The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-31
AT HISTORIC GETTYSBURG.
Address by Webster Davis, Assistant
Secretary of the Interior.


Address by Webster Davis, Assistan mt
Secretary of the Interior.
GETTYSBURG, Pa, May 9O.-The attend
ance was larger and the exercises more in
teresting at the Memorial day ceremonies
held here to-day, than on any similar oc-
casion in the past dozen years. The parade
formed on York street and moved promptly
at D. m. to the national cemetery, where
after impressive services by the Grand
Army of the Republic and amid the boom
ing of the cannon Of Houston Post, OF
Chambersburg, the school children, Ladies
Aid Society and others strewed flowers over
the graves This work over, the crowd
thronged about the rostrum Hon. Geo. j.
Benner, member of Congress from this dis
trict. presided, and the opening prayer was
offered by Rev. H. c. Alleman of Christ
Lutheran Church. Chairman Benner read
a letter from President Mckinley regretting
his inability, owing to the condition of ma
tional affairs, to be present on this occasion.
He then introduced the orator of the day.
Hon. Webster Davis, assistant secretary of
the interior who held his audience for forty
minutes in a masterful Grafton. In the
course of his address Mr.. Davis said:
''All honor to the memory of our heroic
pious footstep eer shall tread the her5age
of their graves. And we do not forget the
boys who went down to watery graves IN
the unfortunate Maine: their valor shall
never be forgotten while fame her record
keeps. Nor do we forget the graves which
are marked unknown; for them we bring
the rarest flowers. We believe in the es-
adjustment and maintenance of homes Tor
homeless defenders of the Republic. We be-
lieve, too, in reserVfng a little space there
for the poor. old. helpless homeless, white
hair sod not nrr rIfat In hon
as living sacrifice to the bloodthirsty god
of war We believe, also. in liberal pensions
for all who are worthy and deserving.
Il believe the hour has struck on the
clock of ages (whose huge pendulum
swings to and fro over the arch of CEN
turies) when this wonderful land shall take
New fields are fast opening up for Amer
lean adventure. Alaska. with it's teeming
wealth. is only awaiting the coming of
American steam and electric engines, Amer
lean enterprise, genius and energy, to I'M
lock ner treasures and pour them into the
pockets of American thrift and courage.
The Hawaiian islands. too, which could
furnish homes for a million of our people
and market for untold millions Of our
products, also affording place of refuge
for our vessels, are daily knocking at our
States, wanting the protection of our flag
Let us take them and make them feel per-
feCtly at home.
Tier again, in the far East there are
countless millions of people to be clothed
and fed who have plenty of wealth with
which to pay for 1t, who would furnish a
good market for the products of our mills
and Shops, factories and farms, whenever
We can reduce the rates of transportation
so that our products can be furnished as
cheaply as those of other countries This
we can do by bringing about the early con-
struction and operation of the Nicaragua
canal. And this, together with a Pacific
cable (Which We should construct and con-
troD would give us easy communication
with the Pacific ocean-destined, at no dis
tant day, to float the greater part of the
world commerce. Then, with proper at
tent1on on the. part of our government to
the encouragement of the construction of
merchant ships we would soon become one
or the greatest commercial nations and be
masters of the commerce and trade of the
Pacific 1t would not be, long until the sails
OF American commerce would whiten eN cry
sea and our flag be found in all the harbors
of the world
Our standing army should also he in
creased; not too much however for our
excellent volunteer soldiery can always be
relied upon, but we should have trained
force always ready for duty sufficiently
large to protect our frontiers until the vol
unteer army could get ready for action.
We snouid also strengthen our coast de-
lenses in order that we may be well pre-
pared for foreign invasion. Then. too, we
should build one of the finest navies that
ride the seas, in order that we may hold
our own with any nation. on as well as
on land 1T should make no difference what
the cost would be. for our Nation is rich and
should realize that eternal vigilance is the
price of liberty. and that the way to al
ways have peace is to be always prepared
for war.
I'VE are glad to-day that sectional lines
nave entirely disappeared in this country.
In the face of foreign insults. prejudice and
hate can no longer endure among the peo-
pie of the North and South than the snow
can last when. kissed by the warmth of the
beams OF the life-giving sun. Only the
other day-a third of century since the
eagle of victory nestled with the dove of
peace on the flag of the Union a Appomat-
toX - another call for volunteers echoed
throughout our land. and together. side by
side, sons of men who wore the blue and
the. gray march away to the music of the
under the starry flag. At the head of their
column we rejoice to see the gray-haired
mics, and the grandson of the immortal
Grant on the staff of the gallant Lee, all
now wearing the loyal blue and all soldiers
in the cause of liberty.
THE Christian nations of the old world
lost the great and golden opportunity of
the century when they turned a deaf ear
to the pleadingS of the down-trodden and
oppressed people of Greece and Armenia.
But the young republic of the new world
has heard the cry from the suffering and
oppressed people of an island at its very
door, and has FASTENED to their relief And
our reunited people are standing by our
uphold the dignity and glory. of our coun-
try. His superb courage, profound wisdom
rare diplomacy and peerless patriotism
time, and have welded his name to glory
and undying fame. For victory will be ours
/ hear 1t.
I'VE are told that in the disastrous siege
of Lucknow a Scotch girl raised her head
from the pallet in the hospital and said to
the sickening hearts of the English: !
hear the bagpipes; the Campbells are COM
ing. They said: Jessie. ii is delirium
No she replied, i know it; / hear il
afar off, And in an hour the pihroch burst
upon their glad ears and the banner OF
England fioated in triumph over their heads
So, in the dim distance. l can hear the
first notes of the jubilee rising from the