The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-08-24
A Tribuet.
Webster Davis pays the following
tribute to the farmer:

Webster Davis pays the following
tribute to the farmer:
| mot long ago in the capital of ou1
republic l took occasion to tell of The
heroism and chivairy of the fighting
| Boer, when a British sympathizef
sarcasticaliy remarked, %, he is only
farmer and nothing more. Then
thought of the meu who in the long
| ago planted the first germs of civiliz-
alton in South Africa, whose fathers
followed William the Silent when he
wrested liberty from the haud of the
| Spanish tyrant, aud remembered
| they were only farmers and nothing
| more. And who was it that fought
| the wild beasts and sti1wilder savag-
es of that mysterious land in order to
lay the fOundationof two splendid re-
publics, for the happiness of their
| pOsterity: 1t was only farmers and
nothing more.
''Ah yes, il was stonly farmer and
nothing more, who climbed the steep
sides Of Majuba Hill to drive from it's
summit the soldiers of British tyranny
and oppression, and who at Bronx
hurst Spruit and Lang's Mex fought
like chiv alrOus knights of old for lib
erty, justice and equality.
more who at SpiOn's Kop performed
deeds of vaior unsurpassed in the an
mails of war, who, leaping like a
panther from boulder to boulder, as
cended that hill amid a fearful storm
of leaden hail, and covered it's summit
with wounded and dying British, and
hurled the survivors back across the
Tugela River.
1T was only farmer and nothing
| more who in the embankments of M od-
der River with but three thousand
| comrades. with only four cannon and
two Maxims, for six days held in
| check the flower of the British army,
consisting OF forty Thousand men un-
der command of the greatest general
| of the British empire, with 100 of the
greatest cannon to be found in all the
world, but finally yielded to over
| whelming numbers and now lies
dreaming at st. Helena of liberty and
a future republic. ss<.ssss
| II remember, too, that in our own
land, it was only a farmer and MOTH
ing more, that poured out the crimson
tide of his life ON Lexington green, as
a willing sacrifice on liberty's altar,
who suffered with Washington amid
the SORROWS of Valley Forge; and who
|
and Brandywine. performed deeds OF
valor tnat welded his name to glory
and undying fam e.
1T Was only farmer and nothing
more who stood With brave old An.
drew jackson behind the cotton bales
at New Orleans aLd taught old Eng
| land that easier. were IL to hurl the
rooted mountain from it's base than &c
force the yoke 0f slavery upon meI
determined TO be free, and who a,
iChapultapec, PalO Alto, CerrO Cord {
and Buena Vista carried the banner
OF the republic to triumph and glory
1T WAS only farmer and nothing
more who climbed; Missionary Ridge
over shrieking muskets, belching can
non and vahsnt men to pluck the
Hover of victory that blossomed upOr
its crest, and who walked above the
clouds on Lookout Mountain, swept
down the valley OF the Shenandoah
and marched rs conquering hosI
from AtlxntA TO the sea.
! "lt WAS only farmer and nothing
more that stood like granite wall q,
Gettysbnrg as the lnightiest tidal wave
of war in all the wOrfd rolled against
him, and receding left him the victor
ious defender OF the union he loved sc
we'll.
''Ah, yes it was only farmer and
nothing more, who in all the battles o.
the past fought bravely for the old
tiag until finally upon its staff the G Cd
of our nation brought the eagle o
victory to nestle with the sweet dove
of peace.
] ':And in the future, as in the past
it :s only u farmer and nothing more
that will be the safeguard of our na
tiOn and will protect our republic
from the clutches of agents of selfish
greedy monarchies, aud still more .ei
rsh, greedy trust owners. ana will Lei
it be known of all men that liberty has
erected It's altars upon our mountains,
in our valleys, on our spread ing
j plains and amid our picturesque " Ooo
| lands, and the weary. deserving pill
grim from every land aud cline may
come to worship at those shrines-
shrines SO long as chiva1ry girds OF
| a sword, shriues where patriot knees
will bend in all the years that are ye
to be.