Mesa free press., 1898-08-12
A GALA DAY.
A FULL REPORT OF PRO-
CEEDINGS AT WHIPpLE.

| "A " OE nO~-
CEEDINGS AT WHIPPLE
The excursion which left here SSaa5tur-
day morning reached Prescott IN due
time with nothing save pleasuratae
incident. The city was expecting a
large number of visitors and seemed
fully prepared to entertain them. Ho-
tells were provided with exra beds,
personal friends and private families
gave up their rooms and did, all in their
power to make the occasion one long
to be remembered by those who were
/ fortunate enough to be numbered
among the visitors over Sunday.
The exercises of the day on the city
! ball plaza were opened as soon as pos
sible after the arrival of the train, the
| volunteers from the barrac cks marching
| in and forming in a hollow square
| around the band stand.
!; Hon. Reese NJ. Ling called the vast
4! assemblage to order and after short
speech bidding hearty welcome to
the city's visitors, introduced Hon. A.
P. Shewman, superintendent Of public
instruction of the territory, and D. r.
w. G.. T. of Arizona I. o. G. t., who
spoke as follows, in behalf Of the order
and the beautiful flag about to be pre-
seQted:
Colonel McCord and Soldiers Of the
First Regiment Arizona, New Mex
| leo, and Oklahoma Infantry VOlun-
teerS:
"Once more have the nations looked
on in amaZement alt the unparalQ eled
achievements of American arms. In
amazement haye they beheld our boys
focking around Old Glory from field
and shop and counting house and plain,
rushing to the battle ere yet the
sweat of toll had dried upon their
| brows, but putting to rout veterans
whose trade is war. In our country,
beneath our starry banner, every cit
izen is a soldier, and even beardless
boys have proven themselves heroes
upon the field Of carnage And no
where in the realms where OUT flag
,, waves does patriotism burn with more
ardent glow than it does in the terri
tories of the great west. The older
states have been aStOnished at the
alacrity with which you have respond
ed TO the call of your country, from the
plains and valleys Of the sunkissed
south to where the mountain breezes
whisper songs of patriotism through
the drapery of the pines. and far
away over the mountains of New Mex
leo and the prairies of Oklahoma, the
brave boys have dropped the imple-
80 f,,1 dtrh1 nd
change of garb. been transformed into
valor0us veterans. Some of them now
sleep the sleep of gallant heroes where
! the palm trees wave in the breezes OF
| a tropical land; but when they fell
| their blood helped to nurture the germ
Of freedom and seal the doom of cruel
and arrogant oppression. Green be
their memory forever In our hearts.
Their names will be written high up
/; on the roll Of the patriotic sons of the
J great west. Soldiers. we come to you
roday to express to you our ardent ad-
! miration for the alacrity which you
| have displayed in responding to the
! call Of your country. We come to tell
/ YOU that a nation composed of such
men is invulnerable and invincible and
that we are proud to be of the great
! west when such men as you are part
! Of 1T. AS an appreciation of you and
Of the patriotism which you have
shown, the Good Templars of Arizona
beg leave to present to you mementl
| one that will remind you that a great
organization having for IT'S object the
betterment of mankind will follow you
with it's prayers and it's plaudlts and
Its benedictfons wherever you may De
called. Assured that If you are CALLED
where the cannon and shot and shell
reath death shroud ON the bloody
ield, you will prove yourselves as val
:! liant as any who have fought and fell
We now, on behalf of the Grand
Lodge of Good Templars of Arizona
present to you this beautiful silken
lyattlefag, and we know that ere you
return from the conflict you will have
written honor upon it's beautiful folds
Take 1T. carry 1T to victory, and we be-
lieve that wherever 1T may float with
brave and gallant hands you Will up
hold and protect It,"
Mr.. a. P. Walbridge, Grand Chief
Templar of the jurisdiction, then pre-
sented the flag in the following appro
pirate words:
Colonel McCord:
"As Grand Chief Templar Of Arizona
1t becomes my very agreeable priv1
| lege to present this flag to your regi
ment in behalf of the Good Templars
of the territory and must assure you
that 1T is an honor NOT lightly
esteemed.
Permit me to say that 1t seems very
appropriate that the Good Templars
are accorded this honor, for patriotism
the loye Of country and solicitude foa
the welfare and happiness of our fel
low men are the very foundation
Stones of our order.
''It was this patriotic devotion to the
welfare of the nation and her citizens
that called the 10. G. 7. into exist
ence and 1T is this same unselfish love
of country that keeps the fires oa