People's voice., 1900-06-14
Memorial Day.
Milan Herald.

There is no more tender aud significant
anniversary i'll the list of our national
holidays than Memorial Day. There is
none other like it in the worlds great
family of nations. They have their re-
ligious and national celebrations and OBJ
servances, but day concentrating "a
great national sacrifice" honoring both
its living and dead heros, is not observed
BY any other country Of the globe.
The reason is obvious. In no other
land has Just such a war been fought as
that in our country which brought
brother against brother for the vindica-
tion Of holy principle and in support of
national unity. The dark shadow of
that civil war still fingers over the long
since deserted hearthstones and broken
families in the anguish of weeping wives,
sisters and daughters whose sohs are
heard across the years.
1t was the women of the South who
first inauguIated the beautiful custom of
decorating with spring flowers the graves
OF the dead soldiers. Their kindly ex-
ample was followed by other states, and
the practice became popular in every
part of the Union. This beautiful tribute
was taken up by the Grand knmy of the
Republic and May 80 fixed as a regular
day for the beautiful and solemn cere-
mony Of decorating the graves Of the
dead soldiers OF the war.
Memorial Day stands among the holi-
est days we celebrate. The thoughts it
awakes are of the unselfsh and the brave.
1t recalls the self-sacrifcing devotion to
a great sentiment and to a high moral
principle which led the heroes of 81 to
lay down their lives, and for the living
to keep alive spirit of true patriotism,
solemnizing the day by the tender Gus
tom of carrying the lovely flowers, en-
blems of peace, purity, hope and triumph,
to place upon the graves of departed
heroes, the honor paid the surviving
veterans; the uplifting words that are
uttered; the earnest prayers and beautiful
songs that arise, all lift the mind and
heart heavenward and make the day
ventable holy day, Is it not well for as,
both old and young, to be receptive to
the spirit of the high and holy impulses
of the day?
A great blessing came to our nation in
the spirit Of forgiveness which Memorial
Day has stimulated. 1t has aided as
nothing else could in softening the bitter
ness of the fray, and by its tender minis
trations has bndged the chasm which the
armed powers Of war could not obliterate
between the North and the South.
Sectional feeling has died away, partly
thro lapse of time, but greatly under the
influence of onr holy and helpful ami
versary. The day has frequently been
the occasion of fraternal reunions in the
joint decoration of the graves of both
the "blue" and the GRAY" These
meetings have awakened a brotherly
sentiment in hearts at variance. They
are now united, as the war with Spain
has demonstrated, when the young
strength of the Southern states stood
shoulder to shoulder with the flower of
Northern manhood in a righteous war.
But the greatest of all the blessing de-
rived from our Memorial Day is that it ap-
pears as the anniversary of "siIowy man
tied peace" whose benefcent presence
is the stability and prosperity of nation.
The past forty years have witnessed our
land progress i'll might and material
wealth and observed our pre-eminent
and unique position among the nations of
the earth, as every natioual question that
was settled by the sword was set
tied by giving strength to the
Nation. The desire for peace has grown
strong, and, we hope, too deeply rooted |
and enshrined in the hearts Of the people |
to permit that restless desire to enter
upon territorial conquest, fostering ma
tional pride and boastfulness. Our
sword should never be unsheathed only |
in defence of home, humanity and
Justice.