Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-31
'PAY RESPECT TO The DEAD
Memorial Day is F~ittingly Observed at the
National Capital,
BUSINESS is ENTIRELY SUSPENDED
Charles Emory smith, Former Post
master General, Delivers the Prin-
cipRI Grafton of the Occasion
Mt Arlington Cemetery.

WASHINGTON, May 3O-with solemn
and impressive ceremonies, Memorial day
was observed in the national capital on a
more elaborate scale than ever before
Business was suspended, not only in the
departments of the government, put
throughout the city.
People of all classes united In perpetu-
ating the memory Of the heroic dead, who,
in thousands. sleep peacefully in the eight
national cemeteries of the District OF Co
lumbia. Soldier monuments and statues
on the government reservations were nag
draped, flags on all the public buildings
were at half-mast, and the national colors'
with folds caught In bands of crepe, were
displayed from hundreds OF private resi-
dences.
Notwithstanding the absence from the
city of the president, who Is usually a con-
spicuous figure in the Memorial day eN-
erclses at Arlington. the arrangements were
elaborate and beautiful. They were under
the direction OF the Department of the
Potomac. Grand Army Of the Republic, ana
included a parade of Grand Army OF the
Republic posts, the Old Guard. other pa
triotic organizations and the militia OF the
district, headed by the Marine band; decora-
ton of monument and graves and al
dresses by men prominent In public Ire.
The weather was perfect, cool. but with
a brilliant sun from a cloudless sky
Exercises Mt Arlington.
After a short march through the city the
| organizations in the parade boarded the
| electric trains for Arlington, where the
| principal exercises of the day occurred. the
J procession reformed at the gates and a
national salute was fired by the Fourth
| battery, United States field artillery. as II
entered the grounds.
Already the Is. 900 graves in the cemetery
had been strewn with flowers and each
marked by q tiny American flag, women OF
the societies auxiliary to the veterans or
| Ranizations having been engaged in this
patriotic work since early morning.
A touching feature of the ceremony-a
feature IMPLYING a country thoroughly re-
united-was the decoration of the graves IN
that section of the cemetery where lie the
confederate dead.
The procession marched TO the tomb OF
the Unknown Dead" which had been
beautifully decorated by a special commit
tee, and the Marine band rendered a sol
emn dlrge. The march was then resumed
TO the section allotted to the Spanish war
dead, where another dirge was played.
At the conclusion OF the ceremony OF
decoration OF the graves a great crowd
| gathered IN ln6 dllpHlAicdNCh' AhN'~f
under direction of Department Commander
I. G. Kimball of the Grand Army OF the
Republic. and other department ofncials,
IMPRESSIVE services for the soldier dead
were conducted
Charles Emory smith is orator.
Hon. Charles Emory Smith, editor of the
Philadelphia Press. delivered the Grafton
Of the day. He spoke in part as follows;
- n-.NNN af AarnnTtlI haV
instead of declining, rather Increases with
the passing years. The grand army pc
meath the sod steadily xn fTel ssr1 y nT am
proaches closer to the mai blyouac; Inc
old graves lose none Of their haIioweS
glory and new graves add TO the wealth
OF flowers and affection lavished on these
consecrated spots. .
Here at Arlington is the UarocroWned
mounds could open and yield up their ten
ants as they were in life there could as
broad bosom OF the Potomac and yonder
canitol of the republic the largest council
OF illustrious leaders OF the war that eouiu
De mar - tbeY were thus assembled they
would recognize that the gsPS5iic has has b nos
been generous to the dead and to the nv
ing. This was your just due; You ana
those who fought with you ne thS s6,obt
The issues which bred the strife Of sec:
tIons have been settled. The reunion or
Inc sections have been sealed In common
saCrihce. In the Crucible of a common strug-
gle; the lines OF sections ecst1nS s inc ms Te az the
union should no longer be dlvloeo INTO
north and south.
Monument Of Late Senator Davis.
Later in the afternoon the monument and
bust of the late Senator Cushman X. Davis
Of Minnesota was unveiled. The Grafton
was pronounced by Henry A. Castle of
Minnesota, auditor for the Postofhce de-
paTtment. .
Under the auspices of various posts OF
the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial
services were held In all of the cemeteries
In the District OF Columbia. The orators
~ che 6av at the several cemeteries were
az follows: Soldiers Home cemetery, Ed
ward p. Seeds: Congressional cemetery,
rantain Thomas Fl. Mckee; Glenwood,
Prospect Hill. st. Mary's and Mount olivet,
~iointIv. Hon. John w. Yerkes, commits
sioner Of internal revenue; Oak Hill ceme-
terv. Hon. NJ. w. Miller, assistant secre-
tarv ~ the interior; St. Elizsbeth's GENE.
terv. Rev. DIT. A. s. Fisk, pastor OF Gunton
Temple Memorial church; Battle Ground
cemetery, Chaplain c. c. Pierce, U. 8. A;
Harmony cemetery, John C. Daney' re-
corder Of deeds, District OF columbia
observed In New York.
NEW YORK, May So.-Very appropriately
New York chose Decoration day for the
unwilling of Augustus st. Gauden's eques-
trian statue of General William I. sher-
man. erected by the citizens of the metrop-
oils in the plaza circle at the F1fty-ninth
street and Fifth avenue entrance to Cen
trail mark. This ceremony was the prin-
cJnaI event in the city's observance OF
the day.
II was preceded by a parade. OF which
Ma ior General Chsffee was grand marshal.
the narade was reviewed by Governor
Odeu secretary OF War Root and other
nrominent persons. The cord which IN
,,e,led the statue was drawn by Muster
william T. sherman Thackaray, a grand
son OF General Sherman. This was fol-
lowed with prayer by Archbishop Farley,
? after which Cornelius Bliss, acting chair
ran of the committee, presented the statue
to the city.
Mavor Low accepted it on behalf Of the
corooration in a short address and Secre-
tsry OF war Root delivered the grafton.
; The ceremonies closed with a benediction
= by Bishop Potter.
Mckinley Tomb Decorated.
. CANTON, o., May SO.-The vault con
tanning the remains Of President Mckinley
was decorated today with many oeautliu
-. ng,xfpIay droy0 TO the toni