the
| beneficiaries of his valor and comfort
console him?''
The speaker then paid a beautiful
tribute to the private soldiers. to the
rank and file of the old regular army,
who stood loyal for the union when
officers who had been educated by the
government deserted it. He then went
on:
1.-The pension list of the government
tells the story of the sufferings of the
army. June 80, 1898, there was a grand
total of veterans, widows and orphans
on the list of 934, ST. This honorable
list is steadily diminished by death,
and will now rapidly decrease a. the
years roll by. Death will stalk through
that list with increased rapidity as age
| overtalzes it -
In conclusion, Maj Mckinley said:
THE soldiers of the union are rapidly
passing away. The circle of comrades
of that holy war is narrowing with
each swiftly passing year. Every new
roll call discloses one and another not
present, but accounted for There is
muster roll over yonder as well as a
muster roll here. The majority of
that vast army are fast join
ing their grand old commanders.
who have already nearly all pre-
ceded them to the other shore.
But what precious legacy they
can leave to their children and poster
ity! We are accustomed to refer with
conscious and just pride to our patriot
ancestors who fought for American in
dependence. We praise, as we should,
the heroism of our fathers in the Sec
ond war with England, and the more
recent one with Mexico; yet, my
friends, the time is coming-indeed,
the time is upon us-when to be
| the worthy son of union vet
eran in the civil war is 2 mark
of distinction and honor equally
as great as that conferred by any other
service for home and humanity, for
God and country, that history can
boast. This legacy is one that will
not perish. It will not vanish with
the ages, nor fade from the memories
of men. 1t is priceless gift to your
| children, precious memory to them
to the remotest generation, to be able
to leave behind a record of honorable
| service in the hottest war in which
mankind was ever engaged"