The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-05-29
VAR IND IT'S MEMORIALS. I

perienced it's horrors and tasted of the
fruits of its great victories. It has left
its awful scars on the nations of the
earth. Whether born of a righteous
or unrighteous cause it has devastated
the earth and left it's traces of ruin and
desolation. It has purpled the waters
of the sea and bathed in blood the
fields and valleys. Willie some Of the
battle fields of the world echo the
march, of a conquering people whose
banners tell of mighty victories for
right and Justice, others tell of the aw-
full sacrifices to satisfy the ambitions:of
man. -
The world has been moved in times
past by the great fulcrum of might,
and in the present day and generation
is .swayed pretty much in the same
manner, but justice and equality guard
more than ever the rights of man, and
the intricate web ofcommerce and the
power of the press exert a great in
f1uence in determining whether it
shall be call ITO arms!' or a ''Peace
be still.'
The vast number of human agencies
at work are rapidly bringing the great
nations of the earth into common
brotherhood. OF these agencies the
iron hand of commerce with it's chests
of gold perhaps has more to do in MAX
ing men more brotherly than does the
message of the sermon on the mount.
But there are some great questions
that war alone can adjust and in the
face of which all considerations of
money, trade, public station, and fu-
ture reward are lost sight of, and the
sweet ties of home are even severed
and man offers himself as a sacrifice
for the sake of principle. The war an
nails OF our country are chapters of
contests for right and justice. From
Plymouth Rock to San Juan it has
been one grand contest for liberty ard
justice. Not war have we engaged
in that has not been a just war and the
world is better for all the fruits of the
victories we have achieved. Even the
civil war with it's terrible results and
it's bitter memories and heart aches
cleansed the nation of the foul odor of
slavery. Compromise gave way to
conflict and brother deserted brother,
and it took four years TO tell the story.
The scars were deep and cruel but as
a result Of the blessings of peace the
graves of the soldiers in blue and the
graves of the soldiers in gray are
to-day the graves of the loyal young
manhood of America. It was an awful
conflict and it was an inevitable con-
flict, but after all it was but an error of
Judgment, costly as it was. It was but
stones throw across Mason & Dix
on's line and the gallant and brave
volunteers from Minnesota as they fell
at Gettysburg were only short ways
from home, and yet the chasm that
separated the North from the South
was wide one. Into it were hurled
thousands of precious lives and the
homes and fortunes of happy people
ere Grant and Lee met to stop the roar
of cannon and the march of troops so
eager for victory and yet so willing to
hush the awful noise of battle.
Thirty years and more passed away
and cry of distress came across the
water from Cuba. There was call to
arms and the sons OF the boys in blue
and the sons of the boys in gray became
brothers and comrades in camp and on
battle field. Their sacrifices have added
new meaning and imposed new
duty in the observance of Memorial
Day. Besides the graves of the veter-
ans of the civil war are here and there
the graves of the boys who fought in
Cuba and the far away Philippines; and
the picture is one where the veterans
OF the North and South file along the
narrow walks in the city of the dead,
and as they place their wreathes on the
graves of the young soldiers the tears
that fall on the long mounds of earth
are the tears of united nation, and a
nightly and just nation. :
ON Thursday, June 5th, Princeton
will be honored with the presence here
OF over 800 Knights of Pythias, most
of them members of the Uniform Rank