The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-08-30

Of your convention to spare you from
the waters communicating germs,
which would expose you to many evils.
prolonged cheers.)
But seriously, men, it is only natur-
al that these gatherings become in
themselves a great educational factor.
They bring together diversified inter
ests. The business session, the ex-
hange of thought and view, together
with the papers on the manifold pro-
positions relative to fire service, are
potent powers in reviying individual
interest and in lettering the condi-
lions of one of the most importont
village and city enterprise fl e
department
In discussion and in resolution, in
parade and in contest, old impressions
are modified, new impressions are
formed, and all become more famil
ial with the different phases of the
boundless sustaining interests and
resources Of our towns and cities.
we wanIt our fire departments to
be one Of the most potent agencies for
reliable service in our municipality, if
we expect them to protect our bust
ness interests, if we are to count on
active recognition Of public duty and
intelligent service, then we must ac-
cord the firemen and their volunteer
ed devoirs a high place in our city and
village councils.
To enlist their services, clothe
them in uniform, deck them with
brass buttons, and then send them
| to serve the commonwealth, to save
! life and property with poor equip
ment, worn out leaky hose, inadequate
water supply and then bark over their
inefficiency, is neither just, business
like nor patriotic.
Unless the department is we'll eqiup-
ped or armed with weapons that are
fully equal to cope with the terrible
demon fire, then the firemen are as
helpless as a cat in hell without
claws.
No one I am sure will think it a
miss for me to say, that the firemen
element of courage that goes
hand in hand with the fighting stuff
in them, the firemen who stand at
their posts of duty with energy, with
determination, have, 7 hold distinct
power above the power Of other men.
1t is needless for me to say, from the
splendid front the delegates present
before me this morning, that the
ranks of the Montana State Firemens'
association are full Of just such men.
From age to age, the tongue of Or
ator, the pen Of writer, and the brush
Of painter have enshrined the exam
pies of volunteered service and noble
sacrifice in the pantheon of the peo-
pies gratitude. How can we then
neglect to chronicle the f;remen' pow
Ell or praise his master-hand?
Volunteer t1renen Boys, I like
the word volunteer. 1t echoes around
the world with it's thousands persau-
sions, commands, promises and i'm
pulses.
In that uniform as volunteer,
care not Whoyou are, what you are,
or how you live, you stand before the
people of commonwealth, entitled
to their honor, respect and conf
dence
That uniform Is your credea.ial
not simply of what you are, but of
the cause you represent"
At this point Mr.. Christler drew a
series of lessons on civic pride and
the many qualities that keep city
and it's citizens in touch with the busy
wide awake world, closing with a plea
for the cultivation of the agencies
that are the prime tonic of daily
living and summing up with there
words:
so then men, let these convention
days and scenes be not only days of