The San Francisco call., 1905-05-31

fection of gratitude and remembrance.
What memories crowd upon us as we
stand in this Gods acre, where the
waves of the sunset sea sing an ever
lasting requiem to the souls of those
who lie buried here. How we gather in
spiration from their lives and pledge
anew our loyalty, our undying allegiance
to the glorious fatherland. How we re-
count their daring deeds-deeds of valor,
deeds of honor, deeds of unselfish devo-
ton that brought additional luster to
the bright and luminous pages of our
ccuptry's history.
Although at first consecrated to those
who fell during the four dark years OF
internecine strife that threatened the dis
ruption of the nation, those trying.
agonizing years when brother was ar
rayed against brother, when the skies of
heaven looked darkest and the continu-
ance of the Union hung weighing in the
balace. the observance of Memorial day
has gradually, year after year. developed
and broadened, until to-day the tombs
of our Mexican War veterans, the tombs
of the heroes of the Civil War, the tombs
OF the brave soldiers of the Spanish
American War are alike decked by patri
otic hands with the beautiful, fragrant
emblems of love and purity and peace.
Ah my countrymen, 1T is beautiful,
sacred custom, and / hope 1t may endure
so long as our country shall hold her
station among the nations of the earth.
standing here to-day, under the blue
canopy of heaven, the wind signing
through yonder towering groves of euca-
lyptus and cypress and spruce, listening
tee the sweet carols of feathered Choir
listers triiling their songs of contentment
and happiness unto their mates, We rev.
erently raise our eyes to the source of
all goodness and fervently thank Him for
the divine blessings of peace"
SAN FRANCIsCO's SONS.
The speaker led his hearers through the
terrible times of the Civil War and, be-
fore that, through the battles of Zachary
TAYLOR and Winfield Scott in Mexico:
barking back he carried them along with
Kearny and Stevenson across the des-
erts of New Mexico and Arizona and
coming down to the present day he spoke
of the victories on Cuban soil and Cuban
waters and in the Philippines. Continuing
he said:
"And we, citizens of this jewel by the
Golden Gate, this fair San Francisco. can
never forget how our own sons-their
hearts afiame with high hope. spurred on
by their love of country-sailed away with
their expeditions. far, far out across the
placid Southern seas, to plant the banner
of liberty in the far-off Philippines How
we'll they performed their allotted duty
history has faithfully recorded. But, alas!
some that went forth fresh in the vigor
Of young manhood, all too soon were
found by the bullets of the enemy-and
their warm hearts blood gnshed out and
sanctified the soil of the land where they
fell We deemed we could not let them
sleep so far from home. and kindly hearts
and willing hands carried them to this
peaceful spot where they rest serene in
the embrace of Mother Earth.
To-day, We shed our reverential tears
upon their hallowed graves.
..Treacherous swamps, torrential rivers,
the severity of the unaccustomed tropical
climate, the rough tramp across maiarial
rice paddles, the scratching, binding
briars of bamboo thickets In an unknown
land. prove even more effective as wea-
pons of destruction than do the muskets
and the cannon of human foes. And so
many of our loved ones sicken and are
ruthlessly struck down by the fell De-
stroyer They have passed over to the
silent majority, but they are not for
gotten. They never will be forgotten by
their grateful countrymen-
"A few days ago our newspapers graph.
ically described the burial of the last re-
manning survivor of the war of 1872 Not
one of all the thousands that fought in
that second war of independence is now
left to US. Ard SO, in the fullness of time
the last survivor of the Mexican War, the
! last survivor of the Civil War, the last
survivor of the Spanish-Ameriean War
and the Philippine insurrection will be
gathered to his fathers. 1T is Gods way
His will, not ours, be done
I'VE know that with each recurring
Memorial day the roster of the survivors
will be just little shorter. there will be
new graves to decorate. for the angel of
death keeps ever his wings in motion, and
soon or late the dread summons to join
the innumerable caravan. which moves to
| that mysterious realm where each shall