The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-06-02

places of business were closed at noon,
and there was hush in the busy life
of the community while the annual
tribute was paid to the soldier dead.
The parade formed at 1:30 p. m. in
charge of Liuetenant Howard of Co.
G., who was marshal of the day. It
consisted of the Princeton band, Co.
G., Wallace T. Rines post, L. A. S.
No. l, followed by ''Old Glory" car
ried by school girls, while citizens in
carriages and afoot made up the bal
ance of the procession. Arriving at
the fair grounds the parade halted in
front of the grand stand, while Co. G
stacked arms and stood lat rest, " and
the old soldiers, the ladies of the L.
A. S. and school children who were in
the parade took seats reserved for them
in the grand stand.
Commander Norton of Wallace T.
Rines post had charge of the exercises
and presided. In the absence of any
minister Chaplain Lowell read the in
vocation from the G.. A. r. ritual.
Music was furnished by the Princeton
band and quartet compoed of Prof.
Selleck, Mont Woodcock, Otto
Radeke and Pert Selleck. Corporal
Norton read Lincoln's Gettysburg ad-
dress and the GRAFTON of the day was
delivered by c. A. Dickey who spoke
in an eloquent and forceful manner on
war as a factor in the worlds history,
taking the observance of Memorial
Day and it's true significance as his
central theme.
Since the earliest history of the
world man has ever been known for
his fighting instincts and as fighting
ANIMAL. In olden times wars were
waged for conquest and greed, and
with british instincts and the spirit of
revenge. Great victories were cele-
brated by festivals and fetes, gladia-
torial combats, and sports of all
kinds. The battle of Thermopylae
which victory has been sounded on
the trumpet of time, was the occasion
Of nations rejoicing in this manner,
in striking contrast to the manner in
which the results Of the Civil war
were celebrated, not by demonstra-
tions of brute force and prowess, but
by the quiet assembling of the citi-
zens OF the nation to pay homage to
those who offered their lives for a
grand principle, and not for power
and pillage.
Wars were the mile stones in the
worlds history and were developing
factors in the worlds progress. All
human rights and principles had been
purchased by the sacrifice of blood,
for man was ever ready to attain those
things that make for human progress,
at the point of the bayonet if neces-
sary. The Magma Carta was not Sc
cured until the saber was thrust at the
throat of King John.
The Civil war was the climax of a
great human struggle for the liberty
OF the black man, and for those prin-
ciples so necessary to perpetuate a
government as Lincoln said, "of the
people, for the people and by the peo-
pie, " that it might not perish from the
earth
Memorial Day was tribute to the
valor and bravery of the American
soldiers, who fought and died for hu-
man freedom and the preservation of
the nation. Bitter as was the FEELING,
between the north and south, the re-
suits of the war had determined
momentous questions of vital interest
to the nation, and though great the
sacrifice, the north and the south had
assimilated all personal feelings and
animosity, and now after nearly forty
years it is "comrade'' for the north
and south alike. Veterans of both
armies are to-day comrades and BROTH
erS.
The speaker paid an eloquent trib-
ute to the old soldiers, now with gray
locks and bent form. He said he con-
sidered it great honor to address
such body of men, for within few
years no such body of men will be liv-
ing for public speaker to address.
The majority of the great army OF
volunteer soldiers of the Civil war
were dead, and those remaining were
but a small fraction of the Civil war
veterans In Oak Knoll cemetery lie
buried thirty-three Union and one
Confederate soldier, while there were
but thirty old soldiers who
would march to the cemetery to dec.
crate the graves of the dead.
Memorial Day would always be oh.
served as holy day, and it would
long endure as a day in memory of the
noble sacrifice made by the volunteer
army Of America. It would in years
to come stand for and be typical O1