Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30

day. When this sentiment can no longer
ed into the condition described by Gold
smith:
'In fares the 1andS to hast ming ills a prey,
Where wealth ac6umulates and men de-
cay" #..,
The same poem in which he so pathet-
ically describes the veteran soldier calling
upon the village preacher,
1.-THE broken soldier, kindly babe to stay,
Sat by his fire, and talk'd the night away;
Wept DER his wounds, or tales Of sorrow
done,
shouldered his crutch and show'd how fields
were won."
I want to call your attention to the fact
that this new day in our calendar is due
to the soldier. And more than that the
uses of the day have been Widened SO that
it is memorial day for all the dead--a
Decora ton day for all graves. Some one
has well said-"Show me the resting place
of the dead and will judge of the living"
And Franklin once said: Il only need visit
a graveyard of a community to know the
character of the people,"
If this be true. then is our Grand Army
custom to be credited with large intlu-
ence in the elevation of sentiment respect
ing the dead, and by a reflex influence we
have been lifting ourselves into a nobler
| conservation to life and duty to the living.
Fer it is impossible that this sentiment
the living. 1t touches the life that now is
and that which is to come.
Now, my friends, l want to turn for a
few minutes from any further sentimental
reflections the day in order to suggest
here an entirely different subject in the
hope if possible. of making what we say
In this hour serve some good practical
result. know that ordinarily the grave is
not the place to enter complaints or air
grievances.
Tho FnrI,s Thoater V;.t;.,,u
But 1 want to say a word about a mat
ter affecting some soldiers, living and dead,
concerning which many souls burn with a
deep and righteous indignation.
1 refer to the course Of the government
| with respect to the men who were hurt in
the Ford's Theater disaster in June 1888
Many of them were eX-soldiers. They
were put into a death trap. And that is
not too strong a term, for more than a
score were killed outright, while more than
hundred were scalped, cut, bruised,
shocked and hurt otherwise, more or less
seriously.
1t was a horrible accident and ought not
to be associated with any further elements
OF horror or infamy. And yet, as the whole
matter stands today before the people, it
is chapter of double-dyed infamy.
There are nan who fought for their
Ing to be crippled for life in that building;
then discharged because they were no
longer efficient clerks; then followed with
a defamatory document, and Congress is
now debating whether they shall have a
paltry sum each as compensation for in
juries.
1t makes a mans blood boil to think his
government could take any other position
in such a matter than the one demanding
ample and generous reparation.
Let me tell you how a corporation that
we ordinarily reckon soulless concern
| proceeds in similar circumstances.
mi n not ri. frta
not long ago in an accident on the Penn
sylvania railroad. He was painfully hurt
but not seriously; not nearly as badly hurt
as some OF these poor fellows who tumbled
1hree stories at Ford's Theater The rail-
read paid liberaaly 2pll hospital expenses
without request pr pressure, paid a special
nurse. mis- wfe's3 hbel bill in the same
city. while attending upon her husband
gave the man passes over the road for the
summer for himself and wife, and also paid
MIN In full for ALL claims the generous
sum OF 5000 That was fair and inst
treatment from a corporation without a
scul. hut THIS government proposes to
put an old soldier in jeopardy of his life
break Lis arms, his ribs, put out an eve
scalp ann, discharge him for inefflciency
tfen publish him discharged for mis-
coIiouct, and then'' ask him to sign a
paper IN fuii for all claims on the recent
OF Few hundred dollars (Which IN TO this
cate the Congress Is still doubtful about
voting).
mum lHdt mere, by the grave of the
DEAD where some probably lie buried who
were Killed in that ypnpardonahla, bunder
may arter all be rhe proper place at which
TO utter our Indignation over such treat
ment.
ne same Congress, which the other day
voted S'oWo to a man scaIped years ago
~ band of Indians, votes small amount
70 men who were scalped by the blunders
OF those in authority
But we must not protract these exercises
mere are other duties in the dav Conn
rades. we pay loving service once more
which in turn some day other hands and
other hearts will do for u.s.
The years are slipping awav II saa,ns
almost Incredible that a generation has
Deen born since the close of the civil var
ne ranks are thinning and closing m
Lights cEt is the only command left ana
we near that almost daily. But there ia
anotheE muster. Another roll call An
other captain. Another host which no ma
can number. Another banner, whose folds
are ample. whose word inscribed over ali
is love. o'e' al
May you and I be in that grand army "a
t Tue prayer OF one who is always with YOU
III the Ties OF friendship. love and charity
After the rendition of Schumann's -.
ing song, by the band, ard the singing of
d memorial hymn by c. E. Myers assisted
oS the octet, Mr.. y. -. HaywocI read a
poem. ieau d
me remainder Of the program included
seiecIions by octet and the band The
peheulctlon pronounced by Rev Mr.. VIII
son, and the singing of America" Inv
ne assembly, with band accompanimenf
closed the exercises 49,
THE CITY OF THE DEAD.