Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-05-31
At SOLDIERS rshR,Nes
Continued from Fifth Page.

the best you can do is but q feeble
expression Of the gratitude due them
from every heart. But may l b
allowed to step aside from the Gus
tomary tribute to the dead to speak
of and TO the living? lam neither a
veteran nor the son Of . veteran. but
one Of An increasing company, who
look with veneration and pride upon
the gray-hairod servants of our
country, living monuments Of those
dark days Of strife, still bearing
about in their body the dying for
this glorious republic.
May not be thought disrespsct-
full of the dead. il say regard the
living worthy Of double honor. You
ran the same risk with them. Like
them life was laid upon the conn
try's altar. When the day of battle
came you stood side by side. BY q
strange Providence they were taken;
you were left. To every true col
der who fell on the battle field,
death came as an spotheosis, like the
martyrs whose snffsrings we're ended
with the first keen blow. But the
man who returned from the perils
and exposures Of the campaign. came
with the seeds of death planted with
in his frame. The constitution
broken. and germs implanted which
in these later years have developed
into bodily sffliction. . veritable
thorn in the flesh. have not found
an old soldier in years, of whom it
cannot be said is always bearing
about in the body the dying and
what is ,he terror of the battle field
70 this drawn out deathp In the
heat OF battle with heart fred with q
holy purpose. it was an easy thing
to die In comparison with this slow
wasting away before the ravages of
disease A friend of mine has suf-
fered the horrors of q hundred bat
tie fields. Added to this the sting Of
neglect. destitution, loneliness and
ingratitude. and I repeat that the
living representatives., rather than
their dead comrade, should claim
our respect and honor. Our oblipa-
ton to the survivors of that fast
wasting army should be fulfilled.
Today the country can pay no higher
tribute to patriotism than to care
for her living HEROES much nobler
expression than tears for the dead.
l believe the time has come when
every survivor should be placed on
the retired list of the nation's SER
wants, with suitable com pensation,
rot in the spirit Of charity, but as
| partial payment Of q debt of lorg
standing Tor services rendered aud
suffering endured. Nor can that
obligation be met In dollars and
cents? To them belong the peace Of
honor in hreside and hall. Upon
you sons of veterans rests the obi
cation of seeing that they are not
pushed aside in old age, or their ser
vice forgotten.
| 1T Al the Island.
The customary ceremonies ven
held at the National cemetery at
Rock Island arsenal Saturday sitter.
noon. A large crowd of people from
the three cities we're present. Au
gust Wentz post. of Davenport, had
charge Of the ceremonies. The ora
ton was delivered by Maj Mckenzie,
OF Des Moines. A double quartet
sang and Otso's band played. Prayer
was offered by Rev. E. H Lovett. OF
Davenport. F w. Smith read Lin
coins Gettysburg speech, the band
played . dirge. after which the
graves Of the soldiers were bedecked
BY children with Gags and flowers.
Tue August Vents Post guards fred
. salute. taps were sounded BY the
Orphans' Home children, and Rev.
9. s. Rollins pronounced the bene-
diction.