Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-06-06

You have united to-day in commemo-
rating the memory of those who have
gone before. All nations honor their
heroes, and it will be sad dag for any
nation when it forgets them. 1t will be
sad day for republic when it forgets
it's citizen soldiers.
This day with its beautiful observances
is more eloquent than any words that can
fall from the lips of man. The monu-
ments which we erect to the memory of
our soldiers are eloquent. Yet it is tit
ting, and it is necessary, that living lips
shall speak to living men in common
Grafton of our heroes.
A republic is not ungrateful. All
nations honor their distinguished heroes;
this republic honors the common soldier.
American civilization recognizes this
fact, that the leaders, brave as they
were, patriotic as they were, were no
more heroic than hundreds of thousands
of unknown men.
And not only you, but those who have
gone before, share in these observances.
If the Bible teaches anything it teaches
that. Do you suppose that Lincoln or
Washington is ignorant to-day OF the
advance that this country has made? Do
YOU think that the apostles of Jesus
Christ do not know the progress which
the kingdom of their Master has made
in the world? So your honOred comrades
have part with you to-day, and know
that they are not forgotten. :.
There were other heroes, too, who did
not 90 to the war, but answered the call
of duty at home. There were brave
mothers who said to their first-born
Cor and to their second-born Coz!
and some to the third and even the
fourth There were young women,
| with their hearts full of love, who sent
their sweethearts away never to return,
and saw the whole course of life changed
| for them, and their plans and hopes
turned to desolation.
Though your service meant diScom-
fort, and hunger, and thirst, and disease,
and wounds, yes, though it was hell part
of the time, yet no body of men on
earth, unless it is the disciples of the
Lord Jesus Christ, enjoy relating their
experiences like the soldiers in that
great conflict.
You were not hirelings, fighting for
II q
citizen soldiers, fighting every man his
own battles. You lifted the world up,
and rolled the nation on hundred
years in its progress. You fought to
establish that great principle that "a
mans man for n thai"
An American nobleman is noble, no,
by birth, but because he is man. Every
American boy is heir to the throne. "a
mans man for a that" The realiza
ton of this is what you established by
your deeds.
The strength of democracy lies in
several facts. First, in the fact that
every man is the peer of every Other
man, in rights and responsibilities. We
should cultivate that sense of individual
responsibility. Every man should be
politician, taking his part in the govern
!. ment of the country.
| Again, successful democracy requires
an equal average intelligence so far a.
possible. This was exemplified in tn
Union army. If bridge was to b
built, men could be called from thu
ranks to build it. If a locomotive wa,
. to be repaired, or any other work to b.
|, done, men could be found to do it
There never was an army equal to it, TO
, average intelligence. There were posi-
, BILE major generals in every regiment
and some of you ought to have beel
generals in place of some who were. !
takes more of a man to be goo'
American citizen than a citizen OF an
other nation. We are the aristOcracy Q
the world.
. Again, successful democracy re
( quires high moral ideas. What was
, that made Lincoln what he was? 1t wa
t those qualities which gave him tina
a best.knOwu name of "Honest Abe" Th
s Union army had the highest moral avel
o age of any army in the history of tn
a world, unless it was Cromwell's, selec
n ed almost exclusively upon the basis
s morality.
d Soldiers, your mission is not yet dom
You only began that whish the cOuntl
= must carry out. Nothing is settled Il
}, it is settled right. Statesmen tried II
II many years to settle the problems I
IT this country by compromise. Tht
/ couldn't do it. The questions were n,
n settled till they were settled right.
The great question to-day is, Can v
a govern ourselves? We are an experimel
D, as yet. Can we take all this horde
diverse and alien people who are foe
m ing to our shores, assimilate them, al
make them good American citizens,
re integral part of the body politics
Then there is the ever present questi'
of capital and labor, questi'
h that never will be settled till 1t Is settl
L. right, till capital has it's rights and lab
b has its rights. The laboring men OF t
70 world have their ears to the groun
y, Listening to hear from America.