The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-11
WHAT THE BUTTOy sYMBOLIzEs.
Grand Army Hutton belongs Only on Breasts
Loyal 20 Elng and NntIonai Honor.

To THE EDITOR or THK SuS-Sir: There are
c isions when n little Incident stirs INTO activity
n dormant truth and gives aggressive force to
an Idea that had escaped controversy because
seemingly II was an automatic equation.
Thus | am induced to relate that a friend
ono Of the younger generation said 10 me
lately: "Th is an important political campaign
We have entered upon and every man should
show his colors outwardly for examples sake,
You should be wearing a badge" | rep led;
"Tha, Is true. and you have reminded me OF my
s1ortcominrs" And from my pocket where II
rep see. except on special occ slons, | drew
forth and PLACID In my buttonbole the sign q
the Grand Army Of the Republic and said
Thereafter oil strangers may know my Iolitlcs
from I Is" But. - said my friend. "tNere arc
Democrats who are honored members OF the
order" "Oh. yes. There must have been
Democrats and Republicans and all good citI.
gems of whatsoever creed or color who rallied
to the flag to save the Union. And so now all
good citizens who have at heart the welfare OF
the country once saved from disruption must
be enlisted against Bryanism 10 save It's people
from private disaster and national dis
honor"
"Can II be con troverted." | went on. that
"y'ry ore who wears this button with pride aud
~1ti.fnct on Ia not to-day. irrespective Of party.
on the side that upho!ds the f2g wherever II has
been planted by brother soldiers OF later wars?
can we Grand Army men countenance a candi-
date. whether called Republican, Democrat.
Populi.t, Anarchist or 'Anti-Imperialist.' who
has II IN his heart 70 lower our fag II he should
Navy OF the United State' Of America? While
the var + on can We for n moment hesitate In
our allegiance between the man s. no Is the sym
pathetic friend Of our soldicrs' savage enemies
aTd the man our pOmTuda. who has so often
been tried and not found wanting In patriotism
Those WHO. with thi. clamor Of a bogus
fort to he enemy are. in plain EngllsH.
T. aitors. and the bJtton OF tho @. 4. n.
can never be associa ed with treason. those
who would have u. retreat IN the f1cc ~ the
ven 'cful foe display the badge Of cowardlce
which Ia the antlthesis OF our emblem. Those
who would get rid Of tho god stat da-d at the
FIST opportunity are laying plans for the repu-
diation OF lebts, wh,c1 is a form f dishonesty
disErace III n an individual and unpardonablei in
feel thai he had, once followed he nas to VIC
s,%d?r. .6Sad E PLACID IN the G]ast"dy
one who believes the gold STANDARD is a good
thing or that II must be maintained. ] warn him
TO- TO caSt ms vote Tor me. because ! promise
longer Ian I am able 10 Ct rid Of q" 1h,'
CIR md Army man belt v:s that the gold stand
ar r ! is a good tsirg and, therefore: wiz wsr
not bliGhted his reasoning faculties.
And, nv frlerd, there IL another thing. We
Of the Grand ARMY Of tho Republic are TO YOU
OF . Younger generation n connecting i0k
with that pnst made memorable by the living,
act 0g presence N Abraham lin DIN, one Of the
rohlest erSpn lities that HIS cracnd any age.
Most or Us hive seen him face to face. many
touched bis hand and stood between him and
his vor ~ euemie- In tn 0eld. rs also armed n
his 1llocir nee We gave 20 him countenancc TO
meet 'is 90 n his own hONsaho'd All mon,
=. are willing To honor his momor
drcod. vilinod md 'ampooned-not nv tho mon
We are nov entitled TO wear The hutton, but NY
thoS" who IRE a IL dlv calling ont to surrender
~" faH nd T trea' rs thirty-eiCht yo1rs AGO
monumental ntierce Of the greatest Of Prp.i-
d"rts A. an example, one who ATTEMPTED u
criuci-o the ,uhlic per' orm1nces Of the revercd
martyr, and In turn was rohuhed by that pure
statesman, T. to-day c-iticisirr enc o'
comrades, n WORTHY successor 10 Lincoln In
tho Pro. td0nt nj char. Bv oil ilst roasonlnr, /
al. m n mus -, hat tn button Of the Grand
Army % the Republic cannot stand for the
or inu'rorgrilv slpptr's The hronza hutton has |
! q affinity with tho mare-up Z y Carl ScNurz. |
The ~,ni-Imperiali - Issue nut forwnr I'd nv tho |
Rrvan party Is INV rthv The COrsi '%eration ~ |
road Of eafety, prosperity and freedom A. |
we have given moral supnort 10 changes |
~ Government on this continent. from omplres |
10 republics. Cur army Of million. ready %
dow arms and retire 10 tho pursuits Of
reacc from whic' they had temro-arily been
avn. wore n menace N tho sch~ms NJ es-
an empire on our borders. The Grand :
Nr rv man Is 2" Antl-ImporI list whenever tho
ser oue attention" For al these consideration ms /
| We nv button, as q NM al m badge. repre-
son''rg Anfl-COpncr' oHdism, Anti-AnnrChism, |
An"-pO'u'sm Arti-BrvanisT. and logically
lIcEin,nv mt Roosevelt. To RUNDFL,
NEw YORK. Oc.,s