The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1901-06-06
MEMORIAL DAY EXERCISES.

house were conducted by Comma nder
Frank Chapman and the officers of the
Post. Beeson's orchestra furnished the
music. Several patriotic songs were
sung by the choir, composed of Rev. w.
WesIwood. 2. H. Young, Mrs. Crumbine
Mrs. Inez Potter, Miss Kate Kinkead,
Misses Anna and Ada Hobble, Miss Nina
Norvell and VIM. Incl. Rev J. NJ. Ro
binson delivered the prayer and J. G.
Baird read Lincoln's Gettysburg memo
rial address.
Judge E. II. Madison delivered the
oration, a timely and patriotic address,
from which we make extracts follows
A writer of note has recently said that in
this age everything is covered with coal SCOT.
1t is true that the dominant spirit in this
country is cOmmercialiSm and that we live
in a very practical age, and one that is filled
with magnificent achievements along the
line of material progress
In the great manufacturing cities of this
country the great smoke stacks vomit forth
continuously the great clouds of smoke that
tell of busy armies of men at work; the whirI
of wheels and the cIank of looms is heard on
every hand.
The furnaces flame and the mouIton mass
of iron and steel being swiftly converted
into articles of commerce flash forth lumin-
ousIy upon the darkness of every night
The great trans continental railroads are
burdened witl- a tonnage in the aggregate in
comprehensive by human intellect; the
great ships of the world daily leave
shores carrying to distant lands the product
of farm and factory, and returning pour into
our laps stream of gold great enough for
the revenues of empire.
In such times the Pferpont-Morgans, the
Schwabs, FIicks, Sages, GOulds. HaIriams
and Hills occupy the central position upon
the stage of human affairs, and the question
ask of each other with great interest is:
The price of wheat Union Pacific stock,
discuss with bated breath the organi-
zaticn of another great commercial enter
DriS or O a tOeI al
ready in existence, and we see great danger
to the public welfare in the doings of the
leaders of industry and trade.
But these not the times of the Nations
truest greatness: these are not the times that
call forth the Nations noblest attributes and
its most sublime characters
1t is in the times of great National distress
and danger, when questions that effect the
lives and liberty of the people of a nation or
race under discussion; when the very
existence of great government is in the
balance; when cloud dark and oIni D.
nous is rising above the National horizon
that the true worth and character of Ma
ton and the individuals that comprise it is
called forth and displayed
Then suffering and sacrifice, self denial and
self abnegatiOn is called for and life itself
must be held cheap if necessary for the
prescription of the government. 'sThen the
land calls forth her own Then energies
from the back ground the LincoIns, Stewards,
Summers and StantOns. and the Grants, Sher
idans, Logans, Roosevelts, FuEstons, Fitz
hugh Lees and Joe WheeIers. and also the
American youth in uniform of blue With
haversack and cartridge box, with muSket
in hand; the bravest, best most patriotic and
Intelligent volunteer soldier earth, ready
to stand while life lasts, in defense of the
old flag.
This day is sacred to the memory of the
men who when the Nation trusted her veal
TO the cIashing steel, donued his uniform
and fell in behind the flag and formed her
gallant armies tha carried her standard in
honor until the last vestage of armed oppo-
sition had disappeared and victory and hon
Orable peace secured.
The flag of this republic, the proudest, the
most beautiful of the banners of nations has
never been humbIed; often torn, shot-rid-
died and blood-stained, it has always been
ways to final triumph
This day is sacred to the Nations dead );
those who in life followed the flag into the
hell of battle, who offered their lives a Will
ing sacrifice upon theiI eountry's altar.
Nonatter now whether they died with the
din OF battle in their dying ears or whether
permitted by providence they returned to
home and loved ones, and after long lives
make the final surrender midst scenes of
peace
They were soldiers of the Republic. they
did their duty brave men and patriots; II o
matter how poor and obscure they may have
been, they were Srander, nobler and better
than the most powerful, noted and wealthy
who shrank from the test. And today,
Columbia. fair Goddess of the Nation h:llts
for an instant at the grave of each and as
she places thereon n chap1et of flowers ex-
claims Il have not forgotten
land of viii witness a scene both grand
and pathetic, one impossible to be seen in
any other land. Midst the hills of New Eng
land he will see n band of men, old gray head
ed and gray bearded, in blue clothes,
ranged in a circle about Il grave or cenotaph
erected in the center of a cemetery
An old man stands near the cenotaph with
the nag and near him others; one re
move his hat and upon the pure air of sprin g
there is voiced prayer: 1--WE thank Thee
for peace; that the anger of no
longer burdens the air. that the CLEAN of sa-
Der and bayonet no longer blinds the eyes
that the passion OF is stiIIed and that
mercy ministers to those who have submit
ted to the authority of the Nation May we
give them soldiers pardon, not forgetting
the wrong that done in the charity we
accord
When the prayer has ended another stands
forth in the midst of that circle OF blue and
gray and addresses his comrades To-day
is the festival of our dead; unite to honor
the memory of our brave and our beloved.
to enrich and enobIe our lives by recalling a
public heroism AMI private worth that are
immortal; to encourage by solemn ser
vice more Jealous and staIwart patriot