The herald., 1896-06-10
One Sided Patriotism

held over the graves of our departed
heroes, in the cemeteries of Los Ange-
les on Memorial day. the reader would
naturally come to the conclusion that
the people of Los Angeles had done
everything that could be done to honor
the memory of the dead veterans. and
to rekindle patriotism in the minds of
all those who participated in the cere-
monies. One who did not know the
truth of the matter would be very much
surprised to hear that there are large
number of deceased veterans resting in
the Catholic cemetery on Buena Vista
street, whose graves year after year are
treated with a neglect which calls for
some very strong words of condemna-
ton. 1t is bad enough, God knows, in
this so-called land of liberty and en-
lightenment, tOSOStracize a man during
life because of his religion, but when 1t
comes to carrying that hatred even be-
yond the grave, and Notwithstanding
his years of battle and privation in his
country's service, to refuse to honor his
memory or to treat his last resting place
with neglect simply because it lies with
in a Catholic burial ground, is little
short of f1endish. A few years ago the
Catholic cemetery was treated precisely
the same as the others in the matter of
Memorial day ceremonies. but that was
in the good old days, before the accursed
cyclone of hate and bigotry had struck
the country, leaving nothing but dis
cord and strife, where all before had
been peace and harmony. In those days
the G. A. r, post and Womans Relief
corps of East Los Angeles performed
the memorial services in the Catholic
cemetery on account of its being so near
to the East Side, but the East Los Ange-
les post was then known as Gelcich post,
having been named in honor of the late
DR.. V. Gelcich of this city. An objection
was made. however, to the name of Gel
cich on the grounds that it was too hard
to pronounce, and Kenesaw was sug-
gested instead, so it was accordingly
changed to Kenesaw. and Kenesaw post
and w. r. c. 1t has remained ever SINCE
There were some of the members,
however, who were cynical enough TO
remark that if DR.. Gelcich had not been
a member of the Roman Catholic
church, with his remains resting in the
Catholic cemetery, his name never would
have been too difficult to pronounce. AL
though Kenesaw post has burial plot
in Evergreen cemetery, yet they sent
a couple of men to place flowers on the
graves of the veterans who are resting
in the Catholic burial ground, and these,
with two others who were sent by an
other post to decorate the grave of one
of it's members, who lies buried there, is
the full extent of memorial services in
this cemetery.
But what can we expect, when even
the name of Sheridan, our gallant and
dashing, Sheridan, is looked on with con-
tempt by the new band of patriots. who
seem to be having pretty nearly every
thing their own way nowadays, and OF
whom the Sacramento Bee says: Moth
ing better than the ostracization of men
for their belief could be expected from
an organization which at Boise City.
Idaho, has petitioned the local Grand
Army post to change it's name from Phil
Sheridan post to Traynor post. Sheri-
dan had the misfortune to fight for his
while Canadian Traynor was
q rebel sympathizer and probably abet-
tor"
Shade of Washington! has it come to
this? That the name of an unnaturaliz-
ed Canadian alien. is to be substituted
for that of our gallant Phil, who before
the United States army. And why?
Simply because Sheridan was member
of the Roman Catholic church. He had
plenty of company. however. in his
religious belief among the officers of the
union army, as the following list of
Generals who belonged to the Catholic
church will attest:
Generals Rosecrans. Buell., Meade.
Ord, Newton, Thomas, Revere. (grand-
son of Paul Revere), Meagher. Scam
mon, Stone, Stanley, Sturgis, Shields,
Tyler (son of President Tyler), Vincent,
Whipple, Foster, Mullgan, Graham,
Halpin, Harney, with Admirals Beau
mont, Harwood. Ramsey. and Sands.
not to mention the hosts of lesser officers
Of the army and navy and Catholic SOL
diers and sailors by the hundreds of
Among the notes from the Soldiers
Home in the Times of Sunday, May
Path is the following: "A rousing re-
ception was rendered Thursday evening
at assembly hall by Uncle Sam Post,
G. A. r., to Union circle, No 10, Ladies
Of the G.. A. r.. and Washington council,
No. 7, w. A. p. A. The affair was of a
in whose honor it was given coming from
Los Angeles. Uncle Sam post in this
instance endeavored to reciprocate fav
ors received from the circle and council
above named in giving to the post some
time ago Bible for the post room and
a stand of colors." / wonder what the
feelings of Uncle Sam would be if he
were really in the flesh, at the sight of
a band of unAmerican bigots trying to
tear down the name of his "Phir' in
order to substitute for 1t that of a for
eigner who was at loggerheads with the
6. A. r. of Detroit, where he lives? And
what would be his feelings at the sight
Of this love feast given by his boys
whose post bears his name, to a delega-
ton of these same bigots who are con-
tinually throwing mud at some Of the
bravest and best who ever fought for the
flag.
But we will draw a curtain over the
painful scene, for the grief of the aged
should be respected. A few months ago
we had a splendid opportunity of testing
the different brands of patriotism that
are now on the market, when we SEEM
ed to be SO dangerously near to war with
England.
Observant Americans of the genuine
stamp will not soon forget the organiza-
tiOns that sprang forward as one man
and eagerly offered their services to the
president, and they distinctly recollect
which association it was that so fiercely
denounced the whole affair as Jesuit
plot. and also denounced Cleveland for
ito force the United States
into war with her best friend,' as one
of the patriotic speakers expressed
it, and which never offered the pres-
dent a single rifle or a single man, to
his hands, and this at time
when the English army and navy were
being rapidly got into shape for mmed
late service against the United States IL
necessary.
But this state of affairs cannot last
forever, and once the American people
realizes the manner in which it is being
deceived, it will not take long to settle
the matter. So we hope that when next
Decoration day arrives we will not wit
ness the humiliating spectacle in our
city of three cemeteries crowded with
- n 1rat.