The record-union., 1899-05-27

Il-ndnu, Wnere 1uteWeCludulty dIlu LII
morality are found in the same soul,
where culture and refinement are linked
with sensuality and vice, yet experience
has shown that. as rule, wealth and
enlightenment, prosperity and culture
beget morality and righteousness.
How few would, from choice, care to
rear family in the midst of poverty
and Ignorance. How earnestly do we
strive to surround our children with the
influences which follow prosperity and
culture. The nation, therefore, that
increases the worlds material wealth,
that adds to mans creature comforts
and well-being, that lessons human
hunger and human suffering, that di-
minishes human toll by furnishing
better and cheaper food, better and
more raiment, is doing important mis-
sionary work in the direction of aid
ing morality and righteousness. So
that, If the American people filled the
place simply of being the great farm
ers, miners and manufacturers of the
world, they would lay civilization un-
der many and lasting obligations. How
ever important place this country
now fills as a producer and exchanger,
it's future attainments as a universal
provider will make its plesent material
achievements seem insignificant in
deed. The boundless resources of this
land and the marvellous physical and
mental energy of this people give big
promise of making America the great
est food producer and the greatest
workshop the world has known
But Emerson, that greatest among
American thinkers, has said. The
world is not founded on cotton and
iron, but ON IDEAS" What then, is
the central idea of this nation? Is it
cotton? Is it iron? Is it pork? Is it
cattle? Surely not. The thought
which animated the early fathers of
this nation, the thought which led the
revolutionary patriots to offer up their
fortunes and their lives, was that Of
political freedom and civil liberty. They
revolted against despotism and tyran-
ny, against taxation, without represen-
tation, against monarchial oppression
and the brute force Of might.
How little they dreamed that the civil
liberty which they established for a
people numbering barely three million
would, in a little more than a century,
be enjoyed by over seventy millions
How little they dreamed that, to pre-
serve the union which they established,
would, within the century, cost over
a million Of precious lives and untold
billions of wealth, all sacrificed in the
most dreadful civil war written on the
pages Of history. How little they
dreamed that the civil liberty, brought
into existence by their genius and pa
triotism, would affect for the better
Of he
millions of Europe, and, by it's silent
influence, force many of the monarchS
Of that continent to modify their des-
potic rule and to grant their subjects
constitutional forms of government
How little did the founders of this ma
tion dream that, at this early period Of
the existence of this republic the last
vestige of monarchial despotisnl, in the
form of Spanish rule, would be wiped
off from the American continent How
little they dreamed that, in little more
than a century, American civil liberty
would extend beyond the Pacific and
plant itself on the shores of Asia, there
to establish for millions of oppressed
and down-trodden, the same civic bless
ings, the same political privileges en-
joyed by our most favored citizens
During the coming week, we shall
commemorate Memorial Day, the day
set apart for honoring our noble dead,
who died to preserve this nation and to
perpetuate civil liberty. Pericles said,
over the Athenian dead who had fallen
during the first year of the great war
with Sparta, Wherefore, to the par
ents of these dead, will not offer con-
dolence so much as consolation, for they
know that these lived subject to mis-
fortune, but happy is their lot who
gained a most glorious death Your
time of grief is but short, while the
fame of your lost ones is long, for the
love of honor is the only feeling that
never grows old, and as age advances,
it is not the gain Of treasure that can
cheer the heart, but only the enjoyment
of honor"
In this spirit, then, we should look
upon Memorial Day, not as a day Of
mourning, but as day for honoring
the noble dead. vs. should unite with
those whose near ones and dear ones
fell during our civil strife, in cherish
ing the memories which command our
love and our admiration, and though
dead, occupy an exalted place in our
minds and warm sp1t in our hearts
whose inspiring influence has prompt
ed the youth and flower of our land.
during the past year, to emulate their
example and to achieve deeds Of mill
tary heroism in the interest of human
ity which has become part of indy
ing history.
The graves of those who, during the
past year, "joyfully and willingly went
forth to die not only in behalf of the
nation" but in behalf of the down
trodden of other nations, will likewise
be strewn with beautiful flowers by
those who, in the dreadful years of our
civil strife, shot for the flag and by
those who shot at the flag, by those
who fought for the right and by those
who fought in the wrong. Those who
wore the gray win single freely with
those who wore the blue Each will
vie with the other in honoring the no.
BILE dead who. during the past few
months, fought for a, common cause, in
east and no west. If our more recent
dead, who fell in humanity's cause,
achieved nothing more, they have at
least done much to make this a united
harmonious country They have left
i1O stlAS VI ACSlSt anu IiO taste OF Dlt-
terness in the Southern heart, but have
aided greatly to wipe away any lin
gering resentment, any remaining scars
left in the breasts of our friends of the
South
1t was Herbert Spencer's view, ex-
pressed on his visit to America in 1882,
that whatever difficulties they may
have to surmount, and whatever trib-
ulations they may have to pass