Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-10
Commander-in-Chief Tanner Is
sues General Order Regard
ing Memorial Day
UNION OF BLUE AND THE GRAY
Order Refers in Patriotic Words to the
New Baptism of the Flag by Blood of
the North and South Alile-Veter-
an. Admonished to Keep Memorial
Day Sacred.

Washington, April 10.--Commander
In Chief Tanner of the Grand Army OIL
the Republic has issued his annual adj
dress to all G.. A. r. posts regarding
the exercises to be conducted on May
30, Memorial day, to commemorate the
memory of the federal soldier dead.
In general order No on this sub
ject he says:
On the eve of my departure to the
southern, western and Pacific coast de-
partments, am reminded of the early
approach of the day sacred to all COM
rsldes of the Grand Army of the Re-
public.
We have been observing this day ev
on since our beloved Logan instituted
II In 1868. This year.. my comrades,
we are crossing the broad river at the
rate of 5000 a month, $4,000 year;
soon the great majority will be sleep
ing their last sleep, and it is our priv
ilege now, as it has been for SO many
years, to pay loving tributes to their
memory by decorating their graves
with flowers, which, starting forth
from mother earth with each recurring
Springtime are emblematic of resur-
rection to a glorious Immortality.
am performing my solemn duty
when ask all to assist in this loving
service. Upon department and post
commanders the duty rests of attend
ing to the fitting observance of Memoir
ial day, which this year will fall on
Wednesday, May 80. Welcome all
auxiliary and all organizations. en-
couraging school children to attend and
assist, and secure speakers who in
clear and eloquent language will teach
The lessons of patriotism for which our
comrades gave their last full measure
of devotion
Thirty years ago when 1 was de-
partment commander of New York, in
q Memorial day order I then issued. /
suggested to the comrades of New
York that wherever-from Montauk
Point to Buffalo-any confederate SOL
dier had found sepulchre upon us I
trusted that when we went out to
laurel the graves OF our union dead
that our common American manhood
would prevent us passing by the
graves of our former opponents with
out dropping thereon some floral re-
membrance Not" I said, '.in honor
of their cause, for that we opposed,
fought and conquered, but because we
who met them on the field of battle,
know that Drawer men or better SOL
diers have not been known since men
were first marsha1ed in battle array"
"a We were then scarce a dozen years
away from Appomattox, but the sug-
gestion seemed to meet with very gem
eral approval. To the order at large,
now confidently make the same sug-
gestion.
N March Along United.
We have returned the battle stand
ards of the dead confederacy to those
who treasure them as sacred memen-
{ tos of the loved ones who died under
4 them. The congress of the United
States has just unanimously voted
100000 to care for the graves Of those
dead and the heart of the nation has
said with great unanimity: ut is WELL
Unitedly we march along the highway
of nations, rose bushes poisoning
over and around. and the birds nest
ing in the mouths of the cannon that
once roared defiance and death at each
other, the world applauding, our con-
science approving.
If mothers of the south still sit,
like Rachel of old weeping for her
children and refusing to be comfort
ed because they are not, let the news
go down to them that on our most
sacred day we feel it privilege to
stand in the place of their far-distant
kinsmen and lovingly mark their last
resting place with Gods sweetest en-
blem of peace-fowers
The old flag has been rebaptized
since 1865 with the blood of the north
and the south alike and the ship of
state is securely anchored for all time.
The order closes with quotation
Of Lincoln's address at Gettysburg
which it is directed shall be read at
all Memorial day exercises.