The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-05-24
Keep Memorial Day Sacred.

NCSP NACAuOAlaA LAY ~0dNAC Cus
At regular meeting of Lincoln
Post, No l, G. A. r., the following
was unanimously adopted:
To the Public: Fellow Christians Pat
riots and countrymen, allow us with
kindly pleadings to recall to your
minds the fact that at the instance of
the surviving soldiers of the Civil
war, the 3Oth day of May, called "Me-
mortal Day., "was set apart as the an
niversary of the death of the Union
soldiers to be observed with appropri-
ate ceremonies.
The grateful people of a saved re-
public, through it's congaess, made
this day legal holiday in order that
the surviving comrades, families and
relatives of deceased soldiers, and
patriotic citizens with their families,
might be free to participate in process
siOns and the solemn ceremonies of
the one day devoted to our heroic
dead
Memorial Day, therefore, is Hal
lowed National Holiday, exclusively
provided that grateful people may
extend more tenderally and universal
ly it's most righteous remembrance to
it's noble dead, thus recognizing that
our national splendOr has it's root in
a soldiers grave.
Through the thoughtlessne of
youth, the greed of gain, the pleasure
of debauch, Memorial Day is being
| it's original intent and dev voted to base
purposes. To such an extent has it
| been prostituted that it's hallowed
friend ships, it's reverence for the dead
and the sanctity of the graves it hon
! ors, have been SO disregarded and
dishonored that fearful degeneracy
| of patriotism is imminent, together
with the loss of all sense of sacredness
of human feelings and sacrifices.
Races of all kinds, ball games, the
atres, card parties, dances, banquets,
and the like on the national funeral
! day, are as great an offense against
good taste and patriotism as for child
rem, or other members OF a hOuseh old
to turn from the funeral oration and
grave of dead father to similar rev.
| elries.
The boys ought to stop playing
while the fathers funeral is taking
place and not make a gala day of an
occasion when even the leaves sing a
requiem and the flowers yield their
choicest perfume for the nations dead.
A repu6lic which does not frewn upon
it's citlzens. whether chief magistrate,
tramp or vagabond, who prostitutes
things sacred and holy, will soon fall
by reason of weakness and it's own
moral corruption.
| The use of Memorial Day as a day
of revelry is an affront to the living
soldier and to the widows and orphans
of the dead, whose virtues we re-
hearse, as we uphold the cause to
which they gave the fullest measure of
their devotion, when on that day we
decorate their tombs, remembering
our liberty tree draws it's life from
hearts that once were happy with US
in our country's service.
We feel that civilized public, to
say the least. should refrain from
countenancing by either presence or
words, such prostitution and desecra-
tion of patriotism, death and the
federation of such invasion indicates
and entails the degeneracy of our
country. and is a menace to it's liber-
ties and perpetuity.
! The public should respect the rights
of that solemn procession, which, with
suppressed weeping, breaking hearts
and sad memories, is marching all
day long to our cOuntry's cemeteries
to honor our heroic dead.
| Unless the sacredness of Mem morial
Day can be maintained. it were better
that it were stricken from the calendar
as national holiday.
| For these reasons. we. a remnant OF
those, who in the dark and bloody
/ days from 1861 to 1856 stood shoulder
! to shoulder and touched elbow. on the
| firing line, or were wasted by wounds.
disease, or horrors of prison pen,
that "a government of the people, by
the people and for the people might
not perish from the earth. appeal to
the press. the pulpit and the patriot to
assist us in sterniny the tide of desc
Grafton of the dav dedicated to the
memory of our nations dead. to the
end that the purposes of Memorial
day may be maintained and the youth
of our country educated in all those
heroic virtues that shall qualify them
for the exalted duties of American
citizenship.
We, therefore, request all posts oi
the G. A. r., Department of Kansas,
to adopt this memorial, the newspa.
q pers of the state TO publish it. the
teachers in all our schools and col.
4 lexes tn cause it to be read before their
schools and the Christian ministers oi
the state 60 resd Il To their congrega-
tti0no, and We earnestly hope thai
vO00e ard old viii for all time refun6