Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-31
MEMORIAL DAY OBSERVED.
The 33d in the History of Stan
nard Post, 6. A. R.
Graves Decorated in the Morning, With
the Parade, Address at the Armory
and Reunion in the Afternoon
Reception in the Evening.

The 33d observance of Memorial day by
Stannard post No. 3 G. \. r., occurred in
this city yesterday afternoon and was in
every way appropriate ana suCCo SSGul.
| During the morning details of veterans
visited the graves of deceased comrades
and placed flowers unon the graves al
ready marked by the flag for which they
! fought SO valiantly. Five details visited
| the different cemeteries in this city ana
! Winooski and there was no grave which
did not bear upon it the silent token of
honor and remembrance.
The usual parade was held in the after
noon forming on the west side of the
streets to the Elmw God avenue cemetery
which was entered from the north gate.
The parade was handled in an excellent
manner by Marshal Lewis :. Hebb, assist
ed by g. w. Austin, Guy +. Lamson and
Il. +. Jones as aides. The column moved
with promptness and passed up church
street and Winooski avenue. Leading tho
column was a detachment Of police under
Officer Ryan and the guardians of the
city's law and order have never presented
Il better appearance. New blOuSeS were
received for the occasion. The officers in
the detachment were L. j. CosgroVe, NJ.
G. Grafton L. ]. Russell r. II. Kelley, j.
J. Brothers and William Garrow. Next in
line was the sherman band and following
them the University battalion as escort,
while following them came fourteen mem
bcrs of the Uniform Rank Of the knights
of pythias marching in excellent order
and wearing handsome uniforms. They
were followed by Company NJ, V. n. G.,
locking like veterans and cscorting the
members of Staunard post of which there
were % in line with five carriages carry
ing those not able to march. The remain
der of the line was made up IF carriages
i'm which rode the speakers and city Off
cills.
The parade was seen by good number
of people along the route and Company
NJ and the veterans were applauded at diff
ferent times. The number of people in the
streets and present at the exercises was
less than has been the case for some years
and perhaps indicates that Memorial Day
Is losing its hold upon the people. This
should not be the fact.
When the column arrived at the Elm
wood avenue cemetery and ritual service
of the G.. A. r. was conducted by Post
Commander c. T.. Beach. The Sherman
band then played two selections one of
them a dirge, and after a volley fired
by a detachment from Company M, and
the blowing of taps by Bugler John Simp-
son of Company NJ. the column reformed
and marched to the armory, where the
public exercises were held
The number of people who attended the
exercises at the armory was not so large
as their character deserved. Commander
C. L. Beach of Stannard Post presided
and with him upon the stage in addition
. TO those who took part in the programme
were the following: President NJ II.
Buckham. Hon. r. E.Wales. Judge e. w.
]. Hawkins, Capt. oscar Elting, City Clerk
G. +. Allen and Aldermen Brownel and
Gutchell. The armory was decorated and
flags were suspended over the platform.
Tho exercises opened with selection by
the sherman band, which was a medley
of patriotic airs. Prayer was offered ~
Rev. j. II. Metcalf. after which Com
mander Beach introduced Mayor Roberts,
who spoke in part as follows:
MAYOR ROBERTS REMARKS.
Within the time that it has taken 10
sprinkle with white the heads of the
youngest veterans of the Grand Army
many great wars have been waged be-
tween civilized and, so-called. Christian
races and nations. You have been wit
nesses of the Crimean, Prussian and Aus
trian wars, the struggle for Italian lib
erty, in which France took part the
| Franco-P russian, the Spanish American
ana the English and Boer wars. OF the
ci"il war you are the reicts and the sur
ViVing heroes. In this list. ] do not in
clude conflicts between Russia and Tur-
key, Greece and Turkey and the minor
struggles for supremacy in the east be-
: tween the military ana organized nations
, and the disintegrating hordes Of Asiatics
, The earth has been deluged with blood
: billions of treasure expended and the light
, of innumerable households has gone out
in darkness. And all this has been done
by the nominal disciples of Him who
taught peace on earth good will tC
men"
1t would seem from this retrospect thai
+, man is fighting animal that every gen
, GRAFTON, in every nation, must have It's
war and that the peace of the world i.
- as far off as ever. This view is support
ed by the attitude of the people whenever
. from any international complication,
), war is possible or probable The many
who are to suffer most as well as III,
, irresponsible press and irresponsible PEG
, pie whom they represent are always eagel
;. for fight. And it may be added tina
!, the mob is the first to cry enough! anC
: how for a cessation Of hostilitios at III,
first reverse.
Win wars ever cease? l do not know
nor does any man. | stll believe tina
6 they will. They are out of order anC
the universe is orderly and whenever til,
A.. elements of fear of one another can h,
eliminated from the life Of competing ma
tions, and the decaying and ungoverne,
:, races are governed by the competent W,
!, may hope for peace, But it is hopeless
= to look for ideal diplomacy or ideal mel
, and ii is seldom that there is ever
= good war" Meanwhile it is and has ION,
been the province Of veterans to give ad
wee ana counsel IN restraint of the GRAZ,
promoters OF strife, for they know wha
war means. And it is for the old brave
to counsel moderation in the younger.
As the years roll on Memorial Day be
comes in the larger centers, a day o
varied pastimes and pleasures disconnect
ed from the object for which the day wa
Z created. You are doubtless sonnet time
prompted TO ask, "And are we so sool
X forgot?' But in the courts of peace
k upon our hill sides, where your comrade
h sleep nature will never forget her own
v There the blue bird and robin will sim
: and our sweet and lovely Vermont flower
o will bud and bloom for the heroic dead
4 The Grafton OF the day was then dc
q livered by Principal Isaac Thomas of tn
n Edmunds High school, who said in part:
+ PRINCIPAL THOMAS ADDRESS.
e The struggle in which the Grand Arm
d of the Republic bore great n part vs.
o n tremendous one: tremendous because O
@ the interests involved, tremendous by rca
l. son of the greatness OF the conflict am
q of the contendng forces, and tremendou
e in its final results. For there was 1T stalk
l. nothing less than the preservation of II
# Union for whose formation our father
" gave their lives a willing sacrifice; upC
I, whose maintenance and growth throug
a 50 years. unstinted labor and unCount,
It treasure had been spent; and for who's
It success unnumbcred prayers had gone II