The Elbert County tribune., 1906-05-24

For 40 years In this broad land, upon
each Both day of May, men and women
have gone forth with their burdens of
blossoms and the graves of the soldiers
who died that they and their children
might live have bourgeoned anew with
every gorgeous flower that blows and
every shy blossom that lifts its face to
the sun.
Not so with the soldier-sailor dead
lost forever upon the oceans boundless
waste.
They tarried long in unquiet graves
ere memorial was made for them
ere single flower dimpled the CLASSY
surface above to say: Here lies a
hero"
But they were not to wait forever.
There came to "A California woman the
thought of strewing flowers upon the
waters OF the mighty deeps in honor of
the men who will rest there until the
day when the sea gives up It's dead.
Thus was born beautiful custom
which in five years has spread north TO
Lake Erie. east to Philadelphia. south
to Havana and New Orleans, and from
the Golden Gate of San Francisco to the
Delaware river the naval dead receive
In flowers need of remembrance
upon each recurring Memorial day.
A National Custom.
The custom thus established is rap
Idly becoming a national one. 1t has
been cordially indorsed by Dewey,
Sampson, Schley and Long. by naval
captains and officials by the score and
has been incorporated into the national
naval memorial ceremony by the Navy
Veterans association.
Its originator. Mrs. Armitage s. C.
Forbes, of Los Angeles, was made an
honorary member of the National
Association. Ladies of Naval Veterans,
and of various women's relief corps and
organizations throughout the United
States, besides receiving official com
mendation from the Grand Army of the
Republic and the navy department at
Washington.
With her patriotism Is passion and
1t is through her untiring efforts that
the custom has received such wide
spread recognition. though the ex-
quisite sentiment which 1t expresses
has found a ready response in every
bosom.
Mrs. Forbes Inspiration.
Just five years ago this earnest lit
tie woman was seeking some new
thought for the coming memorial
snatch of song was running through
her head
Cast your bread upon the waters"
why not cast flowers upon the wa
ters for the men lost at sea-" she cried
1t was an inspiration and had come
to a woman who had the energy to
make 1t great.
Her plans were formulated that very
day and with the hearty Endorsement
of the state superintendent of public
instruction she sent out circular let
ter TO the heads of schools in all the
coast towns of the country proposing
that such a floral memorial be observed
by the school children OF California in
honor of the heroes who fought the last
battle for the flag upon the sea, and
the result was the first glorious observ-
anco along the Pacific coast May 30
1900.
Thousands of children marched to
the waters edge and with reverent
hands scattered the wealth OF Calsfor-
MIA flowers upon the tapping waves.
lifting their young voices in songs of
patriotism and remembrance. Naval
veterans and naval oierves assisted.
and from San Francisco to Santa
Monica and to the blue crescent of
Catalina. there were flowers, flowers,
and everywhere flowers. wreathing the
waves and floating out upon the tides
in memory of the soldier-sailor dead
that lie in quiet rest beneath the ocean
from the far cold waters of the north
to the coral reefs of the sun-kissed
south.
The story of this first celebration was
heralded afar; Mrs. Forbes wrote to the
naval officials telling them of the Cali
fornia observance. The replies which
size received were most gratifying.
In Various Cities.
Detroit welcomed the poetic observ-
ance the same year and from Belle isle
bridge the flowers were dropped upon
the emerald surface of the Detroit river