Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-06-03
MEMORIAL DAY.
USUAL AND APPROPRIATE OBSERVANCE
AT SOUTH PARIS.

Post, G. A. R., went to West Paris in tn,
morning to assist in the decoration
services there. returning in time for din
ner The ladies of the Relief Corp:
served a good dinner in Grand Army
Hall.
At l 80 p. NJ. the procession formed al
the headquarters of the post. 1t was
headed by the Norway Cadet Band
Next came a number of Spanish War
veterans, and then the members of the
post and other veterans, about fifty in
number. The ladies of the Relief Corps
and school children followed.
At Riverside Cemetery there was sing
ing by the Schubert Quartette, and
prayer by Rev. E. W. Pierce. The
soldiers graves were then decorated by
the veterans. From the cemetery the
procession returned to the square, thence
to Moore Park, past the soldiers monu-
ment, and back to New Hall for the
general exercises of the day.
The exercises opened with finely
rendered selection, "To Thee, o Coun-
try" by the Schubert Quartette-Mrs.
Fl. E. Wilson, Miss Mary A. McArdle,
Mrs. Smiley. Mrs. G.. /. Burnham, with
Mrs. Penfold as organist.
Prayer was offered by Rev. A. w.
Pottle, and Capt. II. Y. Bolster, who
was presiding over the exercises, read
the general orders for the day, including
Lincoln's Gettysburg address, which is
named in the orders as an essential part
of the days exercises.
Mr.. A. E. Morse gave a very pleasing
of 1.-THE Whistling Regiment"
and the Schubert Quartette sang with
fine effect, Beautiful Isle of Some
where"
Capt. Bolster then called upon Hon.
James S. Wright to speak briefly, and
Mr. Wright complied to the letter, and
his brief remarks were in his best vein.
He spoke simply of one result which has
in time come from the victory of the
Union army. Giving us one great power
full nation, instead of two separate
it has enabled us in the past
few years to accomplish great things in
the cause of the advancement of man.
We have carried the blessings of educa-
ton and civilization to the islands of the
East, and we have wrested Cuba from her
Dppressors, and, not holding her territory
for our own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, have made
her an independent republican act
a parallel in the history of
nations.
The speaker of the day, Rev. D. B.
Dow of Oldtown, was then introduced.
Mr.. Dow is native of Paris, who is now
presiding elder of the Bangor District in
he Methodist church. He spoke about
.hree-quarters of an hour, without
He has good voice and a
pleasing presence, and his manner, while
ne attempts no fanciful flights of oratory,
S easy and at the same time earnest,
md the attention of the audience was
closely held throughout. Mr.. Dow said
n part:
Seed for the planting of the great
Anglo-Saxon republic in the new world
vas chosen by the divine hand in select
ID handfuls from the great threshing
loors of the centuries. Out of struggle,
,attle, blood and death had come here
md there handful of men fit to found |
republic.
The mighty tide of modern civiliza-
ion represented by the United States
lad its origin in the union of five lesser
treams that poured over the new world
rom Europe. The Puritan, product of
ears of struggle against the luxury and
of corrupt court, if little |
tern and somewhat too firmly set against |
he innocent pleasures of life, was fitted |
o face the severe climate and tiinty |
oil of New England. By him were |
'lanted sturdy citizenship and char
cter as firm as the rocks of Plymouth. |
The Dutch brought to New York his
'atient industry and love of the home |
nd family. The Quaker came from |
much persecution and suffering to ex-
iibit in the heart of the great forest
What brotherly love really meant when
educed to actual practice. The Hugue-
lot went everywhere carrying his high |
eviction, his love of liberty and pure
ife. And if the cavalier brought with
i'm something of royal vices and fri
he brought somewhat |
laughty, exclusive air that under favor
bile circumstances develops into caste
lie brought also mind cultured by gen.
rations of training in the great univers-
ties of England. With such seed as this
lid the Almighty plant the rugged hills,
he broad plains and sunny slopes OF the
lew world.
From the first, two races and two |
Ireat civilizations struggle for the
supremacy. A little fringe of Anglo
,axons on the Atlantic coast are opposed
" French settlements stretching up the
It. Lawrence, out by the great lakes and
lown the Ohio, threatening to make the
lew world Latin in its people and civili-
alton. The contest on the plains OF
Abraham is a crisis hour in American
history, and settles the question whether
he supreme opportunity of the new
world shall be Anglo-Saxon.
The hope of the new republic lay in
he sturdy hearts of such men as signed
he declaration of independence-in the
,ision of Washington, who with no
no army, no arms or mag
zines, no credit and no treasury, saw a
nation yet to be-in an army of yeomen
Who loved liberty, conscience and home
better than they loved life.
What wonderful expansion of territory
mas been ours! In 1903 hardly 100000
square miles were ours. These were
doubled and more by the Louisiana pur-
,hase. Then came the addition of
Florida, Texas, the requirements of the
Mexican war, Alaska, Hawaii, the Phil
ppines. Porto Rico, with the negotia-
tons for Danish West Indies. The
school boy should have a new map
every wear, and it is a wonder if there be
not many intelligent citizens who could
not name the possessions of the United
States. How shall we reckon our popu-
lation? If the Filipino and all his tribes,
the Porto Rican, the Innuit of Alaska,
the Fijiian, the Indians, and who not
else, be added, our population must be
100. 900, 900.
From the beginning two great prin-
ciples antagonistic to union and liberty
existed in the republic. The first was
state sovereignty. The principle that
made the state supreme and the union a
matter of convenience or taste, put the
union in jeopardy every hour. The sec
ond principle was the right of men to
hold slaves. Slavery was first intro
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