Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-07-09

Day as Jest; to smile pityingly upon
those who display any enthusiasm
upon the subject Of patriotism, and to
remark with an expression OF coun.
I tenance which is almost sneer, that
the Declaration Of Independence is
nothing more than a mass Of senti-
mental rot, having no appreciable
Influence upon the life and environ
ment OF the present day citizen. This
sort Of talk, in its turn, leads another
group OF good men to assume long
faces, and, with sad and downcast
countenance and with many solemn
wagging Of the head, to proclaim the
rapid decadence Of the spirit of
National loyalty and the disap-
pearance of individual patriotism.
Then, again, the busy, hurrying
multitudes, harassed with the driving
cares OF life and having no time or
inclination for abstract thought in
their own behalf, hear and read these
conclusions and heedlessly accept
them as true. Hence it is that few
listen patiently to the reading of the
great declaration of our forefathers; !;
few find the old-time thrill in the cele
bration of this greatest of our Nation s
holidays
And yet, my friends, it is not true
that the spirit of patriotism is dying
out in this country; it is not true that
our people are any less liberty loving,
any less proud of this splendid Nation
of ours, than at any prior time in our
history. And for the sake Of reminder,
and to convince ourselves that we,
individually, are not losing our appre-
citation for the land of our birth, and
to satisfy our doubling souls that we
still love the land of our birth, it is
well, and very fitting, that at least
once year, we should assemble, as
we have done today, to recall the
history Of our Nation; observe its
small beginnings, and glory in its
present splendor.
1 have all too little patience with the
pessimistic spirit which is perpetually
shouting the false doctrine that the
country is going to the 'demnition
bow-wows" that ''graft" is rampant,
and that the commercial spirit is
blighting our prospects for a happy
future.
What does it matter to you and me,
dear friends, if it be true that there
are men whose personal ambitions
cause them to forget the public veal?
What does it matter, If there be men
whose avarice and greed cause them
to forget the duty they owe as citizens,
and prompt them to robbery
of the public treasury? What does it
matter ii there be men whose instincts
are altogether selfish and bad? Was
there ever time in the history Of the
world when nations or municipalities
were free from such as these?
Nay, friends; when the Saviour OF
mankind walked the earth, teaching
purity, honesty, and devotion to right
living, did he not have, among his
chosen twelve, Judas, who coveted
the opportunity to rob the treasury OF
his fellows of the price Of a box OF
precious ointment which was broken
to anoint the body of his GodP When
the little band of colonies along the
Atlantic Coast we're struggling for
independence when their soldiers
were leaving the bloody imprint OF
their bare feet in the snow at Valley
Forge, were there not among them
those who, like Benedict Arnold, were
ready and eager to sell and betray
their cause for gold and power?
Again, when the sad-faced, weary,
tender-hearted Lincoln was giving his
great life to the work Of saving this
glorious galaxy of states, as united
Nation, did not ambition and greed
and graft do everything in their
mighty power to thwart his splendid
purposeP
And vet, once more, when the boys
-
from our own flresides were fighting
he battles of the oppressed at San
Tuan and Luzon, did we not learn that
.bey were forced to eat loathsome and
rotten food to give them strength to
lace the cruel foe?
But still, dear friends, under all these
circumstances there were deeds ofvalor
performed; there we're battles won, on
,ea and land, and in every instance
he hand of God was outstretched' ana
he cause of right and justice pre-
rallied. Ii
7 once had the good fortune to De
permitted to stand within the sacred
confines Of one Of the great Na'lon0'
cemeteries. where, in serried rows
.Ieep the brave who gave up their
ives 10 battle, at the call Of Lincoln.
Z was Memorial Day. With brim-
ming eyes, I watched the long PrOces.
ion file through the narrow gates Of
.C-5,. Aora . where the military
,ands sobbed out upon the balmy ar
be wailing tones OF the "Miserere.
7ebind the gorgeously uniformed
,onds there marched the gray-haired
,eterans who were come to decorate
be last resting place Of their departed
comrades. They were all old ana