The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-22
DAY OF PATRIOTISM
All Were Loyal at Old SOL
diers' Reunion Yesterday.
FATHER TIHEN'S TRIBUTE
Captain Fishback and Others
Make Inspiring Speeches.

Attendance and enthusiasm seems 10
increase as the soldiers reunion in South
Riverside progresses. Yesterday the park
was crowded throughout the entire day
and at night, and the large audience tent
re-echoed with patriotism in song and
speech and rotations AS Reverend Dub
Der said in his speech last night, they even
had patriotism TO burn.
The day began with the usual campfire
exercises in which some of the best things
during the entire reunion took place. The
broad nberahty of the managers OF the
reunion was evidenced by the invitations
extended to ex-confederates to participate
in the program. The old animosity is
dead and cremated and the ashes have
been scattered to the four winds Of the
earth, never to return. Captain H. Ii.
Harris, an ex-confederate soldier, ad-
dressed the campfire yesterday, and SO
tender were his sentiments and so liberal
were his views, that he was given an ova-
ton by. the old union veterans after the
services.
John Fisher, whose patriotism has been
tested in other public meetings and Is
known to- be true, was on the program
and delivered a stirring talk. Thomas H.
Means of Iowaville, and Senior Vice De-
partment Commander L. B. Palmer also
addressed the meeting and their addresses
were we'll received.
The afternoon meeting was one of the
best of the reunion so far. The band
played excellently and every recitation.
song and speech seemed to thrill with the
high spirit of the occasion.
Rev. Father Then, rector of the Pro-
Cathedral, made the opening address, and
it was radiant with beautiful thought.
His tribute to the flag was word pic
ture seldom equalled, and visibly affected
many in the audience. Father Then
said:
ST am sincerely grateful for being af-
forded the opportunity to address this
: assemblage. 1 would rather talk to the
/ old soldiers and to their friends than to
any other audience. No man can love his
country and not love the defenders of his
Countrywide men who made and preserved
its greatest advantages. No man can
love God and not love his country. God
Himself implanted in the human heart
t the feeling of love for ones country and
when that feeling becomes extinct in any
t cne mark that man; ne is thoroughly
bad. l never look upon old soldier
, without feeling Of admiration and rev.
erence. To have gone forth to battle for
home and country is to my mind the
highest achievement of man; for what
greater can man offer for felowman than
+ his life? This great work you performed
in days that were not as bright and full
I of sunshine as the present, in days when
. the darkly lowering clouds seemed to
:, threaten the welfare of a country which
Divine Providence had destined to become
, the greatest and best of earth, and you
, performed the work successfully and well.
Generations yet unborn shall thank you
for it. Do not be displeased my soldier
friends with my remarks. You dislike
fiattery. You had rather not hear COM
plimentary things said about yourselves.
You are modest. Genuine merit Always
is. But permit us for our own sakes TO
dwell upon these things. The young of
our country particularly require a knowl-
edge of these things for their instruction
and edifcation. The knowledge will help
them to apprec tie the blessings they en-
joy and point out to them a duty they
may be Gale ! upon to perform. You are
growing old. The hardships of the service
and the years as they passed have sill
vered your hair and furrowed your brows.
Z 1t is growing late with most of you. Morn
ing and noon day of your lives are past
j evening is at hand. The shadows are
frightening, the sun of your lives is rap
idly sinking in the west. The form is
bent. the hands tremble, the step falters,
= the eye is dim,-the heartbeat weak the
: candle is burning low in the socket Soon
twill be forever extinguished and a sol
diers' grave will hide all the earth can
: claim of a hero. AS you are passing il
: cannot but be consolation and JOY
" to you to reflect how great and deserving
the cause that called forth your efforts:
Il Your country and her glory. What a eoun-
II try is America-the favorite child born tc
t mother earth in her old age. a being sc
o wondrously fair hat the world has never
5 seen her equal Columbia, fairest Of al
IL the lands Her footstooI is the western
: hemisphere. her crown the jewels OF lib-
u erty, her girdle the doctrine of equality
? her robe the flag which you soldiers Sc
Il bravely bore through the strife. Flag o.
e our country. God bless thee. Woman:
lie tears and soldier blood have often moist
e ened thy folds on many a battlefield
hast thou gone down, but always TO ris'
y again; on many more have thy stars an(
stripes led the soldier boys on 10 valiap
l. victory Float on. telling generations We
2 to come Of the glories Of the past and th'
d hopes Of the future.
Ii Unfold thou flag. fling thy folds to tn
IS breeze;
LET it wave Ger the land, let It loa
g DER the seas,
Is "And everywhere tell of America. OF
i chosen land. and proclaim the principle
II Of equality and liberty.
$ How base were we, how ignoSle, di-
e we not love this flag Men are great Il
proportion as the p1 iciples are gro 70
which they stand and work. For II
- same reason is sur flag so great There
:. fore 60 we love X and prize II; therefor
= shall We fight for il and. II necessary. d.
ne for it; defend ii ever against its foes g
IL home and abroad. SO thai foT ages 70 com
he our dear flag may
III -" 'triunphanily wav
" Ger the land Of the free and the hon
OF the brave"
IN Following Father TIhen's address San
= ford's band rendered an inspiring II ii=
% national airs. after which Cao-ai
- Fishback az Winfield was Introduced en
deli-e-ed one ~ the lively aad entertain
ing speeches of the reunion he l. 81
Z oil soldier. and his own experience =.