The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-01
MEMoRIAL-DAY ADDRESSES.

There has been quite an Improvement in
the quality of the Memorial-day address,
but there is room for much more The
spread-eagle performance, which should
have no place in intelligent communities,
should be dropped entirely. In plain and
simple words, the devotion and sacrifice of
the men who served the Union can be told
far better than in sentimental gush or a
torrent Of glittering words formed into long
sentences. That sort of thing has had
it's day, or should have had, and if the
promoters of oratorical contests are in any
way responsible for it's lingering in commu-
mites which have been educated to better
things they should be censured.
The Journal has given extracts from
both the useless and the timely memorial
address within the past few days. 1t has
one of the useless in mind. 1t was made
UP of glittering generalities. 1t had not a
reference to the grave duties which devove
upon those who live to-day or a suggestion
as to how those duties must be discharged
if the Republic is to continue. Ha-
wall, this orator said, must be a
State, and it is the duty of the United
States to see that the Cubans have indie
pendence. OF the Importance of good gov
eminent at home, of integrity in public af-
fairs and of a high sense of honor in the
discharge of public duties as necessary to
perpetuate the Union and popular govern
ment nothing was said. There is not fair
ly intelligent man in this country who does
not know that Hawaii is utterly unfit to be-
come State upon the basis of the unlim-
tied suffrage in other States. Those who
have considered the Cuban question in all
it's aspects know that the only ground for
the interference of this government is that
Weylerism is barbarism. Those who con-
slider that nearly nine-tenths Of the inhab-
itants of Cuba cannot read any language
are doubtful if independence would be a
good thing for Cuba.
Another address was not eloquent in the
spread-eagle sense, but it was a thought
dangers of the present time. With a few
views of the speaker the Journal may not
coincide but it was in the right direction,
because it pointed out the dangers to which
the Republic is exposed, and maintained
that it is the duty of the present genera
ton to protect from insdious foes that
which has been saved by valor. The speak
er dwelt upon the danger of weakening
and impoverishing the life blood of the Re-
public by indiscriminate immigration, but
he said not a word about Hawaii, Cuba
and Greece. To this thoughtful man the
first duty of those who assemble to honor
the men who died to save the Republic is
to point out its dangers and consider what
is necessary to it's preservation. To-day
indiscriminate immigration is a matter of
far greater concern to the Nation than the
status of any adjacent island with a few
hundred thousand inhabitants, the MAORI
ty of whom are doubtless incapable Of self
government. 1t is vastly more to the hon
or of the dead to teach on Memorial day
that the man who betrays a public trust
is a stranger to that patriotism which in
spired men to take the risks of battle than
it is to demand the freedom Of people at
a distance who are incapable of self-gov-
ernmsnt. The dead of the Republic will be
much more honored by telling what they
did and impressing the necessity of intelli-
gent and conscientious citizenship and
quoting the words of Lincoln dedicating
ourselves ito the unfinished work they
have so nobly carried on"