The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-31
WEB DAVIS AT WASHINGTON
Praises the Heroes OfTWO Wars ana
Is strong for Pensions.

Washington D. c., May S9.-The ma
tional capital devoted itself TO the ooselV-
ance OF Decoration Day. he departments
were closed, public and private iua'ness
was suspended, the streets Wee Tiled Win
marching veterans, national guAtGsmen'
military and civic organizations ali NOV
ing toward the Arlington National ceme-
terry, Soldiers Home, Congressional ana
other cemeteries, where appropriate SER
vices were held and the graves OF the
stint army of the dead We're strewn with
flowers. There was added significance TO
the ceremonies of today, for to the mem
cries of the civil war were added those Oh
the Spanish-American conflict, which had
sBelIed the list of soldier and sailor dead.
The parade started early in the day,
traversing the principal streets. Aside
from the many grand army posts and
veteran organization represented in line,
the full strength of the national guard OF
the district and of the national battalion
turned out. The blue jackets from the
dispatch boat Dolphin were also IN Inc.
The ceremony at Arlington was notable
bv the presence of the president and his
cabinet, and of many leading officers OF
the army and navy, as We'll as of1clals
prominent in public life. 1t began at noon
with the firing of the national salute. The
services were twofo,d, the veterans Of the
field gathering in the amphitheatre, while
those of the navy met in front of the his
toric Lee mansion. The decoration Of the
graves was a, solemn and impressive fea-
ture of the exercises, in which the en-
tire gathering joined. The procession
formed south of the mansion, and headed
by the Marine band, marched through
long avenues of white tombs. At the
great stone catafalque which marks the
resting place of hundreds of unknown
dead, the procession halted and the band
played a dirge, while the tender hands
draped the monument with the national
colors and fastened it with flags and flow
ers. Returning to the amphitheatre, the
formal exercises began while the sound
ing of the assembly, by a bugler and the
reading Of the order of services by Gen
eral Calvin Farnsworth, department COM
mander G. a. r., and presiding officer.
These consisted of patriotic music, the
reading of Iincoln's address at GetJys-
burg. original poems breathing the pat
riotic spirit, and the Grafton Of the day,
delivered by Webster Davis, assistant
secretary of the interior, who paid an ele-
CANT tribute to the heroic work of the de-
Tenders of the Union and said in part:
If the poorest and humblest of these
veterans We're placed beside the most ex-
allied son Of royalty arrayed in the finest
raiment of the world, would hasten to
grasp the hand of the old soldier of the
Union and hail him noblest of men, for
none is nobler than the man who is an
American The nation or country that
car grow men Of such character and such
loftiness of soul that they will so down
To deth if need be, for an idea, for a prin-
ciple. can RUE the world. For these are
the men which make country great and
q nation strong and invinci5le. For the
first time, on DeCora ton Day, we deco
rate the graves of men who fought for
their country in two wars, men whose
courage was the courage Of conscience. It
as not simply the love of war itself Il
would not have hurrefd them to the foot
of the Pyramids nor across the snow
fields to Moscow to set the stars OF glory
upon the glowing brow Of ambition. But
IT was the courage that had the power
10 brace the spirit for the patriots fzht;
To die. if need be- in defense Of the flag.
All honor to the defenders of our counrrv.
On land and sea. living or dead. IN al
our wars: TO cur president and his caAi-
net. 70 all officers OF the army and navy.
the sailors and private soldiers who are
Yet fighting in foreign climes. Surely II
IS but right. Just and proper that our gov
eminent has provided 50 literally for these