The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-31

can afford to experim ent If only the
lessons of the experiments are car
ried home to their hearts, thus ad-
vancing and retracing their steps.
They are in the end led along a path
of conservative progress which means
real advancement. Child of the ire
pressible conflict over the moral issue
of slavery, carving its own future out
of most inauspicious beginning, the
progress material, intellectual and
spiritual, which it has made in the
fifty years of its history, safely augurs
that it will among the states of the
Union. take more and more i'm
portant place, until with its great CEN
trail geOgrap hical position, shall &C
cord completely, its national influence
and control.
What is the lesson for US from the
birth Of Kansas Is it not that we
should never despair of the body polite
as long as we know that there are
among the citizens Of the Republic a
large majority, sound of heart, sound
of head. on the right side2 Abuses viii
establish themselves in popular as in
other governments and men viii avail
themselves of popular lethargy and in
ertia to fasten upon the people for
time a government which is really not
representative
Political Machines.
In some of our states today there are
machines that prevent really popular
party expression and in many of the
cities the aggregation OF the ignorant
ana corrupt IS so great as 10 make the
electorate more easily subject to the
manipulation of the boss than in the
country or in a state at large It is
perhaps not too much to say that the
Americans is the method by which pure
and disinterested municipal govern
ment can be obtained on a popular ba-
sis The increase in wealth has put IN
to the hands of individuals and corpor-
atoms the means of cOrrupting a NUM-
cipaI electorate
The lover of his country is apt to ex-
claim that there is no hope in the fu-
ture. This is not brave; this is not
coura geous; this is not to look at the
lessons of history; this is not fair to
the progress which has already been
made and it does not do Justice to the
honesty and intention of the great
mass of the American people, for in
their soundness of heart and their
sOundness of mind will be worked out
this problem, more intricate in many
ways possibly than the one we have
been just discussing but one which pre-
sents no more discOuraging features
than were placed before the Free State
State men of Kansas when the kan
sas-Nebraska bill was passed IN 1894.
Memorial Day.
But, gentlemen, this is more than the
fiftieth anniversary of the signing OF
the Kansas-Nebraska bill This is the
day set apart by the proclamation OF
the president and the governor Of Kan
sas as a Memorial day for the dead
who have given up their lives for their
country in the service of their govern
ment. AS Kansas was the child of the
irrepressible conflict between slavery
and freedom which led to the war of
the secession, she could not but re-
spond to the nations call. For SIX OF
eight years there had been war in KAN
SaS and the spirit which had thus Deen
engendered sent to the front TO defend
the Union and suppress slavery thou
sands of Kansas sons. Under Presl-
dent LincOln's call of May 3. 1861 Tor
three years men, the First Kansas IN
fantry was organized. of this regiment
a writer has said, The rapidity with
which men enlisted and the earnestness
manifested to proceed at once to the
place of conflict most clearly Demon
strated the loyalty and patriotism OF
the citizens of Kansas.
| Actuated as these men were by the
/ highest patriotic motives we gather
/ here now to do them honor and to
/ spread flowers and sweet fragrance
over their green graves We do this
/ from two motives. First, from deep
and ever recurring sense OF gratltuue
\ to those who died that our country
might live; and second, to demon
strate to those who may be invited to
/ future sacrifice that republics are not
! ungrateful
It is delightful to praise and render
tribute to those who die in a cause,
/ the moral side of which is always
| prominent, and such were the men
]
/ inspiration of teh controversy which
| grew out of the statehood of Kansas
But there are in the graves or yOnder
| cemeteries perhaps the remains OF
men who entered the employ and ser
vice of the government under no such
inspiration and yet from simple
sense of duty to their government
they laid down their lives in Indian
Shall we distinguish between the
noble dead because some may de-
nounce the righteousness of either
our Indian, Cuban or Philippine war
"NIy Country"
my country, may she ever be in the
right but my country, right or
wrong" This has not always met the
approval of all. but it must be the true
guide of every man who has coun-
Every man who owes allegiance to
a country must bear arms for that
/ country should he be legally called
upon. Whether the country be right
or wrong is a matter always of opin-
ion. In free governments the ma
jority usually rules. Constituted au-
/ thority thus selected determines the
course of the country, and that course
/ may lead the country into war Should
/ it do SO. every citizen, high or low, is
! subject to the call of arms. If he may
dispute the right of the country to call
him, then government is at an end.
Hence it is that a man who bears the
] uniform OF his country ana IN Its
service loses his life. whether in the
battle or in the hospital, or under
any circumstances in the line of duty.
| cannot have his case distinguished
from one who acting under the i'm
pulse of a tremendous moral force
/ carries forward his country's flag to
moral victory. To every one of these
| brave men, whether their lives were
lost in one war or another, in main
| tanning one issue or another, so long
as they were maintaining the cause of
/ their government, are gratitude and
/ the sweet common Grafton of this day
due. It is fortunate indeed that a