The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-31
Save US The DAY.
Plea for Better Observance Of
Memorial Occasion.
George H. Nays Delivers an
Eloquent Address.
LARGE CROWD PRESENT
Judge Huron Speaks on Behalf
of Old Soldiers.
Line of March Shows the Dimin-
ishing Ranks.

In all OF the services commence
rative of Memorial day on wednesday,
there was but one reference to the re-
cent controversy concerning its observ-
ance 1t came in short address b
Professor George II. Mays, principal Of
Sumner school. at the programme at
the Auditorium in the afternoon. Mr..
Mays vigorously hayed the various
sorts Of Sunday and holiday amuse-
ments. He touched upon the full
gamut from Sunday baseball, to cheap
theaters. and depicted the obstacle
which itsis forming IN the way Of the
educator.
The public conscience is being
fddled and feiry-danced into a coma
tose state" said Mr.. Mays. and he was
cheered to the echo by the $500 peO
pie who attended the Auditorium pro-
gramme.
Mr.. Mays speech was as follows:
From a worthier tongue than mins
you have heard In eloquent and fitting
phrase the why and the wherefore or
the beautiful custom which has pre-
vailed in this country so many years
that the mind Of sthis man. at least,
'runneth not to the contrary. It seems
10 me as If it had always been so. With
my sOldier-father's hand to guide my
steps / stood as a child in that ole
and strewed flowers at his command.
The passing years have unfolded the
reason for it all, but long. long age
has the command ceased to be neces~
Eary; and l believe, as much as I be-
NeVe in life and IT'S possibilities, THAI
the seed thus and then sown have
sOftened my life and smoothed many
Of its rugged sleeps.
But believing that the day and the
dead have received full justice at thu
to the hour and to the living. Lincoln
the immortal one, have given me a
text in the great conservation speech
so tenderly read in your presence-'It
Is for us, the living. to be dedicated
And In the light of the discussion
which has been going on for some time
in this city the truth contained in thae
whole sentence is of paramount inn
portance-'It is for US the livine
rather to be dedicated here to the I'M
finished work which they who fougfrS
here have thus far so nObly advanced
Unfinished work. Then it was thu
great civil war. trailing its sinuous and
destructive length through the vast
Virginia wildernesses, to be thrOttled
by you at AppOmattox But what
now2 Is there yet work unf1nishedS
All. yes. my friends. there is yet work
TO do. Look sharp Fours into line.
Close order. Guide right Guide right
that is the command for you today.
anu / MaHL you TO lose ElE0I or liz
military significance for the moment
and think of 1t in that larger sense
Guide right-in the moral uplift in
progress in this city today. Guide right
when men shall surge against your
lines and demand a lower standard Of
morality Guide right-untn the day
which had its inception in an angel
visit, shall be allowed to return to its
early Holy day character
oh. how it does make my heart ache
Of r1141 Al ~
on this question in these latter days!
1t is not so, it cannot be that the
American people are becoming so Ro-
manized that they viii sacrifice to the
MOloch of amusement the only holidays
that stand for righteousness, for graft
Iude to God, or material blessings-for
gratitude to Him for the gift of His
dear son-for gratitude to the dead,
ay- the living heroes OF 81 who saved
the nation But I say to you as a
member Of the educational force of
this city. that unless the tide is
Etemmed. Thanksgiving day and Me-
mortal day and Christmas day, and
must I say It, our cherished Sunday
as known in the early years of the
republic, will be things of the past.
With Sunday ball. both professional
and amateur, in full swing all day in
this city, with continuous DerfOrnna noes
running in cheap theaters during the
same day, and throughout the week. it
Is q monumental task you have set for
the teacher in the proper education of
the young. For. hear mel There Is
nothing in this wide world that viii
blast the nerve force of the brain and
destroy that power OF cOncentra ton so
necessary to successful study. quicker
than the trash peddled about bv the
cheap show houses of this city j know
it. and you know it. and every school
man and schOolma' am has had expert
ence with it,
But what has all this to do with
Memorial day2 This: The public con-
science is being fddled and fairv-
danced into such a coTnatose state. that
It takes an earthquake. an unheaval
TO rouse it on any moral question And
in this fight for decency that you men
have been making in Topeka YOU are
sneered at and rnaligned by raft of
graduates from these same institutions
Ito whom nothing is sacred. to whom
nothing is worth while, unless gilded
with foppery and foolishness
The events of the day NAV have
been such as to make YOU think your
work is done. But I beg you not to
stack arms, even, until you have secur-
ed the signature of the mayor to a
hard-and-fast ordinance prohibiting.
forever, the dissertation of Memorial
day in our fair city congratl te
TOu on the splendid fight you have put
up. and am certain that in all such
matters you have at your backs a very
large law and order element.
And so beg Of you to guide right
end march on. You are old now. me
1rosts Of many winters have wEitened
the long marches have wearied. You
have lost the double-quick movement
Of your youth. But thank God. vou
can stand And like the rock al
ChickamauSe. all that bloody Septem-
Der day standing standing grandly
against the successive waves
Of treason that surged in mad FURY
against him. You can make your stand
FOR God. and home. and decency."
Judge HuFon's Address.
General J. K. Hudson was master O.
ceremonies at the Auditorium meeting
The Modocs furnished several songs
Rev. J. K. Miller delivered the invoca
ton Rev Charles A. Finch delivered
Lineoln's Gettysburg address.
Captain George A. Huron was TIT
speaker of the day. He made q splen