Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-30
Memorial Day.

fuse the holiday spirit into the day. but
with the great masses of our people,
old and young. as with the veterans
themselves, Memorial day stands 1or
sacred and patriotic things. Moie
than 40 years have passed since Ap-
pomattox and the grand re'ie" -
Washington, more than 4O years ei'i'e
the martyrdom OF the immortal Lincoln
and the beginning of the work OF re-
uniting the sundered ana pieeoi'is
Union. but in spite of all the changes
of the Passing years. in spite Oh grown
and prosress. in spite of new and vast
nrob,ems that demand attention, the
nation remembers and is grateful. ms
dav in the midst Of all the beautiful
enrinetime's promise. it sets apart as
,oIv d,v dedicated to the memory of
those who died for the flag and to the
perpetuation of the principles for
which they fought. The nation
nauses in it's work, and in every city
,nd village of the land and in a thou
sand quiet cemeteries among the
country hills, the little flags and the
flowers are placed where the soldiers
Sleep the simple rites are performed,
and all the people join in the tribute
of love and honor. Thus may it be
through all the coming years.
To no state does Memorial day mean
more than to our own State of Maine.
How much there is. when we read the
glorious story of Names part in that
great struggle of over 40 years ago. to
thrill us with pride and to stir ouc
PATRIOTS emotions. 1t is matter of
official record to be handed down from
generation to generation as something
forever to be proud of. that this State
i'm proportion to its population sent
more Of its sons to the front in defense
of the Union than any other state in
the whole broad land. More than TO-
600 Maine men enlisted under the old
flag; 10000 Maine men. great army in
themselves, the best blood and brain
ard Drawn of our State. Think what
it would mean today to have one man
out Of every two or three in this city
and county and through the whole
State, march away to war.
Names contribution was more than
30 full regiments of infantry. two regl-
ments of cavalry. a double regiment of
heavy artillery. several batteries and
hundreds of men who went into the
navy. and when the regiments. after
long and hard service were decimated
by battle and disease, they were re-
| cruited again and again. One of our
regiments. the First Maine cavalry,
was in more engagements than any
other regiment that went to the war
Another one Of our regiments, the First
| Maine Heavy artillery, had d greater
total of losses in battle than any other
regiment from all the North. There
were other Maine regiments. too many
to be specified here, whose noble
records the State will forever cherish as
one of it's dearest possessions. And in
all the deathless galaxy of Union
leaders the names of Howard and
Berry and Chamberlain and Conner
and Jamison and others will shine for
ever bright. Better than all this is the
proud record that no Maine regiment
ever lost its colors in dshonOr or
brought back it's flag with other stain
upon it than that from the life blood of
its defenders. No state-we say it not
in any spirit of boasting. but as d sim
pie, honest fact of history which has
abundant evidence to support it-no
state in all the Union had a more
glorious war record than our own be-
loved State Of Maine. In war. as in
peace, it was worthy its proud motto
of leadership.
On this day of all days it is well to
dwell a little on these things. Such
reflections lead us to look with more
honor upon the grizzlcd veterans who
| UldTCH lOudy Will anu
slower steps than year ago. They
thrill us with a greater pride and a
deeper reverence as we remove our
hats when the flag goes by. The
veterans have done their work. The
past is secure. The Union is reunited
and indivisible. In carrying out today
and through the years to come the ex-
ercises of Memorial day, let us of tine
younger generation pledge ourselves
anew to faithful performance of the
work before us as citizens of this great
land of freedom, to be sons worthy OF
the sires and to preserve in peace the
fruits of the victory won in those
weary, bloody years of warfare.
A recent consular report presents a
little table which gives a more strik-
ing idea of the immense industrial