The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-12-02
ASH have Thought Of the New York

AS have thought of the New York
monument to be erected tu the memory
Of our fallen heroes have found myself
asking two questions, "What will such
monument mean?' and the other, what
will that monument teach?" Let me try
and ask you for moment, to help me
answer what does the monument mean?
Oh! that monument will mean, when
finished, a world of memories, a world of
deeds, and world of tears, and world
of glories. You know, yea, thousands
know, what it is to offer up your life to
the country, and that is no small thing,
as every soldier knows. Colonel Roose-
welt has seen our American soldier at his
best, and is not afraid to tell the Ameri-
can people something of their worth.
This is what he said of them the other
day to most distinguished party of men
at New York banquet:
IL wish you could realize the bravery,
devotion, and endurance of pain and per-
il of the American officer and of the Am
erican soldier. l wish you could have
seen the columns going forward to wrest
victory from death, knowing that if
wounded they would perhaps lie two or
three days in the jungle without medical
care, and glad to do it for the honor and
glory of the flag. wish you could have
seen the wounded, carted away in jost-
ling mule wagons, lying patiently wait
ing, without complaint, for the long-de-
layed attentions of the surgeons, delayed
because those surgeons were working un-
ceasingly until they fell asleep in the
midst OF capital operations from sheer in
ability to stand the strain longer. And
if you had seen that you would feel that
too much can not be done for the soldier"
That is what this monument will mean.
Let me put the question to you: "For
moment suppose your country in the
awful embodied form of majestic law
should stand above you and say, "I want
your life. Come up here on this plat
form and offer it," How many would
walk up before that majestic presence
and say. "Here l am, take this life and
use it for your great needs" And yet al
most 175, 900 of men made that answer,
and monument is to stand to commem-
crate that answer. THAT Is one of its
meanings.
But let me try you little further. To
give up life is much. for it is to give up
mother, wife and home, and child, and
ambition. Suppose this awfully majestic
form should call out to you aad say, 81
ask on to give up health and drag your
self, not dead, but half alive, through a
miserable existence for long years until
you perish and die in your crippled and
hopeless condition. l ask you to volun.
teer to do that" and it calls for a higher
reach of patriotism and self.sacrifice, but
thousands of soldiers did that. That is
what this monument will teach.
But let me ask you to take one step fur
| ther. Suppose your country should say,
| "Come up here on this platform, and in
my name, and for my sake, consent to be
| idiots. Consent that your very brain and
intellect shall be broken down into hope
less idiocy for my sake" How many
And yet there are hundreds, and that
with their eyes wide open to the horrible
| consequences, obeyed that CALL Great
| God was there ever such measure of pa
triotism reached by any men on this
earth as has been shown by our Ameri-
can soldier? That is what that monu-
ment is to mean.
BY the subtle chemistry that no man
knows, all the blood that was shed by our
boys, all the lives that were devoted, all
the grief that was ielt, at last will crystal
lie itself into granite rendered immortal,
the great truth for which they died, and
it will stand there forevermore as lesson
to Spain-to the entire world-a lesson of
patriotism, from liberty loving soldier
boys, while above them and the conflict,
was God silently holding the stars and
stripes of our flag which were not to ''fall
as dying meteors down the sky"
1t certainly would be sinful in us, ir-
reverent upon this memorial occasion, If
we failed to recognize the God of nations.
One of the great lessons that has come
to Spain, and one that they cannot help
but recognize, is that the God of nations
has been with the American people, her
navy her soldiers; that God spoke against
oppression in no uncertain tones, when
Dewey and Schley and Shafter and Samp.
son turned the guns of the navy and ar.
my on Spain. And tonight we bow in
deepest admiration and alteration. to the
God that has ever been the shield and
protector of our army and navy.
That was high compliment to oul
Christian navy which Blanco paid indi.
rectly when he ordered Cervera to move
out of the harbor on the Lords Day