The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-05-29
Memorial Day.

generation passed the gun was fired at A
pamatoN than generation in lapse of years many
generations in the lapse of great The quick activity
of the present provocative of short The events
crowd fast interests changes rapidly that apt
lose sight of the deeds of the immediate past At pres
ent the fashion bark founders of our
country sit at the feet of Washington and Jefferson
Monroe to the neglect of those equally ustrous who
grapped with problems much nearly akin those
today than the problems of post-revoutonary
With all due the great who framed govern
ment and with the profound admiration great
deeds which they accomplished and the broad craftsmanship
which they displayed must say that just absurd
make their ardck the of all present day affairs
as would be for modern general adopt the tactics
the weapons of the Revolution simply because they used
by the great George Washington
The constitution first framed contained vital errors
rather of omission than of commission and the
ton of these which caused the struggle
in the national congress and which eliminated the mortal
combat of the Civil War.
Hundreds of thousands their lives that the
constitution might be perfected yet told today that
the constitution is sacred and holy thing sacred
thing made sacred by the blood of the Republic gave up
their lives that it might be cleansed of impurities and re-
formed and rehted to the demands great nation
Had the constitution been an inspired work had been
perfect all points, the Civil War would have occurred
The true friend is not he who blind your he
who seeing nmtes tries with friendly remedy
them The men to whom we to pay tribute
hen not only the defenders but the of the
constitution After of debate the questions
out of the hands of Presidents and
mented justices and appealed the supreme peo
pie who held their sessions upon hundred
1t farce these dead strew flowers
upon their graves to fire autes to tell the of their
bravery unless at the time cherish the
principles for which they fought and died
As every school boy knows the cause of the civil war was
the question of Estates rights were included all the
sues the perpetut of the Union the slavery question and
all ee and it is this principle of the supremacy
which we must safeguard to-day wish be
of the Departed We may show steadast-
ness to them by adherence to their principles and
way We should be guard that the nsiduous
rne OF states rights does regain foothod,
s that the emancipation proclamation should than
an empty and meaningless piece Of parchment above
all we should remember that the country that dying
for in 1861 is worth living for to-day. worth best eff
tort, our purest and our nobest sacrifice
Living for country does necessarily mean devotng
ones entire time to politics. means living honest upright
sober and industrious life means paying debts
means caring tor ones family providing good
cation for children, doing honest days work.
There is nothing highhow about living ones country for
just in the same that the who cooked for mess
the man who drove the mules the who carried the gun
was essential to the success the army honest in
divdua effort and good citizenship essential welfare of
the republic Memorial Day should be and lives
every day in the year not day only.
We glad that the old soldiers just ordinary
men after ALL for it teaches that may be heroes that
men have mperections and still be great and that the
spark OF patriotism gows in the humbest breast needing only
the inspiration of occasion to fan life This patternng
alter saints apt to be wearsome and dscouragng are
glad that we can honor the every day. ordinary citizen When
we know from history of what splendid stuff the AVERAGE
American citizen of third of century ago was made and
when we know how greatly the standard Intelligence and
education has advanced since that feel no fear for e
future OF the republic and when anyone tells us that we are
nation of land grabbers oppresors and rants we need
but point to the bravery and honor charity of our peone
in every crisis of history reute the CHARGE Every
mound on the hillside every decrept and worn old
soldier of the brave young boys returned from san
ago refute the camny and tells our nation is what #