Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-11-08

American R~ilItlltTS. III tWt W.T. WIN
Spain and her unguv rnablesubiects.
Ill. A third proposition suggested
by our text il this: The qualities
which go to make a good soldier are
dependent upon the cause for which
he fights.
Why. then, should the American
soldier not have all the laud and
honor which the world II giving him
today? II ever soldier had inspira-
ton for the development OF the high
est martial qualities, surely the Amer
lean soldier has. While other nations
have gone to war solely from selfish
motives-to crafty some kingly lust
or to avenge some national wrong,
never can It he said Of this republic
that she has drawn the sword Tor
any other purpose than TO help a
downtrodden brother or to punish IA
Ia wless oppressor. Say what we
please about the present issue OF the
war I'm the orient, the motives, ana
the sole motives. which brought M
into open conflict with Spain and the
cause for which our soldiers have
fought and are fighting in Luzon to-
day, IL to strike off the sbackles from
slaves and give liberty and equal
rights to brother men. Or, us u
noble president has expressed 1t,
"This earnest and unsplfish desire to
fulfill a duty To humanity by ending
a situation the indefinite prolOnga-
ton OF which has become insuffer-
able" Surely this IL a righteous
...-, an nn,, .,h.,h ,h,,lI nnI no.,
drawn out the noblest qualities of his
manhood and made the American
soldier what he is today.
"War is honorable
In those who do their native rights maintain;
In those whose swords an iron barrier are
Between the lawless spoiler and the weak;
But is IN those who draw the offensive blade
For added power or gain, sordid and despicable
As meanest office of the worldly churls."
II any should be a good soldier,
then the American soldier should.
What, then, are these qualities which
go to make u good soldier? The first
of them, that of endurance, we have
already considered. The Others are
enumerated in the Holy Scriptures
when they tell us to "be of good cour-
age and let us play the men for our
people and the cities OF our God; an,
the Lord do that which seemeth him
right" The qualities mentioned In
this passage aud which | believe tn
he essential in the makeup of every
good soldier are:
Patriotism.
Courage. .
Goodness.
And AZ a matter Of fact these very
qualities have always been in evil
drnce in the American soldier.
/. "Patriotism" has been defined
as that fire within the heart and
brain OF tn freeman which impels
him TO make sacrifice of personality.
of the comfort of home, of the enjoy
ment amid the circle of loved m
and To offer himself upon the altar of
his country as n willing sacrifice on
behalfof theland that nurtured him."
American patriotism has been mt
food tide ever since u president
issued his first call for volunteers and
even long before. Indeed, there has
ever been a time since the Pilgrims
landed on Plymouth Rock when pa
triutfc ardour did not swell and heave
In Columbia's breast. They who say
that patriotism IL dead In America
are blind to the temper and ignorant
ofsthe traditions of our country. The
spirit uf patriotism seems stronger
to-day than Y g before.
From height to height Columbia calls,
She sends from surging sea to sea,
To cabin and to mansion halls
Her mighty mmo to the free;
She bids her true, undaunted SONS
Stand by their ~guns-stand by their guns!
Hark, how the west her answer gives
The south-how proudly now she speaks!
The spirit of Columbia lives
And thunders from our northern peaks!
For when our mother speaks the word
She shall be heard! She shall be heard!
Nor halt we now to nicely weigh
And nicely measure and adjust
She speaks, and we, her sons, obey,
For she hath all our love and trust;
Her word shall be our guiding star
From paths of peace to paths OF war"
When Gen. Miles was asked mt the
opening of the war il there had been
a hearty response to- the presidents
call for volunteers. he said: IL have
on file letters and kilograms repre-.
senting S00. 900 persons importuning
that they be enlisted for service nj
once, and this in addition to the l25..
900 specified In the president'scall and
who are now enlisted" When Gen.
Alger, the secretary OF war. was
asked the same question, he lever
more enthusiastic over the patriot.
ism of our people. "Should an emer.
gency call go forth tomorrow" he
said, "for n draft of the American
people, 1000, 900 men would rally Ia
the flag before the sun sank In rest
Oh, this is a glorious republic, a
grand and mighty nation. America
Is making her name glorious In The
history OF nations, and you and | are
justly proud To have n part in 1t. All
our traditions come pushing up L.
fan the flames Of patriotism kindled
in our breasts. Our nation has never
known defeat, the only nation whose
flag has never been sullied by national
disgrace. "No nation can Justly
claim a greater capitalization Of glO.
ries than those which surround the
flag we love and reverence. In every
warm which this nation has engaged
and from which she has emerged vic.
toriously, the right of nan has been
involved. and while other nations
have striven tn push humanity "A lit.
lie further down the slope, the tend.
ency and the result Of our fighting
has been to elevate and not depress
struggling humanity in their efforts
to reach higher civilization" The
noble examples of the men who
fought these battles are before W. as
a constant inspiration to the highest
patriotism. We cannot forget our
Washington, our Lincoln, our Grant,