The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-21


she never struggled, toiling as she never
toiled, working and striving, not only TO
carry on the farm and business that had
been left behind, but to provide for the
family; keep them together and at the
same time carry on the most gigantic aid
to the war through the sanitary commits
sion and other avenues that the world
ever saw. Think of our tender women
planting and gathering the crops, turning
themselves into 'hewers Of wood and
drawers of water Think of them de-
priving themselves often-times of the
necessities of life in order that they might
send some delicacy or useful article 10 the
boys in blue. Think of them going where
the battle was hardest, where disease was
most prevalent, Drawing all perils, en-
during all hardships, and there, like angels
Of mercy, ministering unto the wounded,
the dying and the dead. From the be-
ginning to the end and through all the
years of misery, death and triumph. II
was woman that never faltered, never
tired; that never gave UP the ultimate
victory of right over wrong; OF freedom
over slavery. 1t was she who gave up
husband, father, son and lover, only TO
renew her zeal in trying to make it
little more comfortable for those who
were near and dear to some one else. l
am glad that the history of the war is
not complete without the women. l am
glad 1 belong to race that can produce
such women as Mother Bickerdyke, Mary
Livermore and scores of others. I take
off my hat to such women and say God
bless them; they are the choicest OF Gre
alton.
''Oh how many mothers and wives
looked, waited and watched in vain for
those who never returned. How many
are the slabs that mark the graves of
such on southern soil, with the only in
scription, unknown Oh, what years of
suffering, what years OF sorrow, what
years of triumph.
81 am glad 1 live in a country that
teaches patriotism in her schools, that
has the flag of this. our free and now I'M
divided union, floating over her public
buildings, proclaiming freedom to the
world I am glad I live in country
whose flag 1 can wrap about me and say
to all men and all nations, Touch me il
you dare
IT see in your midst and fraternizing
to emulate your example in extending
freedom to the oppressed. 1 pay them
tribute They enlisted in a noble cause;
they answered the call of the most hui
name government in the world and fol-
lowed the proudest, freest flag that floats
on land or sea. They answered the call
Of a country that went to war for human
itys sake, that went to war because her
ideas of freedom were being shocked by
a ruthless and treacherous nation. They
are your sons. They have learned we'll
| the lesson you taught them, the lesson
! of good citizenship, of Americanism m
| glad so many of you have lived to see
| this day; a day when the Mason and
Dixon Line has been wiped out, when
the bitterness of the past has vanished;
when we have reunited country in fact,
with no east, no west, no north, no south;
when the blue and the gray, the rich and
the poor, the high and the lowly have
marched, fought and died side by side
under one flag, the stars and stripes, and
with one battle-cry, Remember the
Maine
when the news flashed over the wires
| that the Maine and her Inflated crew
had been blown up, it only quickened the
determination on the part of our liberty
loving people to put a stop to SPANS
long-suffered and repeated acts of tyr
amy and oppression over her subjects
who had been goaded into rebellious ex-
| ASPIRATION. War was declared. The
Asiatic squadron was ordered to quit her
moorings at Hong Kong. 1t was in
charge Of the student of Farragut; it was
in charge of the quiet, unostentatious
man who was destined to revolutionlze
the naval history of the world. 1t %as in
charge of the man who took his feet TO
| Manila Bay and tore the Spanish fleet into
shreds. The roll was called; not an
American killed or vessel disabled. We
held our breath. The report came. but
we didn't believe it. 1t was verified, and
then our joy knew no bounds. In our
heart of hearts we built a monument, a
monument as high as the sunlight and as
solid as the Rock of Ages, and upon hiatt
monument we placed the child of the Civil
war We placed there the man who had
staggered the world by his achievements
and daring; we placed there and there to
remain the hero of Manila, the hero of
this nation-Admiral George Dewey.
But it yet remained for Kansas to
receive her laurels from the hand Of the
Goddess of War. OF all the splendid
troops of splendid men we had furnished
to support this government in its humane
and righteous undertaking. the Twentieth
regiment was most scoffed at, most ridi-
culed and maligned Our hearts burned
with resen tment, because they were start
ed out poorly clad, lily equipped and made
the laughing stock of those who didn't
know the stuff our volunteers were made
OF. But the day Of retribution has come
The day has come when the fingers thai
pointed at them in derisiOn are now
pointing to them with pride. The day
has come when the voices that booted al
them are now raised in shouting then
praises. The day has come when Kan.
sas is on every tongue IN every land
| when the brightest star in the galaxy Of
heroes shines for Kansas. Led by oul
! hero. the gallant Twentieth has climbed
l to the very highest round in the ladder o.
5 J fame and carved upon the tablet OF i'm
! perishable glory her name and the nam'
! Of her leader, the name OF Frederici
Z Funston.
Veterans. you had your part In TIL
noble work. Those who were with Gran
in the wilderness. their spirit was there
Those who marched with Sherman to tn
0 sea, their spirit was there. Those wh
o storned Lookout Mountain passe
d through the Valley Of Death and crossc'
! the 'Rapidan,' their spirit was there
Those who languished in prisons. dy:ni
--a