Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-30
CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERY.
Praise of the Dead Spoken by Edward
Seeds of Iowa,

Congressional cemetery, with her green
sodded mounds. her dropping boughs and
her fragrant blossoms threw open her
gates this morning to welcome in solemn
sadness. yet in haIlowed glory the yearly
pilgrimage of that multitude who. enjoy
ing the heritage of martyred soldiery
bow in loving gratitude at the nations
shrine of freedom All day. long did those
pilgrims tread to this shrine each bearing
tribute of natures beauty, until the
mounds over which futtered the tiny stand
ards, designating them as the hallowed
ground of the nations dead, were them
selves buried in the rich foliage of our
choicest blossoms.
Near was the past brought to the pres
ent when the little band of hoary-headed
veterans uncovered in the fresh morning
air and joined their voices and their hearts
In touching praise of those whom they had
known so well in life and whose memory
they loved so well in death. Treading to
the beat of muff1ed drum, not more than
twenty veterans Of IHarragut Post No TO-
were in line from the post quarters to the
cemetery. When they halted before the
improvised pavilion at $50 they were con-
fronted with huge pile of blossoms heap
ed on the ground by the school children of
the southeast section of the city. And
when the veterans stopped and gathered
up the blossoms in their arms and bore
them away to the graves they knew so
We'll they were assisted by the children.
who prattled along by their SIDE realizing
only the childish joy of the blossoms the
love for the flags and the sunshine and
breeze
The sound of the bugle. pealing forth the
notes of the "asse mbly' called the little
and to attention. Chopin's Funeral March
was rendered by the Washington Light In
fantry Band. while the hundreds of citizens
scattered throughout the cemetery gathered
In huge circle about the pavilion. With
word of tribute for the dead and word
OF praise for the children, Abraham Hart
Junior vice department commander. called
the assemblage to order. Then followed
tbs singing by the choir of Nearer NV
God to Thee The invocation was pro-
nounced by Rev. j. c. Nicholson. who fer
vently invoked the blessing of God both on
the living and the dead. He voiced the
thanks of a grateful nation for the deeds
of those who were mourned, and prayed for
guidance and strength to- carry out the
plan of civilization they had made pos
sible for those of this nation to enjoy. He
referred touchingly to the widow of the
late President. who would alone today place
wreath on the grave Of him who was by
her side on the last anniversary of this
day.
Keller's American Hymn" by the choir
and the reading of Lincoln's Gettysburg ad-
dress by Mr.. Clarence L. Parker followed
when the band played ''In Memoriam"
Comrade D. ]. Evans gave poetic express
sion to the hallowed nature of Memorial
day by reading poem he had written for
the occasion.
Address Of Edward Seeds
Preceding, the address of the day by Mr.
Edward Seeds of Iowa the choir rendered
Stewards "Coyer Them Over With Beauti-
fui Flowers. The speaker pictured the
nations cemeteries as the hailowed spots
which were this day associated with the
richest memories. which conspired to allay
the emotions of passion and dispel the mists
of prejudice. Its influence invited our souls
nr,1 Svtn IN ,o,ifn D1oko b.
fees of those who. in the times of our coun-
try's need, offered their lives that nation,
rich in great possibilities, might not perish
from the earth.
physical embodiment ct the strength of our
people If that strength was one of virtue
land nobieness, then that army and navy
would be one whose every battle was for
civilization. whose defeat would ecome a
lasting sorrow, and whose victories we're
prophecies of the m;Eeniai dawn. But war
was indeed grim v!saged; except in its re-
suits there were no delights
Tie Living Dead.
Turning to the blossoming mounds the
speaker declared that the lives they repre-
sented were not biotted out--those lives
were Immortal. We might not know the
names of those who rested beneath the sod;
/ the paths IN which they had walked were
Quiet paths; their associations were with the
great unknown who constitute our people
but in all those clements which make the
| .hero-seif-sacrifce and seize Placement, de-
votien to noble ideals. courage in the face
| OF death-they had been supreme.
He pictured the old battlefields and
! nointed out signal deeds OF heroism, the
glory of which he said has not been DIM
ned by. the splendid victories in Manila
bay and Santiago nor by the innumerable
! actions UNDER such overwhe lining difiicll-
ties in our posse ssions in the Philippines.
The speaker believed there was more than
| far cry in destiny He asked to be point.
1 ed to the time or place where the armies
| or navies of this nation had ever fought to