The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1896-06-06

B power Oh Il HlI8ht| Iidtlol, 1t uiilOiI Sli OiIS
and great. 1t isa great thing TO be able
to 20 around the world and be proud to
say in every land beneath the sun:
am citizen OF the United States OF
America" 1t is a great thing TO be
able to take the notes of tins country
and knock at the doors OF the treasures
of the world and have them cheeriully
paid.
1t is a great thing to stand wrapt in
the folds OF the stars and stripes before
the guns Of the nations of the earth and
see them lowered at the sight of that
emblem. 1t Is grand thing to be
citizen OF nation great enough to de-
fend It's poorest citizen against the
assaults of the combined world.
Who gave me this right? Who gave
such dignity to that flag? Who made 1t
possible for me, vino never heard the
roar OF a gun in actual battle, to stand
today rejoicing in my privileges OF cltIZ-
cnstip in this mighty nation? Let the
modest silence OF these veterans before
me today and the pathetic dust of their
comrades who have fallen asleep an
swcr.
If there is one man honor more than
another it is he who went forth when |
was a babe i'll my mothcr's arms and
offered his life on the field of battle Tor
institutions 50 dear to my heart and In
the ligs.t of which [ have grown to man
hood The mau who was good enough
for the front then Is good enough Tor
the same place in my hearts affections
now. If there Is grave III the land
that should be %reener than another 1t
is the one where lies buried the soldier
OF the Republic.
!. lao.
Deck them with gariamds these heroes of
ours,
Lying so silent by night and by day,
Sleeping the years of their manhood away.
Then let these days be great object
lessons to those who coming 10 cltlZ-
enHhip beneath our flag.
That same patriotic principle which
moved these men to subordinate prl-
waite interests to the public good is
needed as long as the nation endures.
We need patriotic men today in all the
great political, social and commercial
affairs Of this nation.
Our national disasters come upon us
through a lack of patriotism. Men there
are who subordinate the public good to
their own private interests. Men who
meet today and enter into combinations
Of any kind which prostitute the public
good for the advancement of their own
! private interests, are traitors to their
country as much as any who ever fired
on that flag.
The primary of self interest in def
ance OF the general welfare of the people
! is the chief danger of the present hour.
! All of our great questions must be set
tied along the lines of this higher pa
! triotism which holds the general and
| permanent welfare supreme. \ man
who politically will play into the hands
of the ignorant, the stupid and vicious
/ for the purpose of adyanCin. his own
| private interests is a traitor to this
/ country and disgrace to the memory
| Of our soldiers, living and dead. A man
I who will directly or Indirectly tamper
with the ballot box or seek to carry our
( elections by an appeal to the baser pas
I sIOns of mans lower nature Is worse
! than the men who shot ut the flag. Men
who try in any way to corrupt public
| Justice or legislation are on Il par with
/ the men who secretly tried to scatter
| disease and death among our soldiers
/ during the war.
| Thank God the war of the Rebellion
is over. But my fellow citizens, the OPP
portunitv to cultivate and to exercise
patriotism is with us still. | want these
DAYS to be great educators along that
line. May the spirit that fired the
hearts of these men when this nation S
honor was at stake stir the depths of
our souls as we graphic the problems
of this hour.
| want the young men of this nation
to know that this nation hOnOrs pa
triOtism and hates treason in peace and
IN war. Let our children know the
price of orr liberty and our free insti-
tutione as they meet on these days and
Z =
they never prize these lightly. Let us
put flowers upon the graves of soldiers
dead and in the pathway of soldiers
living that we may do honor to these
and inspire in the hearts of the new
generations the love of country that
shall make our institutions safe in their
hands. Let the whole world know that
we honor the citizen soldier.
The grandest sight in the military
history OF the government of the world
was the return of our soldiers to the
private walks of life when our country
needed them no more on the field of
battle. Great in war, they have been
great in peace. They have stood for
virtue, truth and patriotism in every
time and place since they laid
aside the uniform Of the soldier for the
plain coat of the private citizen. To
see great army like that spring from
the ranks of private life in the hour of
the nations need and then, when
needed there no longer, silently return
to become the bone and sincW of the
nations private life, this is the very
perfection of self-government by free
men. Let us never forget the men
who SO nObly demonstrated that great
principle to the world.
/ need not offer words of praise in
behalf Of these men as soldiers and
citizens. Their lives offered then and
/ lived since then speak with Il deeper
and finer eloquenCe than the words of
men. To you, brave men, who remain
of that mighty host, that matchlcSs
army, that heroic band, we say, today,
we rejoice that YOU live among us still.
The heart grows mellow and the eve
dim as We see the old soldiers turning
gray and one by one as tile years 90 by,
I falling out of the ranks, going into
camp Since last Memorial day hun
drcds have heard the last roll call and
being weary Of the march have gone to
rest. You remain. Nav YOU live to
bless our country still. But know this
today: That, although You close your
ewes upon this earth YOU shall not be
( forgotten. ON each Memorial day we
will gather, while this nation lives and
Jay upon the soldiers grave our tribute
of flowers in token Of our love. This
shall be the monument which keeps
| Your memories fresh. Your hands still
hold the old flag in the sky. one by
one you will loosen Your grasp and fall
asleep. But the flag shall not fall 1t
/ stands here today in the name of the
millions of loyal people of this nation,
IN the name of the millions Of free and
. happy children in our public schools,
in the name of the millions of Young
men of this nation, pledge YOU that as
the old iiag falls from your hands we
Will defend it, preserve its honor and
keep it forever floating in triumph
above the place where lie buried the
men who saved it, the soldiers of the
Republic, our llonored Dead
And the star >pauglcd banner forever shall
/ wave
. Ger the land Of the free and the home OF the
brave