Omaha daily bee., 1896-05-31

Business is Suspended in Council Bluffs to
Celebrate the Day.
THREE THOUSAND CHILDREN IN LINE
Procession that Included All the Mili-
tnry ana Civic Organizations of
the City--specchcs Mt the
Cemeteries.
Memorial day in Council Bluffs was OBJ
served upon a scale that far exceeded any
thing of a pervious nature that was ever
attempted in the city. The program, widely
published several days in advance, brought
hundreds of strangers to the city. All
classes OF business was suspended and all
of the people of the city turned out of their
homes and gathered along the streets to
watch tho procession. The pageant was the
longest of tie kind in the history of the city
Every military and civic organization that
had been invited responded, and every Or
garization appeared on the streets with full
ranks.
One of the striking features of the pro-
cession was the presence In the line of
nearly 5000 school children. Each school
marched by itself, Headed by banners and
flags. The military precision of the steps
of the little boys and girls showed the ex-
tent of the training they had received in
military tactics. The pupils of the Twentieth
Avenue school marched without breaking
ranks distance of nearly forty blocks
The line of march followed the course in
dcated by the printed program and every
foot of sidewalk along the entire line was
occupied by people anxious to see the
pageant or show their appreciation of the
sentiment of the day.
The exercises at Fairview cemetery were
beautiful and elaborate The great wooded
park that looks so peacefully down upon the
valley of the Missouri river was crowded
with people, and the driveways were
thronged with carriages The published pro-
gram was carried out. While the ceremonies
Of decorating the graves were in progress
the Dodge Light Guards and the High
school cadets were prominent figures. The
guards stood company front on the west
side of the graves and hred three volleys
over the mounds. The cadets stood at at
tention on the north side, but did not fire
on account of the lack of ammunition.
When the ceremonies were concluded the
people gathered around the natural amphi-
theater, where the speakers stand had
ben erected. Dalbeys band furnished the
music. President E. l.. Shugart introduced
Hon. A. r. Anderson, and in the course of
an eloquent Grafton of an hours duration
he gave voice to many beautiful sentiments
He said:
MEMORIES OF WAR DAYS.
II am telling less than the truth when
say that the memories which this occasion
arouses in me are almost too great for ut
terance. This assembage is a type of the
very highest and best in our citizenship. 1t
Is an object lesson to the old soldiers who,
thirty-five years ago, girded up their loins
and went out to fight for the Inheritance
handed down from the fathers of the revolu-
tion They can sae in miniature in this
gathering something of what they went out
to fight for. Those now living can realize
here that their comrades who S eep an
eternal slumber the battlefelds of the
south did not die in vain.
This occasion is peculiarly touching TO
me because my life from boyhood was spent
in Iowa, and this was the state from which
enlisted to fight for my country in the
war of the rebellion. On yonder slope the
regiment which joined rendezvoused before
starting for the front under the command
of that grand fe low-citizen Of yours, Gren-
vile M. Dodge. You will bear with me II
my emotions are difficult to portray In words
After an absence of four years l come
back. to Iowa prouder than ever Of her. If
nothing had been saved from the wreck of
1861 but the state Of Iowa, it a one would
have paid for the loss of life and treasure.
Iowa is the typical piece of government, a
model state. / sometimes think that dis
tance lends enchantment, and that you who
are here fail to realize your blessings. Here
is an equitable distribution of the good
things of the earth. Iowa has no city which
is a squaid hamlet. Iowa has few rich men
and few poor. There is less illiteracy in
Iowa than in any other state yea in any
| other country on earth. There is scarcely
a poor forty in the state, and in all it's bor-
ders few, If any, who know what real
| want is
"This is an inspiring day, and this gather
ing reflects credit on these who have gath
cred to decorate the grave of the old So
diers of the American armies. Those men
have been cannonized This day is singled
out as a school for patriotism, and 1t lis
with much pleasure that | see in the throng
hundreds of the children from your schools
which are under the superntendency of my
old friend, Sawyer. The old soldiers who
yet live must feel grateful to know from oc-
casions like this that they are appreciated.
when l enlisted l knew but little about
government or Its va'ue, but during the
years of service and fighting / learned that
Lesson and found out that this govern
| ment OF ours is the best government on the
| face Of the earth. Our government Is the
| product of tyranny. No great virtue has
ever been worked out except product OF
| some great vice. The crowning feature OF
| the Declaration of Independence was the
equality of all men before the law. But
! even while II was framed the enemy OF free
government was present taking advantage
| of the dissessions which arose as soon as
our forefathers were, In homely language
| out of the woods never did have doubt
| of the good intentions of George Washington
and these who were with him in forming
the American government, but strange to
| say, the institution of slavery was allowed
| to remain unmolested by them. They be-
| lieved it would die out of itself under the
new conditions of freedom. They were
doomed to disappointment. 1t throve and
gathered strength and force until in 1861, II
| felt sb e to core with freedom When the
test came the very flower of northern
| chivalry gathered to the defense of Old
Glory. and no old soldier who went through
that war but is glad he lived at time
when he could have the privilege of show.
ing himself worthy Of the inheritance OF
| liberty handed down to him.
! WAR OF CHRISTIAN DEFENSE.
| "The conflict of the civil war was notabl,
| in Its Christian and humane spirit. Ther'
were other great generals before Grant
There were other great battles before thos
of the Wilderness. Vicksburg and Ston,
| River put I phallanpo hiStnrv IN nrnduc