Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-06-04

our Washington legislators. II is so
easy Ia call the United States senate
the "millionaircs' assembly" or the
club of the old fogies.'' IL is so easy TO
say the house of representatives is a
collection of noncntities. who are ruled
for the most part 10y one or two men
who crack the party whip over the
backs of their fellows. But. my
friends. believe that 10y such speeches
injustice is often done TO able men.
We have right 10 assume that men
who have been chosen 10y their fellow
citizens Ia represent them in congress
are worthy men. and when we dispar-
age them We disparagc the citizens
who elected them. The first great bat
ties are not fought out with sword and
cannon. but with tongue and pen in
legislative assembly. The civilized
word knew Spain was doomed long
bcfor. Commodore Deweys guns spoke
in Manila harbor When. on June -,
lS.,S congress authorized the secretary
of the United states treasury TO issue
SiW.Mn.0u0 worth of bonds for ma
tional defense, all the ultimate outcome
of the Spanish American war was de-
cidcd. except how the treaty of peace
should be signed. The outcome of the
terrific conflict of 1861 10 1865 would
never have been the maintenance of
the Union If congress had not loyalty
supported President Lincoln during
that evcntful period. Aye. there were
giants i'm those days. But the giants
upon Capitol hill. whose moral courage
and answering loyalty were tried and
proved. deserve our honor rs much as
do the giants fighting AT the front.
which Most Deserved Honorf
Place side by side. il you will. those
two master personalities. John Sher-
man and William I. Sherman. They
We're brothers: they were both gen
fuses As we look over tine pages of
history il is a very debatable question
which should be- honor"d the more and
who did the more valiant service for
his country. John or William. One
was giant in guiding and creating
patriotic legislation. the other a giant
in military strategy. yet today in al
most every city you can see fifty pie
lures of William 4. Sherman where
you will find one of his patriotic broth
ar. who WAS senator of the United
States from 1851 10 1877. The vital
Importance Of the work done 10y our
national Legislators can never be bet
ter illustrated than in the life of James
4. Garfield. He WAS one of the most
brilliant volunteer soldiers of the war.
From the presidential chair of Hiram
college in 1861 he stepped into the mil
itary camp and donned a soldiers uni
form. Within two years he wore the
shoulder straps Of a major general.
Yet Abraham Lincoln placed his hand
upon the brilliant chief of Rosccrans'
staff and said: Clarified. l need you
more in congress than do in the field
Resign your soldiers commission and
as congressman come and help me.
Thus today not only honor the sol
dier. but also the legislator. ] honor
james A. Garfield the general. | also
honor james \. Garfield the Ohio con
gressnlan In both positions he did
NIlulble ana utrOlc service.
On this Memorial day the brother
who stayed III home and worked the
farm should be- praised as well rs the
young man who went to the front and
was mentioned for II heroic deed in the
commanders dispatch. The young
man who sank his personality in the
more common but equally nee,lful du
ties of home life might have been even
Drawer and more unSrllislI than the
soldier boy who marched down the
main street of his native town or city.
keeping step To the strains Of martial
music. and whose train pulled out of
his home depot amid the shouts and
huZZas of admirin. friends who came
10 bid him eoodby
The Doys who stayed ut Home.
Let me Illustrate what mean 10y
praising the boy who stayed nj home
to work the farm Some time ago
was attending u solr, rrs' reunion. II
WAS II most impressive spectacle. that
assembly of aged men. Yes. the
ranks of the old soldiers are thinning
very rapidly. We shall not have them
with us long. l,ut though these veter
ans were very old when they began TO
tell their campfire stories. rs their mar
rativc proceeded they seemed To he
come boys again. ANON. the stories
told was one shall never forget Did
you have any brothers in the army"
asked an aged soldier. Yes. one"
was the answer. There were tire"
boys of us. We all wanted TO 20. hut
father and mother were getting I'D.
and some one I'd 10 stay ~ home and
look after the old folks and our youn-
ger sisters. so one night we had n fam
lily convocation. After the family talk
we three SONS and mother and father
decided that two of us boys could 20
to the war. but that one should stay at
home and work the farm. Who were
to go: Who was TO stay nj home'
We all wanted TO 20 and fight and so
we decided to draw lots Mother held
the book and put in the three slips Of
paper with one marked Stay at home.
We drew. John and myself went to
the front. Harry stayed ut home" "
Did your brother regret that he had