The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-06-01
of those who were youngand strong,
we approach this season.

OF those who were young and strong,
we approach this season.
~. ..
The years that have passed have
seen our women tenderly decorating
in honor of a former generation;
this year sees us bending low over
the green mounds that cover the
manhood ofto-day. Thus one touch
of common sorrow unites the past
and the present.
For what have these dead died ?
The earlier generation-perhaps
blindly at times, but nevertheless
effectually-on behalf of nation
that was, that is and that ever will
be-please God-One and indivi-
sible. With all sorts of motives,
quite beyond our pen and certainly
beyond our criticism these forms of
dust worked out even a greater
purpose than they knew or national
perpetuity. Many of them were
uncontrolled in passion, many of
them were hayward and needless,
and many of them, perhaps, need
never to have died as they did and
when they did. But they now rest
from their labors. And the work
they did partial and complete as to
each individual, but grand in its
totality of influence, is ours by in
heritance, so that we indeed do reap
where we have not sowed. Their
ancestors before them died to make
a nation, these dead died to save it.
The new generation heard from
West to East and from NIrth to
South the sad ciy of the Queen of
Antilles. Women and men alike
were thrilled with horror at the raw
ages done by dying monarchy and
a waningpower. So from the mount
aims of the South, from the prairies,
from the mine, and from the busy
marts, our boys, some ofthem, lying
dead beneath our feet-went forth
to scourge a scourge, and to smite a
beast. So fragile was his fury, so
so puerile was his defense, that
thousands 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 weak ness the strength of
Il nation that was strong only in
tyranny. Some of our new dead
died bravely facing the foe; more,
alas, died because the sudden expo
sure of our forces found us unpre-
pared to take proper care of them;
but even they in their dying have
taught us national lesson and
hardened upa 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
the Civil War when the unit soldier
was only partiallyaware 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 revolution, nurtured
in separation and grown to manhood
in aloofness-summoned, l say, this
nation Of power into actua! member
ship among the groups of nations
that make isgreat sensitiver world.
1t is but another illustration of the
truth that duty done is almost
certain to reveal still wider duty
to be done; much as it is with the
mountain climber whose every step
upward serves to show him a wider
view.
We have smitten the shackles
from Cuba and thereby have opened
before ourselves way that shows us
the need of teaching the Cubans how
to govern themselves. We have
freed Porto Rio from the power of
of the Don only to find our own past
experience and own high grade of
progress summoned at every point