The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-06-09


and that ever will be-please Colon
and indivisiOle. With all sorts q
motives, quite beyond our ken AM
certainly beyond our criticism thes
forms of dust worked out even a create
purpose than they knew of nati0na
perpetuity. Many of them were un
controlled in passion, many of then
were hayward and needless, and many
OF them, perhaps, need never to hav,
persisted as they did and when they
did. But they now rest from then
labors. And the work they did partial
and complete as TO each individual,
but grand in its totality of influence,
Is ours by inheritance, so that we in
deed do reap where we have not sowed.
Their ancestors before them died to
make nation, these dead died to save
it.
The new generation heard from
West to East and from North to South
the sad cry of the Queen Of the Antilles.
Women and men alike were thrilled
with horror at the ravages done by a
dying monarchy and waning power.
80 from the mountains OF the South,
from the prairies, from the mine, and
from the busy marts, our boys some
OF them lying dead beneath our feet
went forth to scOurge a scourge, and to
smite beast. So fragile was his fury,
so puerile was his defense, that thous-
ands Of them never tested strength;
but the knowledge that they were
ready to do so gave strength to those
who were in the front and melted into
weakness the strength of nation that
was strong only in tyranny. Some of
our new dead died bravely facing the
foe; more, alas, died because the sudden
expansion of our forces found us I'M
prepared to take proper care of them;
tut even they in their dying have
taught us national lesson and harden
ed up a national purpose to run no
such risks in future.
-
This day of decoration we will honor |
those who fought, those who fell by |
the way side, and those who at mercy's
call faced the dangers Of the camp.
Likewise will we honor the women
who bore them and the women who
nursed them. Just as in the Civil War
when the unit soldier was only partially
aware of the great purpose that he was
working out so these our recent dead,
mark year that has summoned a
nation begotten in riot, born in revolu-
ton, nurtured in separation and grown
to manhood in alOofness-summoned,
| say, this nation Of power into actual
membership among the groups Of
nations that make this great sensitive
world. 1t is but another illustration
Of the truth that duty done is almost
certain to reveal still wider duty to
De done; much as it is with the noun
ain climber whose every step upward
erves to show him wider view.
We have smitten the shackles from
juba and thereby have opened before
a way that shows us the need
# teaching the Cubans how to govern
themselves. We have freed Porto
Rico from the power of the Don only
o find our own past experience and
'ur own high grade of progress sum- |
noned at every point-governmental,
financial, educational and religious-to
ring better things to pass than these I
sland dwellers have eyer yet known q
iOuthward therefore has the year ,
hrust our influence, making American
heories and American standards leap {
o points that we did not reckon on {
ghen our GRAND was first undertaken. 4
Iso far out over the Pacific Ocean '
have the American stars I
cen placed in armament to be seen y
t all men where they were scarcely
nown before. The islands of the great
ling Kamehameha are ours; Guam is 4
urs; the Philippines are ours. 1t has 4
cen strange year, a fateful year, a a
reat year; one whose every solemn ;
minute summons all Of us who believe b
4 America and its future to the un-
conviction that in the affairs Y
this great round world, in addition Il
} Russia, to Germany and to England O
lere is one other great nation, the q
,urth of the big four, by whom all a
Their nations whatsoever of the earth g
re to be controlled, or guided, or gov n
-ned. The hands on the dial Of
estiny never turn back; they move
inward with the precision of the uni
erse. I'm the minutes, or the years, or
ne centuries, or the milenia that they
cord, the weighing of nations is going
d. Judging by our past, dare any
IAN predict that in the sudden and v
nexpected revelation to ourselves Of
le truth that no nation liveth to ITSELF
merica shall be found wanting? d
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The deeds of the dead leave duty +