The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-24
HEREDITARY PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES
And Their Contributions to the Country.


of the ST. Paul Society of Colonial Wars
Tuesday night
There are persons in our communities
who are disposed to make light of our
hereditary patriotic associations and to
regard them as mutual admira ton socie-
ties, for the comfortable contemplation of
the glory of our distant ancestors, be-
queathed as a priceless legacy to their
present descendants, to whom the cruel
fates or other circumstances beyond the
control of the subscribers have denied
an opportunity to achieve a renown for
themselves. But the critics fail to appre-
ciate the actual conditions and the pre-
vailinS spirit animating our societies. AS
matter of fact, some of our ancestors
were men and women of great force of
character and devoted to their country,
and they accomplished good results. And,
while we do not seek to emulate the
Oriental worship of ancestors, or the can
onizatiCH of our heroes, yet we acknowl-
edge natural inclination in all men to
remember with gratitude those who, in
critical times and positions, stood brave
~ IN the front ranks and bore the shock
that their posterity might inherit the
blessings of liberty and peace.
And by keeping before us the great
minded of our duty to emulate their
worthy example. And a man whose an
cestors left him a reputation to sustain
is thereby more likely to exert himself to
maintain their high level. They have
marked out for him line of conduct to
fail below which he would feel it to be
1gnobie. great musician springs from
a musical ancestry. great mathema-
uclan comes from mathematical parent
And so we may look for great patriots
10 spring from q line of ancestry who
nave not lived for themselves alone but
for their country. And 1t is the great
work OF our hereditary patriotic societies
TO nurse and develop this spirit Stalwart
patriots are not reared in the homes of
mean and frivolous men and women.
And speaking of the homes of our people
suggests the practical uses of our hered-
- nary- patriotic societies of women whose
good influences will be felt in our coun-
try, not only in any future war, but
B., also In time of peace to maintain a dis
uhcuVe American spirit against all the
corruDung influences which tend to ma
uonal decay. The work of these societies
is needed to overcome the inertia of indif-
ference which naturally increases as our
lVes are removed further from the scenes
ana memories of great events.
SPIRIT OF '76.
AT one of the early meetings of our
Minnesota. Society of the Sons of the
American Revolution one of our aged
members, Mr.. Edward S. Palmes, now de-
ceased remarked: My father, who
fought through the Revolutionary war.
once said to me: Edward want Won
to make note of the date of our Dec
laration Of Independence. 1t was the 4th
day OF July Set 1t down SO that YOU will
not forget 1t. After time our people
Will be taken up with present matters
ana they will forget about the old things.
but want you to remember the 4th day
VI July and to do something on that day
every year to celebrate the day and to
distinguish 1t from other days.
Little did the old soldier know the
strength sIi and tenacity Of the Spirit of
40 Little did he foresee the spirit of the
american small boy and Of his elder
prothers But the Indifference which the
oId gentleman expected would have been
qu1Ie possible, and even probable, to the
descendants Of different class or man
And 1T is a part Of the work of our socio.
ties to prevent the growth of such indif-
Iefences, especially among the descend
ants OF the crowds of foreigners who are
coming to US and taking their places
among US, without any American spirit
OF 10 IN their blood; good men and
women ana welcome to our land, but
needing to be Americanized For we do
NJ
ers In our land. We demand that those
VINO come here for permanent settlement
snail be absorbed and amaIgamated into
our national life, and shall learn to bear
love and loyalty to our national instftu-
uons' We demand that as soon as pos
Side such immigrants shall learn our
language and adopt our WAYS and he
come assimilated with our people, so that
IN another generation or two their de-
scendants may imbibe the spirit of Amer
lean patriotism. Patriotism is not onlv
manly virtue in itself, but It Is also
the basis on which many other virtues
are built The earnest patriot can not
be entirely selfish, and he cannot be ut
terry given up to sordid things. He car
RES an open heart, in which the good
Of the community is cherished.
Earnestly we hope that our country
may not again be led into a bloody war.
But as a matter of wise policy and of
good administration the best method OF
avering q war is to let the world see
that We are prepared for any war that
may come, and that we encourage pa
triotic societies Of men and women
which keep alive the spirit of American
readiness to respond to the call of our
country in her hour OF need; and that
the nation which loves peace and does
not seek war and which maintains but Il
small standing army can very soon raise
and eQuip q very formidable army of It's
own patriotic citizens. The citizens OF
prosperous nation who are always
ready to live for their country will sell
dom be called upon to run the risk for
dying for it.
DEVELOPING PATRIOTISM
''In times OF material prosperity and
case We nay forget the martial spir1c
and We may cultivate our more selfish
nature, hut a free and manly people will
need no more than a slight stirring OF
their deeper nature to develop their pa
triOtism. Great men are needed for
every emergency; and we cannot foresee
when an emergency may arise; but in
our good land we may always be sure
that the emergency will bring forth the
great men needed. And far more It
viii bring forth the great army of men
when the need is known; an army III
which every man is an intelligent soldier
and more or less a leader, when he
stands before a crisis which demands HIS
Intelligent action. But, in passing 1t
may be suggested that in our late war
we have had a fair warning against re-
ducing our army and navy to TOO small
proportions.
X parl Of our work is to teach the
children in cur homes and in our schools
that patriotism demands of them q char
acter and a mode of life which are good
true and devoted to the community