The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-06-01

cIHOOu VI lIldU WHICH, lObc ldilS, VI Dc-
comes blind, violence is sure to follow
When the righteous try to Justify the
parted from them. The graves of the
American soldier all lay on dividing
line between an old and new era. The
line which so long divided the north
and the south, the white man and the
black That made the flowers on one
bank of the Ohio river grow for free
men and on the other bank grow for
men in bondage. That line was drawn
by the weakness and folly of men, hence
it had to be washed away by the tears,
and the blood of men. While in Savan-
nah few years ago the quaint old
city had many places of interest to me,
but the place that most stirred my
inmOst soul, was the old slave market
which still remains as in antebellum
days. Through that arched gateway
the slave was driven, on that block he
highest bidder. In that very slave pen
stood the wife and children of the I'M
fortunate man. Tears and prayers were
of no avail. o the anguish and the
heart ache of those days. | asked my
self can it be possible that these things
are true? Is this not all the magma
ton of tired brain? But alas, it is
all too true. Let us thank God that
such scenes can never come again.
Whatever may be the solution of the
race problem, the slave problem has
been settled for all time. Other evils
confront us, but this one at least is
settled. Let us hope that the wave of
civic righteousness that has taken hold
of so many of our great cities may be-
come general and that the fearless atti-
tude of our great president toward all such
movements may inspire others of less
heroic mould to take up the cause of
humanity. May the example of some of
our larger cities in their management
of the liquor traffic, and the gambling
vice, be followed by others, until we find
everywhere men in office who have re-
spect for law, and who will see to it
that law is enforced, regardless of friend
or foe One of our greatest dangers
today is disregard for law, by the
people, which is caused largely by the
failure of men in position to do their
sworn duty. In our own state the laws
governing the sale of liquor, and the
laws governing the gambling vice are
among the very best to be found in this
country. What. we need more than any
thing else is men in office who are will
ing to do their duty, and put the exist
inc laws into effect This will be done
when we as citizens are willing to sac
rifce our private interests and opinions
for the public good. A song will not sing
itself, a statue will not hew itself out
of the cold marble, no more will a law
enforce itself or a pew age come out of
the places where the soldiers fell Every
forward movement must originate in
hearts that beat warm with love for
the pure and the good. Gettysburg Ante
tum, and the Wilderness are still
enough now. The first style of army
has become silent, but there is strug
II f.,r Re nc
A struggle between right and wrong,
that reproduces these scenes i'll the spir-
itual realm We should all be volunteers
in this army, the weapons of whose war
fare are mighty to the pulling down of
strong holds. \ better day is coming but
it will come at mans bidding, and be-
cause of mans effort. New leaders must
come to array the forces. The soldiers
of art The soldiers of a new and pure
literature The heroes of high and noble
politics. Knights of the new chivalry.
The true volunteers of Nazareth. But
in all of this we must not forget that
we have with us still veterans who
stood with Mcclellan at Malvern hill, who
were withPrentiss atShilo,who were with
Grant at Vicksburg, who climbed with
Hooker Lookout Mountain and fought
above the clouds, who rode at Winches
ter with Sheridan, and who passed
through the fires of the wilderness, who
with Meade and Hancock withstood the
hosts of Lee on the bloody field of
Gettysburg, and hurled them back de-
feated and dismayed who with Grant at
Appomattox extended the right hand of fel
lowship to erring brothers, and welcomed
the dove of peace. Nor should we for
oct the patriotic women who in the hour
of their country's need played part no
less brave, no less heroic. who babe
farewell to fathers, husbands, sons or
brothers, that they might uphold their
|country's honor. Some of them travers.
ing the fields of death, giving succor
to the wounded or in the hospital sooth.
ed the feverish brow of the dying boy,
rescuing many such from an early grave.
Others performing the no less heroic,
task of keeping the hame through all