Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-01


those families and a committee of we'll
known gentlemen were intrustcd with
the disbursement of this fund. A writ
er during the first months of the war
expresses the situation at home at that
time as follows: All differences OF
opinion are hushed, all parties forgot
ten. all creeds are dead, all thoughts Of
national origin are eradicated, there is
but one voice and one will, the pillow
stands in the furrow though planting
time has come, the workshop is desert
ed, the ships lie idle at the wharves, the
factory ceases its busy hum and with
all men there is q desire to do. The
poor man says Care for my family and
you shall have my time and my life if
necessary; the rich man says Here
is my purse and my property, use
Them" and the mother actually forgets
her swaddling babe that she may work
for the soldiers. When we see all of this
we forget our shame for the condition
of our country That was our life at
home in the summer of 81. Then we
found that we. too, must work, if we
would live. and business resumed its
usual course. We found that to sue
coed, more than brave men at the front
and enthusiasm at home was needed,
though we had a righteous cause. The
best guns and the most of them were
required to win battles. Money was
needed in what seemed to us almost
fabulous amounts; taxes were laid on
everything, every bunch of matches,
every pound of sugar, every barrel Of
-four as well as all those articles
classed as luXuries had to pay its
tithes to the government. There was
the income tax and the stamp tax; the
manufacturer had to pay a tax on all
he manufactured and the stOrekeeper
on all he sold. Everything we could
eat or wear, raise, buy or sell, had it's
place in the schedule of the collector of
internal revenue, yet as remember it,
these taxes were paid cheerfully and
as something it was right to do-a good
example for later generations to follow.
After four long years of suffering
the war was at an end the army was
sent home and discharged, compara-
lively few returned with their rcgi-
mcnts. Many were buried in that
south land, some killed in battle some
dying from wounds and disease: others
had been sent home earlier, broken in
health from exposure and fatigue.
Those men who had served their coun-
try so long and so well, tried to take
up the burdens and cares of life anew.
Many succeeded. Others broken in
health and discouraged found for Il
time homes with loving friends. All
soon found that the time they had
spent in the service had left it's mark,
and few there were who did not feel
the effect of the hardships they had en-
dured, that our country might live.
And now, nearly 10 years since the
close of the war, Il few of those Vetcr-
ans have gathered i'll each city. village
and hamlet, in the northern states, TO
recall on this Memorial day, memories
of their comrades who have gone be-
fore, ana in company with sympathz-
ing and admiring friends. to march in
procession to the various cemeteries;
there to decorate with flags and with
flowers the graves Of our patriot dead.
Gentlemen Of John r. Hubbard Post:
Death is making sad encroachment on
your ranks. Each year the members
of Your Post are growing less. Since
last Memorial day. Comrades VIM. J.
Kccne, VIM. Cohoon, Chas. j. Sumner,
Harry Wilson, John n. Varncy and
Eliphalet RoWeil have gone to their
reward. | would that could deliver IL
fitting eulOgy on the lives of these men,
but l can only say at this time they
were good soldiers and good citizens
May it be many years before they ana
their good deeds are forgotten. Cen
tlemen, l am very glad that l have
been permitted to take part with you in
the exercises of this memorial day, AMI
thank you heartily for that privilege
and for the honor OF your invitation to
preside over this meeting.
The orator Of the day, Hon. Frank L.
Dutton of Augusta, said III part:
MIR. buttons Grafton.
So much has been said about the
subject in cOmmemOration of which we