Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-31

hay He knows as little about truth as
Spanish gunner does about target practice.
He couldn't tell a fact from fable II the
salvation IL his miserable little soul de-
pended upon u. When the administration is
for peace and to avoid war the gushing
hoity toity OF the Squedunk Howler is
printed in bold faced carmine. When the ad-
ministration is for war as a means Of
peace" his meekness becomes beamngly pa
thetic. Fortunately the frivilous ipse diXit OF
the yeflow journalist and political dotard
commands but little attention and less obedi-
ance. In this same line l must extend my
compliments to the governor OF South Da-
kota. What a disappointment his course
must have been to his regiment, at the time
in the very center Of the firing line around
Manila. Just think OF the governor of a
state demanding the president of the United
States order the American army to retreat.
find my indignation untethered when /
contemplate such a ridiculous spectacle. In
fact have no patience with such precious
pieces of assininity. | mean no reflection
upon the patient donkey-those governors
who are donkeys don't know 1t, so, of course,
they are not to blame, and donkeys that be-
come governors don't know it. and, of course.
they are not to blame. The reflection is
mutual and no apology is necessary. Thanks
to the loyalty of Iowa, her officers and her
people, our regiment has been spared the
embarrassing humiliation most cruelty
forced upon the brave boys of our sister
state.
Glorious Iowa.
But then Iowa is always right. Glorious
Iowa! Greatest unit of great union.
l think can voice the sentiment Of every
mother whose son is with the Fifty first
Iowa volunteers on the other side OF the
globe in land of malignant fevers and un-
der the deadly fire of half civilized foe.
The dearest wish they have is for the safe
return of their boys, but give them rather
the cheerless memory Of the tomb than their
return in dshonor.
Let us on this holy day do our full duty
to the memory of the dead defenders of the
flag. AS we tread lightly, solemnly and
reverentry by the sacred mounds of earth,
let us drop tear from our heart of hearts,
mingling our affection with the consecrated
earth Let us breathe our purest prayer
that the sufferings of our heroes shall not
have been in vain and If there is any justice
in eternity, an army of saints will answer
the amen. American volunteer army we sa-
Lutte you. In the name of your every vic
tory from Concord and Lexington to Malolos
we honor you. Your patriotism has pre-
served for us the grandest country on the
face Of the globe and the best government
known to man.
The address at the graves Of the unknown
dead was delivered by Judge w. S. strawn
of Omaha. After speaking in general way
of the debt of gratitude that the country
owes to the heroes of the war of the re-
bellion who saved from the rocks of de-
struction nation that today stands first
and foremost among the nations of the
world Judge Strawn proceeded to pay trib-
ute to those unknown heroes of the wal
whose bones lie bleaching on southern bat
tlefields or in unknown, unmarked graves
The speaker said, in part:
while we owe all due reverence to those
magnificent heroes whose names are on
every tongue today-Grant, Sheridan, Logan
the martyred Lincoln-and we can sound
none too loudly their praises nor make toe
deep and reverent our tribute to them, we
must not forget those nameless heroes hum
BILE though they WERE who, too, gave their
all that the nation might live. On this day
on which we delight to revere and respect
the memories of our soldiers, it is our espe-
cial duty to remember the unknown dead
To our known heroes are sung songs OF
praise and tribute to their memories grand
tombs and monuments have been erected
and loving relatives and friends care ten
derly for the green graves in which they
lie. But the unknown hero slumbers in a
nameless grave, perchance neglected and
grown over with weeds, or possibly his bones
lie white and CHASTITY on some silent bat.
tlefield where he sacrificed his life for his
flag. Yet he was a hero as great as any
who lie in a known grave. and we owe to
him tribute as deep and as reverent
Our unkonwn dead soldiers did not come
from the best of families, nor from homes
that had been bountifully bestowed with
this worlds goods. They were often igno.
rant, uncouth outcasts of society, friendfess
homeless. | can remember seeing this un-
known soldier marching up to the recruit
ing office, long, lank awkward fellows, most
of them, too often stamped with the mark
of dissipation and a careless life; they
seemed to come from nowhere in particular
and were wanderers on the face of the earth
Perhaps some of them had records of mis-
deeds that made them seek nameless, I'M
known existence, but they made good SOL
diers and they fought with a bravery on the
fields of battle that was never excelled. Nc
men were more patient in camp; in theil
lives they had enjoyed but little OF comfort
or pleasure and they did not expect much;
the camp, with it's outdoor life, it's hard
marches, it's scant food at times, all were
taken without complaint. They took every.
1hihS 10 hhSy iouhu pOoSlDIy WIN OHt
exception-they frequently failed to take
goodnaturedly the soap that was doled ou
to them.
But they had hearts full of patriotism
and loyalty for the flag and they made the
best kind OF bunkmates; they were unselfst
in privation and jubilant in the hour OF
victory. Is 1t not meet. then, that we pay
them tribute? We ought to pay homage t
the known dead, but our deepest sympath.
ought to go out to these name
less ones whose friends, If they hat
any, know not where they lie They wen
to war because there was in them that man.
hood that loves its country. They had moi
much to give but such as 1t was they gave
it freely, Willingly If they were often ig'
norant, II they were without culture ant
refinement they conducted themselves like
veterans, grandly and nobly, and they de-
serve all OF the praise and honor we car
now bestow upon them"
The exercises at the cemetery wer
brought to close by prayer by Rev. G. E
Walk OF st. Pauls Episcopal church.
Encampment No s, Union Veterans
Legion, observed the day by decorating tn
graves of their departed comrades at Walnu
Hill cemetery. No parade was attempted
but the members gathered at their hall ol
Broadway and from there proceeded in
body to the cemetery. Short addresses wer
J,I. 4