The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-12
OUR DEBT TO THE SURVIVORS.
The Orator DECLARES Too Much Can
not Be Done to Provide for
Their Comfort.

Git, anu ZuU invited guests aOCeQ grace
and brilliancy to the occasion. The as
sembly hall, on the lower floor of the
handsome new building, was the scene of
the festivities. and the presence of nearly
all tie able-bodied old 'vets" at the home
swelled the audience to nearly half a
thousand. Several rows of seats in the
front part of the hall were occupied by the
honored guests from San Francisco and
the surrounding valley.
The ceremonies were opened by intro
| ductory remarks by the commandant,
Colonel George W. Waits. He spoke
briefly of the occasion, saying that the
board of directors, in its ever faithful
kindness, had provided place of convent
ence for the veterans, and that their APP
probation would be shown in no better
way than by concentrating the opening
of the new building with an entertain
| ment,
| With these few words he announced the
first number of the evenings programme,
a song By the Napa Glee Club, whose eff
forts were so satisfactory that an encore
was insisted on.
Preceding the leading event of the even
ing. the dedication grafton by the we'll
known orator, Samuel NJ. Shortridge, reci-
tations were rendered by Miss Ames,
| School Superintendent of Napa County,
and Mrs. Nellie Holbrook Blum.
Mr.. Shortridge was greeted ent husias-
tically when he stepped onto the stage.
He began by paying glowing tribute to
the old veterans.
81 bow first to the soldiers-the veterans
and next to the flag, that noble banner
which these old soldiers helped to save
said ne.
| After greeting the ladies and other MEM
bers of the audience in a happy manner
he continued:
| 81, like all the younger generation, did
not have the opportunity and privilege of
exhibiting my loyalty and patriotism, as
did the old soldiers; but gratitude is the
purest flower that blooms in the human
| heart, and the men or women who do not
| feel most grateful in their hearts for these
noble men do not deserve to enjoy the
liberty which their valor preserved for
| them. Loyalty and devotion to the flag is
the greatest virtue that can adorn a mans
nature"
Speaking of that loyalty as vindicated
| by the old soldiers present, he said:
81 see now before me, with bowed head
| and form, many of you who are perhaps
| suffering from physical weakness; but we
you to leave your homes and families and
business to preserve this grand Union
CLOVIS as brightly and steadfastly as ever,
and can never be extinguished.
An eloquent and feeling tribute was
paid to those who died for the tiag-the
unknown dead. who fill unmarked graves.
''They are dead" he said, land we cannot
give them the praise and glory they de-
serve; but how they Fought Yes, they
occupy unmarked graves, which we can
not grace with flowers, but they live in the
Book of Lie. A thought always comes to
my mind on Memorial Day, and that is,
Was it worth all this2 Is this flag the
freedom which it symbolizes in history,
worth the lives-.he countless lives-sacri-
feed on the CORY field of battle and
scenes OF carnage? Is it? Yes thousand
times. When we think of the disruption
of the Union the heart IS almost appalled,
at the imagined spectacle. The veterans
here before us prevented such disruption.
They, like many who sleep in peaceful
and haliowed graves, left home and bust
ness to maintain the grand old flag. They
went forth not as destroyers to carry mis-
cry and restitution in their path, but as
saviors, and these arms that raised the
Stars and Stripes on high would even now,
though some are palsied with age, be the
first in action TO keep 1t there.
aBut let us not forget the brave mothers
who sent their first-born forth to do battle
and die for their Nations liberty. nor the
tender and loving wives who saw their
loved ones and sole support go forth to
meet their country's foes, This is CRATE
full Nation; it will not forget its soldiers,
| nor those left dependent by its dead de-
tenders, and the Nations treasure would
be drained of its last dollar before our
country's brave women should be allowed
to suffer. And let me say again that those
who have no gratitude in their hearts for
the brave veterans do not deserve to enjoy
the liberty which they helped to preserve;
and IL there are any who do not honor
those who died for that liberty they do
not deserve the light of day or the peace
OF God"
| He spoke of the home as one of the prac-
teal evidences of gratitude felt by the
people for the noble services performed by
the 500 who enjoyed its comforts and
pleasures and expressed a fervent wish
that they might live long to enjoy their
well-earned peace and rest.
"We are here to dedicate this building
and to thank the directors and those in
charge for the kind and intelligent man
ner in which they discharged their duties
and 10 thank them for the care and pains
they are taking in providing for the pleas
ure and comforts OF the old soldiers. You
did much for us, turning 70 the veterans,
"and we want TO show ourselves grateful.
We want TO prove ourselves worthy OF all
that you did and suffered for US and the
liberty we now enjoy"
Before bringing his grafton to close Mr..
Shortridee adyerted to the historic idols
of the late war, each name being greeted
with a salvo of applause. He grew elo-
quent in his euiogium of the bravery of
the private soldier in the ranks, giving it
grander rating than that of general or
glorified leader. Theirs was to do and die
be said, perhaps to I'LL nameless and un-
known graves for their country's safety,
without reward or recognition. In closing
he said
sLet it be your 10Y and consolation 20
know that the deeds you performed were
not for a day, but for all time. Let it be
your JOY and consolation to know that YOU
did something TO make the world better
for your having lived. So long as the
rivers run TO the ocean, so long as the
| flowers bloom in this beautiful land, so