The National tribune., 1899-04-06
SONS OF VETERANS IN THE SPANISH
WAR.

have quite as much reason to be proud
of the glorious history of the Spanish
War as the Sons of Veterans. All the
higher officers who planned and led were
veterans of the rebellion, and the subor,
dinate officers and men who carried out
the plans, and fought with valor and
dash that fascinated the world, were, to
an overwhelming extent, sons OF vet
Grams. Whenever a junior officer or
man showed conspicuous soldiership and
gallantry, the chances we're strongly in
favor of his being a son Of veteran,
and having come by his traits by in
heritance and parental education.
In no instance that has been made
public has a single son of veteran
been discredit TO the high example set
by the men who fought in the war Of
the rebellion. A thousand instances
could be cited where sons of veterans
have shown not only the highest courage,
but every other good trait of a soldier
amenability to discipline, steadfastness
of purpose, cheerful submission to hard
ships, and manly fortitude under trials.
There is every reason why the sons
of veterans should make the finest
soldiers the world ever saw. IF there
is anything in blood and heredity-and
blood and heredity are such positive
facts in the science of life that hundreds
of millions of dollars are invested in
this country upon the perpetuation OF
certain traits by the lower animals
this must be so. Let us consider: The
men who formed the Union armies were
the flower of the young manhood of
the Nation. They were the elect of the
country. So imperious was the Govern
ment's need that every young man who
had courage, patriotism, and unselfish-
ness took his place in the ranks. He
received such schooling there as never
a man received before in the history of
the world. For four long, intensely
eventful years it was beaten in upon
him that the highest manhood required
devotion even unto the death to the
country and the Flag, that his life was
as nothing compared to the success of
the cause, that from him was expected
instant and cheerful obedience to every
requirement of military discipline, un-
finching courage in the face of danger,
and patient endurance of every hardship.
After four years of this schooling he came
home, and generally married the sister
of some comrade who had shared his
experiences with him. The offspring of
such union could not help having the
highest soldiership in his blood. Then
as he grew up all his tendencies were
fortified by the atmosphere surround
ing him. The father was continually
teaching him the lessons he had himself
learned in the army. From his mothers
brothers he heard the same thing. 1t
was in the air he breathed. His fathers
friends were all likely to be veterans, and
their conversation largely of soldierly
things, and their ideals soldierly virtues.
Nothing could be more favorable for
the development of the highest type of
soldiership.
When the call of the country came,
therefore, the sons of veterans were
everywhere the first to respond, and
they went in with zeal to emulate the
achievements Of the men from whom
they drew their birth and breeding.
Let this draw all sons of veterans
closer together, make them feel just
pride in and fraternal feeling for one
another, and stimulate building up their
noble Order to colossal proportions. The
Sons of Veterans should become the
greatest Order in the country.
THE volunteers from the Far West
have been having the heat and burden
of the fighting at Manila, and con-
Quoted themselves magnifcently-like
the old-time volunteers. And not a
wall has SO far been received from any
of them that they do not get soft bread
every day, with gilt-edged butter. They
do not seem to be the kind of men who
enlisted with the expectation that war