The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-02

preserved to pOSterity this government
Of the people, by the people and for le
people. Memorial day is heros day,
but not all Of earth's heroes have worn
uniforms and carried guns and faced
cannons and earned our admiration and
gratitude on crimson fields made red IN
wars red carnage Peace hath her he
roeS and her victories no less renowned
then war. For it must ever be true
that he that conQuereth himself is
greater than he that taketh q city
True courage does not always lurk in
gun muzzles, or glitter from sabeT
points. The brave fireman who climbs
the treacherous ladder and battles with
smoke and fire in toDmoSt story: me
locomotive engineer with hand on thr0t-
tie standing at his post in face of inn
pending collision; the sea captain un-
moved and unmastered by storm; the
faithful nurse ministering to the dy
ing in times Of pestilence; the patriot
IN state and nation incurring OstracisIn
and obloquy for honest convictions; the
martyr in religion sacrificing his life
for the sake of truth: all these heroes
those who win their laurels mid smoke
and battle.
I'VE have met today to honor the
memory of one Of these heroes in prt-
yate life, whose splendid courage and
noble spirit was a rich possession of
this community, and whose memory Is
a heritage of honor to Topeka. Ed
ward Grafstrom had heroic blood in
carl Grafstrom, a distinguished officer
In the Swedish army, and was for
awhile himself in the Swedish navy,
where another brother still holds an
important official position. He was
born at Motola, Sweden. December 19.
1862 He was finely educated. re-
markable hnguist and possessed rare
knowledge and love of art OF
mathematical trend of mind, he gradu-
ated from a school Of mining and me-
chanlca1 engineering. He was long en-
gagged as master mechanic with the
railroads of this country, chiefly with
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Rail-
way company, and at the time of his
death was chief mechanical engineer
or TINS great company He was large
~ q designer of the heavy style of
locomotives the finest in the world,
now the property of this company. He
was splendid type of a magnificent
people, for no country On the face of
the earth perhaps has adorned the
pages of human history with greater
lustre than the Scandinavian penin-
sula; the peninsula which was really
the cradle of liberty. the real birth
place of constitutional government;
the peninsula where the percentage of
1l1teracy is least and the ownership
OF homes by the common people ex-
ceeds that, it is said of any spot on
earth; the peninsula which is rich in
great names of artists like Thorwald-
SEN OF warriors like Gustavus Adolf
phus, of philosophers like Sweden
borg, of writer's like Tegner Bremen
and Bjornson, and of nightingales like
Jenny Lind and Christine Nelson.
There. are philosophers who con-
tend that character is largely prod
uct of climate and of physical environ
ment- There are. those who believe
that the sturdy character of the Amer
lean Puritan is really contribution
from the barren rocks and bleak
shores and wintry blasts and sterile
fields of the Plymouth land whence
sprung this stalwart people: that the
necessity for struggle of their environ
ment is the secret of their character.
BY the same process of reasoning it
: IS believed by many that the rocks
and SHOWS and severe conditions ac-
count for the splendid character of the
Swedish people Be this as it may, it
is certain that America welcomes ~
higher class of immigrants than that
of which Edward Grafstrom was a
typical representative.
The desire to be remembered is
universal desire, and the fear Of for
getfulness is a universal fear The
pyramids, erected at an immense cost
OF treasure and life, and every tomb
stone in every cemetery alike attests
this universal fact. It is a spark of
the divinity within US all IT is a
reflex of the principle Of immortality.
/ Perhaps the best argument for i'm
mortality Is the universal desire and
demand for it. No normal mind de-
sires extinction, no sane person wishes
to be blotted out of existence and as
science has discovered nowhere in ma
ture demand without supply this
universal demand for immortality,
say. is the best evidence of it. and is
in accord with highest science and
best philosophy. The desire to be re-
membered and the effort to perpetu-
ate memof les are reflex evidences of