Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-06-04

- OdQSC VI OuI
Our floral tribute Shall w1ther; let the
tender love and the feeling of patriot
ism for which it stands, descend from
generation to generation and let it en-
dure as long as "Old Glory" our be-
loved stars and strips, keep on floating
over a liberty loving people, and L
hope that will be until time shall be no
more.
After the little girls had decorated
the monument with flowers the journey
was then taken to the cemetery, the
younger people walking, the old sol
diers riding in conveyances provided
for the occasion, and the band playing
dirges along the route. The crowd
marched to the soldiers memorial
stone, where S. S. Armstrong delivered
prayer and j. A Jones made few
appropriate remarks, after which the
people repaired to the chapel where
Mayor Marchetti addressed the old
boys in blue, the flower girls in the
meantime strewing flowers DER the
graves of the departed ones. Mr. Mar
chetti, introduced by j. A. Jones, spoke
in substance as follows
This is the grandest and most sacred
of our national holidays. We have a
Fourth of July which we justly cele-
brate with exuberence of joy in mem
ory of this country's birth. We have a
Christmas which we celebrate as the
birth of our savior. We have Thanks
giving which we celebrate as our relig-
ious principles dictate. We have 22d
of February on which we instill into
the minds of the young the lessons of
patriotism taught by the immortal
George Washington. But all these are
not to be compared with Memorial
Day, day celebrated with melancholy
| joy, when we go to the cemetery, or
| Gods acre, as it has been termed, and
do honor to the memory of our soldier
dead. And so it should be. When the
shot which was the beginning of the
Civil war, was fired on Fort Sumter,
the North was wholly unprepared for
the struggle that was to follow, yet the
pCOplC aIOSC llhC OIC man lOl blIC bC-
fense of the Union. The storm that
was coming was to determine whether
or not this country was to stand upon
its own foundation. 1t was not alone
the question of slavery, drought to our
shores by the countries across the seas,
condition existing against all laws,
human and divine) but there were 9th
CT problems at stake. There was
trembling in the balance the question
whether or not we should determine to
the satisfaction of the world that gov
ernment of the people was able to put
| down rebellion within its own confines.
! Whether we should allow disintegra-
ton of our territory which possibly in
time would become more broken up
and finally fall in part or whole into
the clutches of greedy Europe. But we
were equal to the test and in short
time raised one of the grandest armies
in point of numbers and in intelligence
that the world has ever seen, and for
four years this army stood like human
wall between this country and its in
ternal foes. A war waged between the
people of one nation, or one family as
! you may term it, is always a bloody
and fratricidal one, and though half a
million men perished in the civil war
| yet it was conducted along the most
humane lines. And when the war was
over they returned to their vocationS in
life so aptly described by Lincoln in
| the line with malice toward none and
charity TO ALL" These men went into
the war determined to stand by this
country to the end, to win, if possible,
but if it fell to fall with it. They staked
their all. They fought, they died, and
of those allowed by Providence to re-
turn, many there were whose lives were
cut short by disease contracted in the
fever breeding South. Many graves
have been marked by relatives or kind
comrades, but thousands are not.
Many poor fellow was thrown into a
trench without his bosom being encased
in coffin or box, and is described by
Robert Burns in "The Burial of Sir
John Moore" which is applicable here
thus
NO useless coffin enclosed his breast,
| Nor in sheet, nor in shroud we wound him;
But he lay like warrior taking his rest,
/ With his martial cloak around him
| Today, after nearly forty years, there
is weeping in thousands of homes in
this broad land for Il father, a husband,
brother or some kind friend who gave
their lives in this war that the Union
might be preserved. This day set apart
for their memory was inspired by love
and patriotism. 1t teaches lessons for
the well being of the republic. 1t has
been instrumental in firing the growing
generations and keeping alive the spirit
of zeal and patriotism as was demon
strated but three years ago when the
flower of this land arose and taught
naughty Spain lesson. They, too, de-
Tended the honor of the country and
those who lost their lives in Cuba, in
Porto Rico or the Philippines are equal
| ly to be remembered.
This day is sacred one; not to be OBJ
served in noisy demonstrations, but
rather by ones of melancholy nature.
We are standing on ground enclosing
the bones of loved ones, with the
thought in our minds that though they
have preceded us by but few years,
yet in time we must all share the same
lot. Six feet of earth, or at most seven
makes us all equal. The great, the low
ly, the rich, the poor, the educated, the
Ignorant when placed in their grave:
are of common kind. The placing o.
, flowers upon the graves is symbolic
Today they are in full bloom and full ot
life, tomorrow they wither and perish
Such was the gist of the mayor.
address, and throughout he was list
ened to with intent interest
; After he had concluded the teach