Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-05-31
hard for one country and one flag.

"Breathes there a man with soul
so dead.
Who ne'er TO himself has said.
This is my own, my native land?
Whose heart hath ne'er within him
burned,
AS home his footsteps he hath
| turned
From wandering foreign strand?
If such there be, go, mark him
well,
For him no minstrel raptures swell:
High through his title. proud his
name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can
claim,
Despite those titles. power and
self,
Living. shall forfeit fair renown,
And doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust from whence he
sprung,
Unwept, unhonored and unsung."
And what is patriotism? 1t is
sometimes defined as love for ones
country. 1t does not depend upon
the extent of its valleys, the length of
its rivers, or the height of its noun
tainS. The Beers loved his country as
much as does the Briton. We admired
the patriotism Of the Beers. I believe
it was CrOnje, one of the leaders of
the Beers, who said: my wife first,
my home next, and then my country"
When [ first heard this sentiment.
thought it treason, but the more |
think of il the more | like it. The
man who zealously promotes the
happiness of his family. and home, and
Vigilantly protects them has the i'm
pulses of hero, During the last war
| know of men who left their wives
and children to enter the army. and
his friends took good care of his family.
This is false patriotism, 1t is love
for adventure, and Sinking of the
great trust Of father and husband.
True patriotism is not Spasmodic.
The man who feels patriotic today
and on the Fourth of July is an emo
tional creature who abSorbS the feel
ing by cOntagiOn. There is such a
thing as Civic Patriotism. You find
it in the man who upholds good
government, who supports worthy
institutions, and is always ready to
advance the interests of his COM
munity. When the mayor, the
alderman, the health officer, the
policeman, and other public officers do
their duty faithfully and fearlessly
they possess this civic patriotism. In
other words, they realize that "a
public office is public trust"
=
thank God that the dove Of peace
again hOvers about the American
| flag. War is the highest art in
savagery; peace in ideal civilization
History shows that as man has become
more civilized he gradually abandoned
the arts of Savagery to practice those
of peace. The progress of peace in
the past tends to show that at some
future time man will war no more.
Many years will undoubtedly elapse
| before this contamination, and
although universal peace may be
! delayed: ultimately it will prevail.
| The tendency of the age is towards
consolidation. Christianity labors
increasingly to promote the Brother
hood of Man. All the forces of Civil
iZatiOn toll for the elevation of the
human race. Kant, hundred years
ago, published his essay on perpetual
Peace. What was there considered
sibiljty. General Grant expressed his
belief in an epoch ''when Court re
cognized by all nations will settle all
international differences. Tennyson
sings of the time:
"When the war drumb throbbed
no longer,
And The battle flags were furled
In the Parliament of Man,
The Federation of the World"
You, members OF the Grand Army
of the Republic, have contributed
your share to promote the Worlds
peace. And now in conclusion, believe
US when we say that we are glad to
honor you on this day. Often have
thought what a precious privilege it
is to be member Of your organization.
Neither influence nor wealth. nor
social or political rank, can procure
membership. The time for applica-
tion was in the days of "61'', and
initiation meant all the hardShips of
war; it meant long and weary marches:
few and Scant meals; the horrors of the
prison-pen, The sufferings in the
hospital, and to some of the comrades
death itself on the battlefield. AS
look oyer your ranks / see you are get
ting older; your hair is somewhat
streaked with gray; and you are some
what infirm. Time is making a heavy
draft on you and is slowly calling you
one by one to the Great Army Beyond !
Many of your comrades were found
dead on the field of battle. Lincoln died |
when the war ended; Grant, Sheridan.
Logan, Sherman. and Mckinley have
crossed the bar. Gen. Joe Wheeler
d hero of the confederacy and a re-
united union,-died a year ago. 1t
will not be long when only one hero
will constitute the Grand Army Of the
Republic, and when he dies this band
Of heroes will cease to exist. May GOD
give you many more years on earth
and may you spend them in peace and,
happiness. And when the final
summons comes you can die happy in
the thought that your deeds will live |
with us forever. In story and in |
song we shall tell Of your courage and |