The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-09-11
ADDRESS DELIVERED
BY FRED WH|TES|DE
At the Reunion Of Old Veterans, at Bigfork,
September 6, 1903.
published BY REQUEST

worthy Commander, Ladies and
Comrades:
l feel especially complimented at
being permitted to address you, for
these reunions will soon be known
only in history.
| have always regretted that my
own life did not fall within the Pc
rlOd which saw the great struggle
to preserve the union, and l shall al
ways deem it an honor to mingle
with those who have seen service
under the old flag; and take it that
no more appropriate subject could be
selected for this occasion than the
theme Of patriotism. First, because
it is a subject that can never be
worn threadbare; and, second, be-
cause it is an element that has played
such an important part in the lives
of the veterans here assembled.
The word is of comparative recent
origin. 1t is not to be found in all OF
Shakespeare works because it was
not in use in his time. Patriot comes
from the French, patria or compatri-
OF, meaning a fellow countryman.
An adjestive, such as good or worthy,
was first prefXed to the word as
good patriot or worthy patriot, but
gradually that custom was dropped
and the word came into use in it's
present meaning, and from the word
patriot the word patriotism is de-
rived And patriotism as a creative
and sustaining force is so interviewer
in the history of our nations birth
and progress that any address touch
ing our national life must necessarily
treat upon the element Of patriotism.
The history of our country may be
likened to a work of finest tapestry
in which the record of each life runs
like a silken thread, and as the
strength of the fabric depends on
each individual thread, so the stabil-
ity of this government is determined
by the strength of character and
moral fibre of it's citizens, and as the
colOrs blend into the beautiful pat
terms so our common hopes and deeds
are woven into the history Of our
country And in history made lus-
trous by deeds of valor, no portion
will ever be brighter than that which
bears the record Of our soldier pat
riots From the first gun at Lexington
down to the last battle of the Span
ish-American war the record is one
of which this nation is justly proud
In order to be appreciated, great
events and noble deeds, like piano.
ramas that they are, must be viewed
from the distance of time, and so the
events of the Spanish-American war
are seen at a Disadvantage: the out
lines of the great struggle of the re-
bellion are beginning to stand out
more clearly, while the heroes and
scenes of the revolution are seen in
the distance like figures carved in
marble.
What school boy but has in his
mind and heart a vivid picture of the
heroes and battles of the revolution
Washington and Lafayette, Lexing-
ton and Bunker Hill and Valley
Forge. And while he is reasonably
familiar with the heroes and battles
of the civil war he can see but dimly
the heroes and events of the war
with Spain, and you younger veter-
ans must have patience to await that
appreciation and understanding which
time alone can give to your achieve
ments. The victory of Dewey in Ma
Mia bay deserves to rank with the
greatest of American achievements
and when time has cleared away the
mists which like the smoke OF battle
obscure the events of our own time
it will be seen that the deeds OF our
own day compare we'll with those OF
the past and that the spirit of patriot
ism is not less keen in our day than
it was in the days of the revolution.
Patriotism is but another name for
love of liberty, for the government
which denies liberty to its citizens
inspires no patriotism in their hearts
and must depend upon the bayonet
and the sword for it's stability and
strength. OF this character are
most of the governments of the old
world. and they marvel at our growth
and strength because they fail to up
preciate the fact that this republic
has true liberty for it's foundation,
while patriotism and love of country
give greater security than is to be
found through the bayonet and the
sword.
In all the history of the world no
other nation than ours has been more
severely tried in the furnace of ad-
versity. In the struggle of the revo-
luton it was the STRIPPING David
contending without weapons against
the Goliath of the British empire and
in that unequal struggle was born the
patriotic spirit which has been the
saving grace of this republic and
which has upheld the honor OF the
stars and stripes on every sea and IN
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