Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1902-05-31

The Lessening Drmber of the Com
rades Of the Dead AN Eloquent
aad Patriotic Address by Judge
Kent Upon the Sacrifices Which
Had Esta blished the Nation.

The time when this nation honors
those who died in defense OF the union,
or those who fell that the principles of
freedom might spread, REQUIRED yes
terday II has almost ceased in the
march of years to be day of SORROW,
but there is something sorrowful in
the dwindling number of comrades VINO
participate in the memorial ceremo-
mics. Year by year there are more
graves II be covered with flowers. y
member OF J. w Owen post said yes
terday that of all the old soldiers liv-
ing il Phoenix, not more than half Il
dozen of them could stand the journey
To the cemetery. For years it has been
the cuGtum for members Of The EX-
Confederate Association to take 1lrt
in the exercises OF memorial day, and
they have always been assigned i alace
in the line of march. They occupied no
place yesterday. There are few of
them living ana those few are TOO in
firm to undergo the hardship of the
journey to TIE graves of their comrades
or to those of their former enemies.
( The members o. ]. w. Owen post and
/ those of the Spanish-American war
| Veterans formed at eight O'Clock at the
MonihOn building and took cars for the
cemetery. The graves of the dead SOL
diers of the two wars had been marked
the day before by flags, under the di-
rection of the Women's Relief Corps
! The members OF the c. a. Il. and the
! Spanish War Veterans formed in lines.
the graves having been decorated. and
the ceremonies begun. The ritual of
/ the Grand Army was read by Captain
! Par ker; q salute was fired by Compa-
ny b, \. C. =. and taps were sounded
Prayer was offered by Rev. Imri Zuln-
walt, and the memorial address. the
famous speech of Lincoln at Gettys-
burg. was read b. Captain George d
Christy. After music by the Indian
School band the address of the day was
delivered by Chief Justice Edward
Kent. He recoUnted the valor of The
soldiers OF the evil war, those who
/ wore the blue ana hose who were clad
in gray. and their evotio1 to the Drir-
cip2es fol which -ney bdttlrd 'ine
sectional hatred following those. years
CT desperate strife had been obliterated
partly by time ana partly by later
war, to which both sides had contribut-
ed heroes for the spread Of American
ism, freedom and civilization. The men
of the south and the men of the north,
and their sons. had fought side by side
against a common foe. and afte~ al
most 4 nalf century. had been again
united.
The beautiful ceremony which had
brought the American people in al
parts OF the country to their cemeteries
the speaker said was 4 gift from the
south. The women cf the south had
first conceived the idea of setting apart
day for the honoring OF the dead.
That idea had spread to the north. ana
May 50 had become the sweetest of all
holidays.
The union, the speaker said, had been
made secure by the sacrifices of those
TO whom the country was doing honor
today. Their achievements would not
be forgotten. The day was destined II
be a sacred one while the republic
should endure. The American people
would always hold in memory those
who had placed themselves on the al
tar Of their country.
Judge Kent closed his address
With a quotation from that great
est of all memorial day address
es. III which Lincoln immortalizeG
the heroes Of the war, at Gettysburg.
Judge Kent's address was not only
an excellent oratOrical effort on Mem
u lIi iJdy. II was more imam 4 GOlO2y
Of the dead for it was made the vehicJ,
for conveying advice to the living. H.
: spoke OF the necessity Of observance
, of the laws and of the rights betweer
man and man. The state fer which
the sacrifices had been made must b.
preserved by the individual members o
. it. The law. the speaker said shoulC
be administered only by the constituted
: authorities and the full moral duty o
every member of the communit,
l toward every other member of the com
munity should be discharged The ad
, dress was an exceedingly thoughtful
= one and all VINO heard it We're tn,
= better for having heard it.
5 This concluded the ceremonies 0
j Decoration Day, but The members O
Q the PhceniX Fire department, follow
$ ing long established custom. cove"e;
% The graves Of their dead with flowers.