The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-30


chief Of the q. A. r., delivered an elo-
quent address at Arlington Cemetery
I'm the presence OF a throng of veterans
and citizens. His theme was Memorial
Day." and the orator dwelt upon its
significance and its worth in the national
calendar He pictured the deeds of the
old sold ers and abmonished the living
generate IN to profit by his deeds and
his example. General Black said:
MY fellow citizens: Memorial Day
has developed from observance by a
single organization until it has become
the most memorable day in the Ameri-
cans calendar. Wherever the American
abides or sojourns on this 30th day
Of May, not alone I'm our own country,
but wherever the story Of the great
war is told he is part Of a national con-
course. Today our people with holy
Offering seek the silent tombs of these
heroic soldiers and lay there their trib-
utes Of affection and regard. The rose
bud in the hand of the little child and
the stored laurel wreats: in the hand Of
age are deposited upon the known and
unknown dust beneath; and in the act
there is devotion and high regard for
the slunlberer and for his cause.
There must be inherent worth in
such a custom, which haits the rolling
year and bids the sun shine tenderly
upon these billowy heaps. Why should
those, kindred and also strangers in
acquaintance and blood. pass by all the
graves of the world and, stopping here,
set the flag at the head and the flowers
on the bosom of the sleeper And In
answer to this question IS found the
reason for Memorial Day.
Periled All for Right.
ct IS because these men periled all
for right: because. turning from every
avocation and aIlurement OF life and
from all that was gay and beautiful and
attractive. they went down into the
valley of the shadow and paused not I'M
I'll their feet were in the cold waters
OF Jordan. II IS because they we're
actuated TO the supreme sacrifice ny
the love of the land which bore them,
or under whose institutions they had
taken their stand: II Is because they
were actuated by the highest sense Of
duty; II is because they endured all
things-the fatigue of the march. the
tediuIa Of the camp, the harshuess Of
discipline. the fever Of the hospital. the
awful shock Of battle-that the land
migSt live. its flag be exalted. AMI it's
institutions perpetually established.
~ IS because. turning from the pea ce-
ful tides Of everyday life. they engaged
father and mother and child and wife
and sweetheart for the great danger 8
Of the tented field; because they put
aside all that allured in hope all that
exalted in desire. 70 fall under the
shadow and IN support Of the ensign Of
the free. that these mems graves are
hallowed. and the ground wherein they
sleep Is sacred, that the thrOnging my
RAIDS have come today 70 stand aside
and solemnly mediate.
Benefciaries OF Dead.
And who are they that gather today
H. this most exalted place Of sepultUre
and elsewhere some in such vast as
semblages as this; some going by sOli-
tary walks 10 lonely graves to com
mune with the dead and be for an hour
apart from the world. Who are they
who all this day long from the Atlantic
TO the Pacific are surging under the
nag with solemn music and with
Volceful praise2 They are the benefi-
Charles of these dead and their sacri-
fees. The gray matron and the gay
child, the stalwart man. the jOcund
boy, all for the time recognize their
mighty debt TO these dead. Here have
come all Of a great people, and In the
breasts Of none OF them fingers d spark
OF resentment, single trace of once
consuming wrath. but everywhere the
great people lift UP their hands and
Their ewes in tender acknowledgment oil
what these have accomplished.
Those Who Mourn.
who are they whom we wourn? Our
young, our brave, our beautiful. our be-
loved boys, our stalwart and splendid
men, gathered from all the land and
forming in the resistless. slow-moving
lines which esta blished the empire of
freedom and kept the flag In the heav-
ems; cur departed brothers, our school
mates. our companions IF the sword.
Glance backward through se years and
see them again How vast their assem-
blages, how tumultuoUs their gather
ings! how majestic their lengthening
lines how superb the order and disci-
pline that welded them Into resistless
armies. See them advance until, instead
OF undisciplined forces, they are orderly
hosts. See how about them flow the
awful currents of death. claiming the
bravest and the best, and filing the red
nav OF battle with the nOblest Of the
land See them advancing through all
privatiOn and want. all temporary stay.
and over all obstacles and against heroic
resistance. until at the end complete VIC
tory was the result. Then see them, like
the pa Reant Of a dream, disappear as
armies from the face OF the earth, as
Stunning their stations as citizens in the
vast ranks Of toll and in civic COntCn-
ton and peaceful pursuits.
Flags Are Furled.
See how they furled their flags that
once were Redeemed with the light Of
war and laid they by forever. See
how. putting aside the lethaI fruits OF
victory, they extended their bronzed
hands and stalwart arms to lift their
brothers back into their places in the
dear old land and the dear old home. and
shook out above them the starry splen-
doris Of our fathers flag; mingIing
through all the intervening years. until
today one common country and one COM
mon race is occupying all the fields Of
strife and all the contested lands Of woe
and war. See how with unfaltering de-
vOtion 10 their country and its grea
cause they upbuildcd the land which had
grown dcsOlate and pushed all the en-
terprises Of peace TO the farthast verge
Of the Republic. so that in the end from
Northern snow 10 Southern sea one
common prosperity, one common DUR
pose, one common faith is that of the
whole people See how, intermingling
and uniting by the millions, they have
laced and interlaced this land with
their children and their children s
children IN an inseparable and indestruc-
tible network Of common interests and
common affections. See how freedom
has bacOrpa universal 1fharf,y tt,. lo-gs