The Topeka state journal., 1903-05-30

graves with flowers which are foot
prints of the angels Of goodness: to en-.
JOY, in common with all the citizens of
the republic, and with all of the strang-
ers who sojourn within our borders. the
blessings which your valOr assured; to
eat the fruit of your own toll and to
bask in the simulated adulation of the
selfish world. 1t would smack of trea-
son to say that the republic is migrate
full, but history will truthfully write
a sad want of patriotic appreciation and
loyal gratitude in the existing genera
ton. However, that will be after your
memory cannot recall, and after your
ears cannot hear the music to which
you marched to the victory which per
petuated the republic; and after your
eyes shall have looked for the last time
at the colors upon which your shatter-
ed ranks closed in the battles which
conquered treason: and after your
hearts. which beat quick with courage
Gus loyalty to the government. are still
ed forever. 1t may be that it is never
too late to do good, but good is often
done too late; sometimes never. It
seems to be ordained that the worthy
shall be the shining marks for the envi-
Gus shafts of the unworthy. Among
these, they who are conscious Of their
own want of merit, or see greater merit
in others than in themselves, and eonse-
quently realize their own inferiority.
reach up with claws of envy and seek
to pull down the worthy to their own
level. This pleaseS their vanity and
meliorates their shame unto themselves,
while it but enhances and iutensifies ii
in the sight of others. God created all
men equal ir rights. but not blest with
opportunities to achieve, nor gifted with
capabilities to merit the same distinc-
ton, nor vet for the same destiny, for,
it is written that he made .tone vessel TO
honor and another to dishenor" He
made each comrade of the Union army
a vessel to honor. and the intense fame
of these shall thunder in the index ard
glow in history to challenge the admir-
alton of the generations so long as liber-
ty is cherished, patriotism is revere ed
and treason is Odious-
In this period Of progress and splen-
dor in the nations history, we have no
time to stop, even had we the disposi-
ton so to do, and say anything in dis
para cement of the other vessels. As
we have ever been splendidly magnani-
nous unto them, we can now anOrd 10
be more so. We must be charitable,
and it is charitable to say Of them that
they filed their destiny as you in splen-
did honor and everlasting glory filed
yours.
In the hearing of these people let me
say to you. my soldier friends, that the
manifold blessings which the victories
of your dead comrades and yourselves
brought to this land of ours are nu-
merous and benign On this occasion II
is entirely pertinent and appropriate 10
to recount but a few Of them and these
only in a general way
A government Of the people, by the
people, for the people has been firmly
established. A broader avenue for ma
tional effort and growth has been open
ed Vast material enterprises which
minister to the wants and comforts OF
the. people have been launched and per-
fected. A broader, higher and purer
education has been furnished at innu-
merable institutions to all who would
drink deep at the Pierian spring A
more tolerant merciful and Christike
theology has been developed and its IN
huences extended. Opportunities for IN
dividual effort have been enormously
multiplied. Personal aspiration for hon
orable achievement has been stimulated.
Ample rewards for intelligent industry
and mechanical proficiency and artistic
been broadened so that all stand before
it in equality of condition; and with
these a thousand other blessings which
promise the happiness of the people
And beside all of these achievements at
home the consequences of these victories
and their influence upon the clV1iiza-
tions of the world are FAR reaching and
tinged Will. bewildering splendor
If I am not mistaken in reading the
Inscriptions OF the Eternal which see
aglOw in this morning OF the twentieth
century. these signs portray to me the
triumphant march OF that stalWart
Americanisn, which was cT'ystaIized
into an unified power by the services
of the soldiers for the union, until It
shall girdle the earth and provide re-
lays for the match1ess naval power Of
curity and rest to our unequaled COM