Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-21
ROSES FOR THE BLUE.
Georgians Would Honor Federal Hero
ism by Observing Decoration Day.

From the Augusta CGa) Herald.
May 20 has been set aside by northern
states as Decoration day Everywhere
that a federal soldier is buried his last
resting place is made beautiful this
date by loyal hands and loving hearts.
The soldiers body for the time being rests
under mounds of buds and blossoms while
the flag for which he fought-our flag
fiutters at ha3f-staT above his tomb. In
many places on Decoration day the graves
OF confederate soldiers are srewn with
flowers by northern men and women who
have forgotten the hstreds of war and
the IauCors of reconstruction. Every now
and then news items find their way into
the pages of the press, where former foes
of southern soldiers become their ad-
mlreIs and place Chap,ets above the graves
Of men who followed Lee. as tributes to
their bravery. fogtitude and undying de-
VotiOn to the cause they thought right.
Such acts as these demOns;ra beyond
the power of argument the revealing of
the sections into a grand and Viri,e ma
ton as It was before the terrible war; in
which brother slew brother and sons and
fathers sent steel and lead against each
other. There can be no true American
who does not welcome these signs of peace
and friendship. orators may pirate n ma
IOual gatherings and tell in spread-eagle
metaphors of the greatness and goodness
of the new un.ficatiou, but all their elo-
"a
with the sincerity Of some northern COM
munity when it places above the grave OF
a confederate soldier its simple tribute
q bunch of blossoms of the spring. Here
is the act without hope OF reward. the act
that has no motive hidden In its doing
an act OF friendship, an act of fraternity
and the action of hearts that are large
enough to realize that the dead confederate
soldiers We're Americans. and their bravery
was but the reflex of the nation.
There are in the neighborhcod of Au-
gusta the graves of federal soldiers. These
graves are located at the arsenal and WILL
of course, be cared for by the national au-
thOrites, but would IL not be a sweet
tribute, worthy of southern sentiment, for
the people of this vicinity to take a part in
this ceremony? At this season of the year
nature is generous with the choicest of her
flowers in this city and county. So album
dant are these beautiful gifts OF nature
that their sole value is their beauty and
their fragrance. Every one has access to
gardens and the people should. like spring,
be generous and heap the graves of the
Union dead at the arsenal with the natural
decoration OF the season. All of the poor
fellows resting in the shade of the arsenal
trees are far from the homes where they
were reared, and their graves cannot have
the care of the hands of loved ones. 1t
would be u gracious act for the people of
Augusta to remember mis- fact and see to
lean soldiers of the honor and remem-
brances that are due them. Here in
Georgia they are not resting in alien soil
They are in the land OF their fathers and
the home of their friends. Georgians
should see that these American graves are
remembered in a more cordial manner than
that which official act will give.