Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-08
n NJ Solder Aiis, IL uar.


and In a recent Sunday afternoon adj
dress to his regiment at Montauk Point
he gave some good advice which every
returning volunteer should paste in his
hat and read frequently and carefully.
Among other good things he said to
the heroes of La Quasina: But. boys
don't set gay and pose as heroes or lie
on your laurels. because they wither
Be careful Of your conduct in the fu-
ture. az you have In the past. The
world will be kind for 10 days, and
then, in those cold words that the
world is capable OF speaking at times,
it will declare you're spoiled by going
to war
That is sound sense and II all return
ing boys in blue would heed this adj
vice Colonel Roosevelt would have done
a greater work than he has ever done
in New York politics or in Cuban fight
ing. The boy in blue, whether he has
been out of the country or has re-
manned in the camps in the South, is
now the popular hero and if he is not
made Of sterling stuff he runs a great
danger of getting spoiled. The
beneficiary of Colonel Roosevelt's adj
vice, IL it is taken, will be the soldier
himself far more than anybody else,
and when the soldier Is warned to be
modest it is not because of any lack of
appreciation of his bravery or Of the
splendid work he did, but from real
iZatiOn of the tendency of human ma
ture to reactions of sentiment due to
slight causes. The American people
today are profoundly grateful
to the troops who responded to their
country's call, deeply grieved over the
fatalities which attended the prosecu-
ton of the war and much disturbed
over the mishaps which have caused
needless suffering. 1t is desirable that
they should retain these feelings, and
both for their own sake and the sake
of the soldiers never think lightly of
the soldier or teach future generations
that military service can be forgotten.
And yet no emotion can be strained
without hurt. So long as veterans
bear their laurels modestly and do not
seem to be using their military records
for their personal ends the popular
heart will be true to them. But the
popular heart, while warm, is always
ready to suspect that it is being i'm
posed upon. 1t likes to be spontaneous,
and never is patient of reminder that
there are claims upon it. Above all, it
dislikes to be told by anybody that his
past services entitle him to special
favors, and particularly special exemp-
tons. in the line of future duty. The
country, while anxious to do all honors
to its defenders, expects them in peace
to do faithfully all duties as citizens,
and the American antipathy to mill
tary sySterns makes people inclined to
resent any tendency of soldiers to inn
pose the prestige of military service
upon civil concerns.
1t is not to be denied that even the
veterans of the Civil War have suf-
fered somewhat from the indiscretions,
boastings and extravagant claims Of
some noisy few of their number. One
pension fraud is enough to weaken a
little the popular reverence for many
honest patriots. Every play to the
galleries by an old soldier is a blow at
his comrades. If that is the case with
those who fought to preserve the sna-
ton, how much more likely is it to be
the case with the soldiers of this short
war? They are popular heroes now,
and deservedly so, but they must hus..
band the affection now given them by
awaking no counter-criticism If
Colonel Roosevelt's warning saves any
of them from that mistake it will have
been well worth while. From time inn
memorial the old soldier has been the
type OF the boaster. The American
veteran owes himself a better name.