Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-05-31

1Qe cOlu6 anu WcHb anu the SOL
der grew more and more proud
of his achievements. He began to
feel that there was but one genera
ton of Americans that could be
made into real soldiers and that that
was the one to which he belonged. He
said to himself and his friends, What
would the young men of today do if
they were asked to do what / did? and
the young men of today said, Give us
a chance.
In 1898, when a treacherous foe blew
up the battleship Maine in the harbor
of Havana and the lives of PA American
seamen were sacrificed, that chance
came The world paused and looked
to see what a younger generation of
American men would do and the world
soon found out Neither on sea or land
did they once fail or falter, and to You
veterans of the Spanish war | can only
say there are no higher words of praise,
that you did your duty as well as
the boys of '6l did theirs. You
fought not only for your country,
but for the oppressed and downtrodden
people of Cuba to whom you were
bound by no ties of blood or COM
mon interest The world soon found that
the fibre of American manhood was
Juan the civilized world has lost no
opportunity to show its respect for the
American seaman and soldier
Let us glory today in American man.
hood and citizenship, at the tireside and
in the shop as well as upon the field of
battle.
But what lesson does this day hold
for us of a younger generation, who
cannot ia the nature of things serve our
country in this heroic way? Is there
nothing for us to do Must we sit
idling until the war tocsin sounds
again that we may enlist ourselves in
the service of our country? God forbid
There lies about us as great opportun-
tiles to serve our country as at any time
in its history. The struggle for human
rights will never be ended until the
dawn of the millennium day. This day
and this hour demand courage and I'M
selfish devotion to our country as much
AS did the day of '6l and '9S, but of diff
ferent kind
We should on occasions of this kind
shake off our indifference, and give
expression to that noblest of sentiments,
true love for our fatherland Inthe
midst of the eternal clamor for office.
place and power we should listen tothe
to better and higher things
If for the sake of their country and
for our sake our fathers and brothers
were willing to stand up and be shot at,
we ought ut least be willing to stand up
and be counted on theside of good gov
eminent. The man who has no opinion
as to his civic duty, or having one, is
afraid to express it for fear he may lose
a vote or lose the sale of pound of tea
is poltroon and coward. He is the
kind of a man who, when his friends
and nelghbors were marching away I'M
der freedoms banner to the field of bat
tie, was hiking for Canada Perform
ance of civic duty often requires cOur-
age of a higher order than that required
to stand in the battle line.
We may not all agree as to what is
best, but let us be men and not mice
Let us stand at least for that which we
believe to be best and stand for it like
men. When we are Indifferent we be-
come stragglers and deserlers and we
are just as guilty as the picket who
sleeps at his post We do not need to
be told what our duty as citizens is We
know what it is Every citizen knows
that. All that he needs To do is to lis
ten to the still small voice of his CON
science to know his duty in this matter
Let us then not talk about what ought
to be done, let us quit talking and do
something.
Let us defend with our voices and our
ballots the cause for which the soldiers
of two wars risked their lives, the cause
of human rights
Let us sacrifice something of our time
and comfort to good government
Whatever our political beliefs may be
let us make ourselves felt for justice
and equality. | believe that the new
century boi5s greater problems than
did the last and that it is the duty of
every citizen to contribute to the extent
of his ability to their solution. Let us
go from this place today, filled with a
determination to conserve that for
which our fathers and brothers fought.
Let us emulate in peace the example
of these noble men living or dead. Let
ms be true Americans with the true
American spirit and the call of duty
will find MS prepared, whether it come
in peace or in war
The weather could not be improved
upon, there was not an accident to mar
the observance, and great credit is due
Cutler Post and those in charge. There
was an abundant supply of flowers, and
great deal of time was spent by peo-
pie previous in fixing up't the gray es of
their departed loved ones.