Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-31

had rather see this country the center Of
an American constellation than the tail end
OF an alliance with European powers, and
among them our ancient enemy. There is
but ono way 70 preserve American institu-
tons. and that Is to keep out OF all en-
tangng alliances with European powers and
to do business with ourselves regardless Of
the effect on our circulating medium or any
thing else"
Prof. H. w. Sawyer delivered an excellent
address on the subject of the nations debt
to the soldiers of the civil war and paid a
brilliant tribute to the memory of the Sleep
Ing heroes.
AT WALNUT HILL.
Walnut Hill cemetery, one OF the most
beautiful epots Of the many magnificent
places surrounding the city, was exqusitely
beautiful. The verdant hills, smiling in the
sunshine Of perfect day, looked down in
peaceful serenity upon the valleys. rich in
growing vines and gardens The happy twit-
ter OF mating birds the sweet breath OF
blooming clover, peeping modestly through
the luxuriant blue grass, the sturdy oak and
walnut trees. bending their protecting arms
In silent benediction over the graves, the
shrll cadence Of myrads of locust In
sects. mad with Joy at their liberation from
their prisons in the earth, mingling with
the martial strains Of fife and drums, the
multitude of people bearing their burdens OF
flowers, made a perfect picture NJ perfect
peace. Fluttering flags marked the graves CT
the nations dead.
When the leaders of the section to whom
was delegated the duty of conducting the
exercises and decorating the graves reached
the cemetery they found that hundreds OF
people had preceded them, and every grave
on the grassy hilsdes. with the exception
OF those of the soldiers, ana here aIu there
a neglected mound, had been strewn with
flowers. The services were under the dlrec-
tion of the members of the Union veteran
legion. w. S. Paulson Scott Rice and John
Harding were the officers of the day. When
the head of the long procession feacHed the
center of the grounds the decorating commit
tee was called forward. The committee was
composed wholly of soldiers, and they we're
divided into four squads. Two squads were
sent to decorate the graves IN the Cathohc
cemetery, where sleep score or more VI
brave men who gave the best In their lVes
to their country, and two we're given charSe
of the Protestant section. When the ouSle
sounded a beautiful scene transpired. me
squads of grzzled veterans, laden with
flowers, separated, and into the ranks OF each
detachment twenty little girls marched. Ihey
were the vestal virgins who received ne ,ne
floral offerings from the rough hands of the
soldiers and deposited them tenderly upon
the graves of their dead comrades. Inc
work was done swiftly and silently. Not
grave was forgotten or Sighted. Inc oner-
inra of flowers had been so plentiful that
there we're enough to almost caver each
grassy mound. When the work sas hnlshed
| the bugle call was sounded, and those wAo
cared to hear the music and speaking re-
paired to one of the natural amphltheaterss 5
| in the hills where a stand and platform had
been erected. Conspicuous on the piati I'm
| was the bent figure and kindly race OF IRE
| blind veteran, Captain G. w. Hight. Back
| of the stand on the hillside, marital paha
| walked the echoes with the straims et "march-
| ing Through Georgia" The exercises were
opened with prayer by Rev. G. w. snyder
| Of st. Johns Lutheran church. On the pat
| form was seated the choir, composed OF MISS
| Minrie Evers, soprano Mrs. snyder COT
tralto; Mr.. Frank Carley. tenor Rev: u. w.
| SNYDER. basso. Mr.. and Mrs. Snyder iairy-
| like little daughter presided at the organ
! dressed in white, with an overSkirt or red'
white and blue. Their opening song, iur
rah for the Red. White and Blue, WAS neau-
| tifully rendered.
COUNTING THE COST.
Rev. STEPHAN Phelps, d. D., of the FIRST
| Presbyterian church, was introduced ny
| w Wallace as the speaker of the afternoon.
! He began by remarking that there MeIe
| MANY more graves today to decorate tnah
ever before and drew vivid picture vi ,ne
tcrr;hIe aspect of war What have our lib.
erties cost? The sacrifice of the lives OF
orer 600, 900 men in the full vigor ana prihs r.
| Of lie; many others. and hunareus y VI
thousands wounded unto death; SEVEN III,
| hens of dollars. or NUMBER so srea., II
wav around the world: desoation and be-
| reayement of millions of homes and the an
/ guish of millions of happy hearts Are our
| liberties worth this fearful cost? ASK ms
ures ton in voice that can be heard IRON,
one end of our country to the other, ana
Tho answer comes from a million cemeteries
whore ceremonies similar to these are occur
| ring today. Go ask the women and children
who suffered more than others 20 @ ash
! the veterans who have survived their SUI
| rer,ngs and their wounds, and all Will answer
with a grand ringing yes, that can be heard
around the world. The presidents calls IN
| 1861 brought more than 100000 into the
| field What sense of the greatness OF the
country must President Lincoln have mad
when he realized that he could call men by
| The millions from their happy homes to the
defense of their country. The nation was
| gleat then, but how much greater today
Our country is now so great that the sun
never sets upon its boundaries, for when the
I last rays are disappearing over the Aleutar
islands the dawn is breaking on the coasts
| The effect of the soldiers sacrifice is seen
In the impulse that has been given to self
government among the nations OF the earth
| When the war closed Macmillan was seek
ing to restore monarchical form of govern
ment in the only other republic on the
! American continent. Then there were nc
| South American republics worthy the name
| Now with the exception of unhappy Cuba
which will soon be free, there is no real mon
archcal influence on the western hemis,
phere This is one of the great results ot
the war. for the preservation of the Amer
lean union cne Of the eternal elements OF
glory, earned by the patriots whose graves
we honor today. No such cause can eve'
arise again to make war possible. Human
slavery is gone and the mooted industrla
conflict is improbable, and impossible"
He drew pretty picture of Amer'ca's
army. the army of peace, which could be
Transformed In an instant, If the need were
presented into an army of war and ven
gcance "Our country is no great military
camp. We have no standing hordes. eating
the substance of the Industrious, but the
military spirit is predominant, Cadets are
| lr'lling and marching today by the million
marching with the tread and precision o
veterans, honorlng the graves of their faith
ers. Let our flag be attacked. and ar
army of 100000 intelligent, educated ant
well drilled soldiers will spring to arms"
At the close OF the speech the choir sans
'My Country" and the benediction was pro
| ncuIced.
Opening OF Mnnawn.
The ladies' Of the Episcopal church yester
day formally opened the season at Lake
| In