The San Francisco call., 1905-05-31
AkbambrN THeater EIked
W1th a Patriotic
ThrOng.
Chaplain I-qUfn Tells Of
Dnty Thar Is OqCed
tie Veteran.


the rear Of the auditorium. The decora-
tions were handsome. The stage was
draped with two mammoth American
flags and the national cOlors were fes-
tooned around the inside OF the gallery
railing. On the stage we're some notice
able floral pieces. among the most strik-
ing being the badge Of the Grand Army of
the Republic, done IN flowers, golden pop
pies forming the bodies Of the eagle at
the top and the star at the bottom
AS at the morning exercises at the
Preside, the programme had been ar
ranged with great care and was full OF
merit. The audience gave way TO ap-
plauSe on more than one occasion and
encores were numerous. The orator of
the evening was a picturesque speaker
from Kansas, Comrade w. II. Irwin, de-
partment chaplain, Illinois Veteran As
sociation of the Sunflower State He was
q decided innovation in the line of publie
speakers and his unique style aroused
interest and his emphatic sentiments
brought applause more than once. He
sat down amid a hurricane of handicap
ping from his big audience.
Mayor Schmitz was among those seated
on the stage apd he delivered a short ad-
dress. Rev. Father McQuaide delivered
the prayer at the opening.
KANSkN DELIVERS GRAFTON.
in medley of national airs by Blum s
Orchestra which furnished the music for
the evening, Dixie" was played. The line
between the blue and the gray grows
fainter every year and the Union and
the Confederate have become comrades
truly, as the time when the last of them
shall have answered taps draws nearer
; with the passing Of the years.
eOmrade ]. II. Roberts delivered the
Introductory remarks, recalling the pur-
pose of the annual gatherings on Memoir
ial day and paying a tribute to the vet
eEans who had crossed the mysterious
river. He introduced Mayor Schmitz.
who eulogized the departed heroes and
dWelt on their noble deeds when the
count1yss soil was reddened by the blood
Of the thousands who were lighting for
its preservation.
The deeds of the dead Union soldiers.
the Mayor said. stirred the patriotism. in
the heart Of every American breast and
gave birth to a resolve by all who came
after never to sl3ow the glory they had
spread around the stars and stripes to
fade. In their emulation a spirit of valor
had grown IN the bos0ms of the youth of
the country and there was little danger
that the example the veterans had set
world ever be forgotten.
The Mayor said that in extoIling the
brave defenders of the Union who had
gone 20 their reward it was well to re-
member the living war heroes who had
stood in the bloody lines and hurled back
death at the country's foes. They should
be aided and assisted and cheered in
every way. he said.
BETTER CITY THAN ROME.
Chaplain Irwin. more than six feet in
height and with arms and hands that
accentuated gesticulation, told of a
church prelate of his acquaintance who
had told him Of finding a little American
girl on mountain of Syria picking wild
flowers on Decoration day that she might
scatter them abroad in honor of the
brave Union soldiers who had died for
her country and said that this showed the
influence Of Memorial day extended TO the
remote corners OF the earth. Not only on
the hiilsides. which are aglow with them,
had the people Of San Francisco been
plucking blossoms. but from the hill
sides Of patriotism they had been gather
ing them until they had a vast treasure
of love and pride TO lay at the feet Of the
departed ones,
The Grand Army was the finest body
of aged men on earth, the speaker said.
The members needed no encomiums
from human lips. Their deeds were
sufficient TO cause them to live in gIo-
rious memory forever. He was glad
there were so many left after the two
score years that had passed since the
bloody strife and he marveled that
there were so many.
The orator lightened his address
with just a few touches of humor that
served the good purpose Of tightening
the somberness that is usual with such
gatherings. He praised San Francisco
and said of fl: 1T sits on more hills
than Rome-and is a better city" The
audience laughed at this. and it
laughed again when he @aid:
a year age I delivered the Memo
rial day -oration in General Funston's
town in Kansas. Out here learn that
California and that you think they do
st pretty well. / don't think, though.
that there will ever be State that has
more local pride than Kansas. One day
a teacher asked in one of the public
schools there who discovered America
II was about the time of the capture of
Aguinaldo, and without a bit of hesi-
fancy. as IL he couldn't be wrong, a
boy shouted. Fred Funston"
MEMORIAL BUILDING.
Comrade Irwin earnestly urged that
a memorial building for the Grand
Army be erected in this city He said
the history OF the posts and the rec
ords of the valorous deeds of their
members should be preserved among
the archives OF the high schools that
for all the years to come the pupils
might have them before them
Tho speaker exhorted the Grand
Army men to get closer together The
bonds that held them as comrades
should tighten every year, he said He
declared that all citizens who were en-
joyfng the benefits OF the greatest re-
public on earth should miss no oppor-
tunity to assist the living among the
veterans, as well as 20 commemorate
the deeds OF those who had gone 1t
was better to even pin a rose on a
Grand Army mans lapel than to erect
a monument over his grave. he said.
Chaplain Irwin closed with a touch
ing peroration, saying that the veterans
9 who had gone and those who yet re-
rnained to be called would never pass
from the memory Of the living and that
the day on which the blossoms were
lovingly strewn upon the soldiers
graves would grow more sanctifed as
each succeeding year went by.
The rest Of the programme was as
follows: Quartet, Our Heroes" lNev-
in9. Knickerbocker male quartet: So
rrano solo, Resignation" fCaro Roma },
Miss Belle Livingston: Gettysburg ad-
dress. Comrade J. G. Crawford. sur