Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-18
men who carried it? What is the piece

men who carried 1t? What is the piece
of cloth without its associations? Ma
terial Is nothing. Color is supposed to
be significant, but is scarcely ever
thought Of Association is everything
1t is the husbands, fathers, sons and
brothers who are associated with the
flag and what 1t represents that car
r1es the cheer to the echo every time
the colors are flung to the breeze
The flag represents the government
at Washington, but who that has had
a son or brother follow 1t does not
think Of him first. We may reverse
things remote, but we love the things
we are close to. When we say we love
our country it does not mean that we
are boiling over with affection for the
sands Of the California and Arizona
deserts or the swamps of Florida. The
buildings at Washington, D. G. do not
draw any particular feeling from those
who have never mingled with the peo-
pie in them. When we say we love
our country we mean our homes, our
liberty, our native and adopted towns
and the places with which we are
familiar.
The younger generation Is taught to
reverence the name of Lincoln, but to
them he is more of demi-God than of
the common people of whom he was
one and whom he loved. Let one Of
these so taught go to Springfield and
view his tomb, the house where he
lived. walk through the old capitol
building where he walked, and to come
to real life, talk to the men who knew
him as business neighbor. Then Is
when member Of the younger genera
ton begins to realize that he was a
man among men, as well as savior
of his country.
Let one who knew no more of
Ulysses S. Grant than he does Of
George Washington, simply what he
has read in his United States history
so to Galena and walk over the streets
where he mingled as a son of tanner.
Let him go to that little spot called
Grant park where bronze statute
looks over all. On three sides of this
statue are the names of various bat
ties beginning with Monterey and end
ing with Appamattox On the fourth
side is the Identification Of the statute
1t does not say, ULYSSES S.
Grant, twice president of the United
0CdIcS. IL uOSo uOC Sdy, ISASl al
Ulysses S. Grant, the greatest general
that war ever knew" 1t simply says,
"Our Citizen" After viewing these
things there is certain to come a
change of feeling. feeling Of fellow
ship instead of dedication of an I'M
known.
That is what the association does.
OF course we hold our flag in rever-
ence. We would if it had floated from
the domes of our buildings since 1776
without a drop of blood being shed for
it. But the blood that has been shed
has brought it closer to hearts and
homes, and there is something that
can not be described by words that
stands between that reverence and the
cheers that burst forth whenever 1t is
unfurled That something is imperson-
ated in the "boys" of 81 and the
boys" of '9S.
Former Senator Lee Mantle, who
went back on his party when the sill
yer craze was on, now wants to be re-
turned to his seat in the United States
senate as a successor to Senator Clark.
The issues have changed and as Cato
Sells says, "The Methodist who talks
the Presbyterian language will not last
over night" A man may leave his par
ty but he will find himself at vari-
ance with the doctrinal principles of
its opDOnent