The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-27
Defeating THE CASINO.
TO the Uses of the g. A. R. Reunion
Last Might

It was big crowd which gathered
in the casino last night at the exercises
in dedication of Camp Dewey. Notwith-
standing the fact that the fakirs and
prOprietOrs of the different games and
shows throughout the grounds were
nofsily crying their attractions most of
the visitors to Garfield park sought the
eIoquence which was to be heard at the
casino.
At 7:3O the Hamilton Military band.
which has come all the way from Ham
nton in the extreme southwestern part
of the state to furnish music for the
reunion, began playing and gave sew
era1 patriotic airs.
After the band had played for some
time Captain Tom J. Jackson of New
ton, the officer of the day, called the
assembly to order.
You have met" he said, under cir
cumStnaceS such as never existed before
at our reunions. We meet this year
under Greater America. I thank God
that I live in the United States There
may possibly have existed a greater
nation than this in the past, but such a
one does not now exist, and it won't
till after the second coming of Jesus
Christ"
Captain Jackson's remarks were
greeted with great applause, and he
closed by introducing the presiding Of
ffcer of the evening, o. E. Morse of
Mound City.
Mr. Morse spoke briefly of the pur-
pose of the assembly to dedicate Camp
Dewey, and then introduced the Rev.
H. d. Fisher, who in the absence of
Rev. F. D. Baker of Concordia, the de-
partment chaplain, made the opening
prayer.
DR.. Fisher in his prayer spoke of the
glOries the nation had achieved in the
past and reviewed its history from the
revolution to the present.
Mayor Fellows was to have welcomed
the old soldiers on behalf of the city,
but as he was detained at Parsons,
Major Tom Anderson was called upon
to perform this duty in the mayors
place. He said:
''Old comrades of the G. A. r., ladies
of the Women's Relief corps, one OF
whom am with, Ladies Of the C. A. R.,
one of whom 1 am also which, and Sons
of Veterans: In the absence of Mayor
Fellows tonight, / welcome you to To-
peka, the best and cleanest city in the
world. We have tried to make it pleas
ant for you and hope you will like it.
If you see anything you don't want, tell
US and we will be sure to get it for
you
Major Anderson then told some of his
inimitable stories, and said in conclu-
sion:
1--WE invite you to stay with US
through Friday and enjoy the festivi-
ties of that day. See our great parade
and the greatest flower parade you ever
saw See our beautiful queen from our
newly acquired possessions in the Pa
cific Come to the KarniVal ball in the
evening and if you haven't 2 legs dance
on one-you old fellows with only one leg
/ can on two. Stay with us a month,
year, in fact we invite you to make our
city your home forever"
After Major Anderson had concluded
the Modocs were called for and sang
America Forever" and they were so
heartily applauded that they had to re-
spond.
AS Governor Leedy is still sick at
Geuda Springs, Chief Justice Doster
welcomed the veterans on behalf of the
state and made an eloquent address.
War" he said, terrible though It
may be, and dreadful as you who have
been through one know it to be, has
been the inspiration of poets; its heroes
have won the admiration of men and
the love of women. If it were possible
to drive from the pages of history the
record of war, literature, yes, and hu
man life itself would be extremely bar
rem ParadoxicaI though it may seem,
the progress of civilization towards lib
erty and peace is through war.
I'VE hear much Of moral victories.
You can resist temptation sitting
around a warm fire and drawing an in
come of a thousand dollars a year, and
the income will help you to do it. But
the sublinest courage of which the hui
man soul is apable is to move up by
the side of eternity and look death in
the face across the mouth of a cannon.
To such as have done this, and many
of YOU are among the number, I re-
specially take off my hat.
''War lifts men above the sordid feel
ings which destroy national life. If our
nation had come into existence peace
fully If our infant navy had not won
its victories, if it were not for glories
of 1872, if we had relied alone on our
pride of territorial expansion, our
boosted bond of union would have dis
solved like a rope Of sand. Some say
that the tie which binds this nation to-
gether lies in our commercial interests,
in our civilization, in our great eXpanse
and diversified resources i deny that