Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-07-11

I Jul AN NFNtAiNs
Senator Sumner prayed upon his dy'
ing bed that the records of our late war
might be stricken from the flag OF re-
united country; that prayer has been
more than answered. The sons OF those
loved veterans have fought side by side
in Porto Rico and Manila, and the sol
der ne'er asks of his comrade who fights
by his side ii their creeds do agree.
The young man of New England has
wooed and won his bride in the land of
the orange and the palmetto, and as the
portraits OF the grandfathers hang upon
the walls of the grandchildren in pratt
ling tones have asked, which grandpa
wore the blue, which grandpa wore the
gray. Standing upon the very thres-
bold OF this twentieth century, it is but
proper that We take retrospective view
of the past, but it is more particularly
with the present and the future that we
have to do. While we have attained
wealth and greatness in the hundred
and twenty-five years that it took other
nations centuries to obtain, It's not in a
spirit of arrogance or boasting that we
would refer to the same, but rather in a
spirit OF gratitude and thanksgiving that
that Power which notes the sparrows
fall has been the hand that led us, to
which we owe it all.
Ger a hundred thousand square miles
can Oregon boast, and mostly yet in
embryo. Fertile fields await the .hus-
bandman; gigantic pines, stretching
heavenward, in whose boughs departing
spirits might rest, await the lumberman I;
mountains pregnant with precious met
ais await the miner; new combination
of minerals, the assayer's crucible I;
water powers, the manufacturer seem
cry sublime, the artists pencil. Here is
earth's treasure chamber, with its doors
ready to swing back at the sesame touch
of scientific industry; here all nature
reaches forth the hand OF beneiaction to
man where nature has been lavish, the
soul OF man cannot be niggard of noble
principles.
OUR MIGHTY DESTINY.
While many of our institutions take
the form OF the Anglo Saxon spirit of
resistance 10 unwarranted authority
others antedate the Cesars. We shall
never become race of slaves; we shall
never bow to caste or creed. While Mt.
Shasta stands welded to God in her
mantle of purity, or the waters Of Rogue
River shall flow to the sea.
THE AMERICAN FLAG.
Old Glory, and what shall | say OF
thee, blest emblem of liberty, There is
no harbor so remote, or small, or large
that that flag is not welcome messen-
ger, honored and respected and, as
she floats from the masts of many ships
in foreign harbors today, methinks
many mothers viewing the same, smile
through their tears and bless it as the
ensign of the adopted home of their sons
and daughters. Beneath that flag man
is the legislator Of his own happiness
the architect of his own fortune; be-
meath that flag divine mercy sits en-
throned, and in her right hand he
sword Of Justice, and on its blade | see
a crimson spot interpreted defle it not
Then, hail to the past that fills US this
day with Joy unspeakable Hail to the
future that sends its rainbow of peace
shining about our pathway and to
those banded spirits whose deeds OF life
we this day commemorate across the
gulf Of one hundred and twenty five
years We send greeting that shall not
fail till the sea gives up its dead.
The first event which followed the
exercises was the shooting contest. T..
E. Redfeld scored % points out Of u
possible % and as usual took frs. prize
Second money went to r. l.. Bartlett,
with a score Of 90 W. II. Bennett won
the third prize with score Of Is.
The bicycle races were the first events
Of the afternoons entertainment. The
main event OF these was mile race for
$50 spalding bicycle, furnished by
w. A. Paddock. Though the prize was
tempting, there were only two entries
Fred Roper and Max Smith. The boys
took lay of in the middle Of the race
and INDUCED in loafng contest for a
few seconds. Victory perched upon the
banners Of Roper Time, 2.25. The
two.fiths Of mile race for boys OF fl
Or under was won by Frank Evans.
There were about a dozen entries in the
slow race. On the first trial, they
mixed together aud fell IN an ignornin.
icus heap. On the second trial, .hey
did better. The prize was awarded to
Mr.. Doney.
The event Of the day was the ball
game between the Grants Pass and
Eugene teams. The Eugene boys were
strong and well balanced team, but
we're outclassed by the pitching Of MAJ =
tin. the Grants Pass twrler. Martin
pitched a brilliant and iaultless game,
willie Earle, the catcher was steady as
clock work and certain as fate. The
spectacular feature Of the game was
furni he'd By Meriier, the diminiliye
short stop Of the Grants Pass team.
lie fitted over the diamond ike an
abbreviated ghost, one instant backing
lrst base and next instant mailing fly
10 left field. Once ne almost came ia
griel. He collided forciby with a base
runner in motion, whose superior
momentum hurled the little man u
terra frma most emphaticaly. Limp
Tor a lew seconds. he was, however,
soon ~ good a. new. The game was
full Of argument anI fac points were
contested 10 he utmost limit, but ami.
D k.Hs &. a