The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-21

! honored with their presence, and Scran-
ton felt especially honored in having
them as their guests.
HISTORY II HAS MADE.
1.-THE Grand Army of the Republic u
he said. points significantly to the
pages of history 1t has made, and says
this is our record, record not promised
but accomplished. To you your organ
ization means more than the holding
Of camp fires and renewing the battles
you had fought and won. 1t is the
keeping alive of the patriotic fire of our
national life.
1.-THE blue-coated veteran is the ever
present witness of the glorious deeds
of the past, and happy inspiration for
the young men of today. 1t is the
duty of the present generation to pre-
serve what you have created and per-
petuate the deeds of the veterans Of the
civil war.
"Your work is done, and the abound
ing prosperity of the country testifles
to the national edifice you reconstruct
ed. Scranton veterans are proud for
being honored with your presence here,
and I bid you all welcome, and may
your every pleasure be anticipated"
Colonel Hitchcock, as president of
the association, made a brief response
to Recorder Connells address, and
thanked him for the kindly words
spoken. 1T is certainly a matter of
pride to have been a factor in the con-
test" he said, land we are all proud
of the results. Our nation stands fore
most as representing the highest form
of liberty in all possible directions, and
the entire world is looking to us as an
example for others. May this standard
long be maintained"
Hon. II. NJ. Edwards, president judge
of Lackawanna county was then intro
duced, and gave a splendid address.
After making some preliminary re-
marks relative to his inability to make
himself heard by all. and apologizing
for the committees inability to provide
seats for all. he said:
LINE OF SADNESS.
"There is line of sadness in this
gathering like the cloud over the clear
sky, and i am reminded of the fact
that with each succeeding year your
ranks are growing thinner, and that
the old soldiers are dying out at the
rate of 10000 a year. Ten years hence
tHeTe VIII scdIcely ne any OF tnem
left. But l do not propose to follow
this line of sadness or inflict much
oratory upon you.
1.-The orator has very little place on
an occasion of this kind His voice
dies away in the air. But the man
that acts, the man that does, and dares,
and dies for principle, his act lives for
ever, and his name is carved in the
history of nations.
1T happens that there is an occasion
now and then for an orator to warm up
the hearts of men, but the lesson taught
us is that every generation has mis-
sion to perform or great problem to
solve, and l will call your attention to
a few facts to illustrate this truth.
'The generation who fought the Civil
war, they solved the problem that the
United States as a nation are one peo-
pie, and not by any compact can they
be destroyed. They established the
indestructability of the nation. The
Monroe doctrine teaches us that the
people have constituted themselves the
guardian angels OF the nation. and
the logical conclusion is that the day
will come when all the small repub-
lies and even Canada will become a
part OF the United States.
"Cuba was helped. and We hope to