Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1907-08-01

the war, it should most certainly
stand here in Madison, close to the
capitol; but it is to be a Vicksburg
monument, so would be out of place
in Wisconsin. 1t is not to be put at
vicksburg because the soldiers who
fought there were Drawer than others
from our state; but because our gov
eminent has established there great
nationa. military park; and, since our
state had seventeen organizations of
troops connected with the siege,
Wisconsin should be represented
there by monument that will COM
pare favorably with those of other
states. Our near neighbors, Illinois,
Iowa and Minnesota, have already
erected elegant monuments, that
of Illinois costing $250,000; while
that Of Illinois costing $250,O00; while
those of Iowa and Minnesota have
taken larger appropriations than that
just made by Wisconsin.
Oh no, this monument ought not to
be put at vicksburg only because our
neighbors have set the pace for us
just as folks follow fashions; but if
1--WE do put one there it should speak
well for the patriotic spirit of our
Estate. 1t should not be one that
will tell in time to come-after
money has ceased to mean anything
to us-that, while the great state of
Wisconsin felt that she must, of
course, do something in honor of her
heroic sons, she undertook to get out
of it with as little cost as possible.
We need not yet worry about not
having a Wisconsin soldiers monu-
ment here in Madison, for not many
years hence bill will be introduced
in our legislature to erect here along
side the new capitol fitting memo
rial to the memory of all that was
done by Wisconsin soldiers to save
our union and make it possible for
our country to be what it is today.
The bill will pass and the memorial
will be erected. Every truly patriotic
citizen will be glad to see 1t done. It
may be that few, If any, of the vet
Grams of the civil war will then be
here to look upon the beautiful token
of our states appreciation and graft
tude. Though it would do their old
eyes good to see it, that does not,
after all, matter SO vary much. am
not SO sure but that every one of them
will see it, anyhow.
Every memorial of a good deed, of
heroic service, must serve a triple
purpose. In the first place it honors
the memory of him who did the deed
or played the part of hero. And
then the people who in any way truly
honor their benefactors, those who
have rendered them signal service,
are themselves blessed in a fitting ex-
preston of appreciation and graft
tude. Such an expression coming
from the hearts of man or a nation
enlarges and enriches the soul. But
the best purpose such memorial can
serve is the silent. almost uncon-
scious, education of every man, wo-
man or child who shall in the years,
the centuries, to come stand before
it and gaze upon it and think of all
it means; yes. the influence for good
4 it will have upon even him who gives
it only a glance and passing thought
as he hurries on to his office, shop or
school.
Comrade Martin has told me that
when he attended the national G. A.
R. encampment in Boston he was
struck with the fact that wherever he
might turn he came upon some me-
morial-monument or tablet-remind-
ing him of some good deed, important
event or worthy man. that had some
part in making Boston and New Eng.
land what they have been In the de-
velopment of our country and its free
institutions. As he wandered about
the state house he found in the corri-
doris, rotunda and inches in the wall
reminders of the most cherished ira
ditions Of this free land of ours. Boys
and girls who grow up under the
spell Of those memorials and those
traditions must become both intense
" and intelligently patriotic.
We here in Wisconsin have not
get come fully to realize the infiu-
ence. the educational value. OF such
memorials; yet we are on the way.
BY and by we shall feel 1t well worth
while to erect here and there beau
tiful and costly monument in honor Of
exalted patriotism and heroic self
sacrifice; and we shall put tablets
where the best of things had their
beginnings. lest we forget And we
shall all be the better for IT, There
are some things better than houses
and lands and bagful Of gold.