The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1906-08-30

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who fought shoulder to shoulder In the
Civ ! War. You have lived forty years In
peace since the ending Of that family
strife. The quarrels Of brother against
brother, with the magic healing Of time,
have slowly melted into a better UNDER
standing Of each others cause In those
eventful years. and tho memory Of that
conflict grows more sacred to you both
and to your descendants - the years 20
by. Today there is no longer any North
or South but one united country, the
pride alike Of Union and Confederate
soldiers, s,-Amerioans all.
Looking upon this band Of patriot
veterans we can only imagine that you
must live In q world of rich memories
upon whose wings you are ever carried
back to Cold Harbor and The Wilderness,
to Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain, to
Vicksburg and Donslson, to Shiloh and
Appomatox, terrible in their havoc and
disaster, yet immeasurably glorious in
their results, vanquished and victor alike
revelling 10 the reality Of their heroism
and alike proud Of their splendid armies.
The bravery and self sacrifice of Union
and Confederate soldiers alike, the loving
service and devotion of the women of both
North and South, the matchless leader
ship upon both sides Of that great con-
hict but proves the metal Of the American
soldier, never before surpassed and chal-
longing all future years for an equal.
'The best of us'', as we are wont to
call the soldier dead who died on the
field of battle, have slept in dreamless
sleep for nearly half century, the while
our nation has grown to glorious pro.
portions Of citizenship beyond the fairest
imagination Of these dark days. II only
they could come back to us today and
look upon the fruits Of their labor, the
harvest Of their sowing, what would they
not exclaim Ia pride and exultation at the
value and effect of their own costly sacri
acel They will come back to us again
no more forever They are gone, Heaven
bless their memory today! The nation
breathes new freedom for their unselflsh
devotion. Pity they cannot behold the
great result OF their early death! And
yet this 10 the usual, II not invariable,
way In the province Of the soldier. or
them 1t may be said, as Of the children
Of Israel dying on the verge Of the
promised land, "They died, not having
received the promises but having seen
them and greeted them from afar BY
faith"
The function of war often appear In its
immediate momentary aspect inhuman
and barbaric. Charles Sumner once pro-
claimed 1t so, saying: "In our age there
can be no peace that Is not honorable;
there can be no war that is not dishonor.
able" But Sumner was shortsighted In
bis philosophy Of the progress Of CIV iliza-
ton. War In its be airing on the long run
history Of nations is often necessary and
salutary. Time will always tell, as time
has told in the century Of Americas
history.
The American Revolution gave us a
new nation-Our Country, land handed
down to us the heritage Of American
liberty free thought, free speech, free
dom of the press. The Fourth OF July
will remain the undying commemorative
of the glory Of that great
Independence Day. The
" ar Of 1872 settled once and for all any
doubt lingering in European councils
about the national honor of the United
States and taught Great Britain In final
form that the independence and majesty
of the American colonies were hence
forward beyond the reach Of harm or
gainsay. The Civil War settled forever
the indissoluble character of the Ameri-
can Union, sealing the immortal principle
Of federal sovereignty In the blood of
million of lite willing citizens slain and
guaranteed to every person, without re-
gard to race, color, or previous condition
o. servitude. equality ofrIghts before the
law. We are one today, united count
ry, inseparable and majestic. The
Spanish American War taught the ma
tions of the earth that war may be
struggle prompted by national unselfish-
ness and self sacrifice. To Old World
powers went forth by this conflict the
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