The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-06-01
glcrlous stars ana strIpea.


glorious stars and stripes.
Soon after the Civil war. one fair
Sunday In the month of May the peo-
pie gathered together and with music,
flowers and song and prayer dedicated
the decoration of graves OF those who
had fallen i'm the strife. That act In
itself brought out the greatest feeling
throughout the United states. 1t was
the symbol that the perils of war were
over and there was ushered In a reign
of peace and year by year that simple
service has by deep conservation ce-
mented the union of this great nation.
Naturally. directly after the great
war, it was the personal element that
made Memorial Day so attractive.
Many were the graves that were dec
GRATED; many the friends that gathered
around to decorate the graves, and
naturally as the years have gone by
that personal element has somewhat
disappeared and today we commence
rate the ideals of the American So
der. We see the ranks of the veter-
ans grow thinner year by year. Theirs
is an army to which there can be no
recruits. The artillery of time Is max
ing terrific ravages in their ranks, but
while they live Memorial Day will live
and flourish. And when they have all
passed away Memorial Day will still
live in the Sons of Veterans and when
they have passed away the glorious
ideals will live in their children.
Today all through the broad land,
East and West and North and South
and even in these islands of the sea
we see people gathered together to do
honor to the day. Let no man make
you believe that this day will die. 1t
is not So This day represents freedom
1t is as old as the world. 1t has found
its greatest response among the Ameri-
can people. We cherish its principles
and pass them on to our children. This
same prin ,iple was evidenced in those
who fought at Lexington and hung on
the retreat from Concord, and faced
death at Bunker Hill and experienced
the horrors of famine at Valley Forge.
This principle is imbedded in the hearts
of the English people from Runny-
mede to Gettysburg and to the terri
BILE charge up san Juan hill. This
principle of liberty is what we celebrate
today.
We have two national holidays, the
Fourth of July which ushered in the
| birth of the nation and Memorial Day
the preservation of that nation.
The war teaches us of couage in the
standing up for principle of standing
by the truth and sincere self-sacrifice.
You veterans of the war, you know
| what
| by it crystallizes i'm your memory.
What then is the lesson for us, not in
words only, but in deeds. Let us train
our children also in the way you have
trained your children. | shall ever re-
member the lessons / gathered at my
fathers knee. as he told me of the war
of 81. Never can l forget those stir
ring campaigns of three years. They
have become a part of my life an in
spiration to me and will ever remain
with me and will be transmitted to my
| children and to their children and on
down through time so long as this ma
ton shall have before 1t this day Of
memory. Show the children the graves
of the soldiers: let them understand the
meaning of such names as Washing
| ton, Lincoln, Grant and Lee.
This Memorial Day shall never pass
from our, understanding. Never let us
hear that this day is liable to die be-
cause of lack of sympathy. People
| come in increasing numbers to these
| services all over the land. AS the ranks
of the veterans gov thinner the prin-
/ ciple grows larger and goes more and
more to the heart of the American peo-
ple Let us ask the Almighty Giyer to
help us to be worthy of the heritage
we have received and pass this day
on to our children that they in turn
may pass it on to the coming genera
lions. God save the American nation.
After the firing of three volleys
across the graves of the veterans by
Capt. Johnson's guardsmen, the people
dispersed.