Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-05-31

alive only by dint of the efforts of the
ruling classes who are conscious that
on it tests not only their authority but
also their EXISTENCE We should
still have a vital interest in keeping it
alive, because forsooth and most hap
PLY, We are ourselves the ruling and
the only ruling classes in this blessed
land of freedom. 1t is ourselves in
who We strive to keep alive the fire of
patriotism, it is our own blood which
we shed in defense of our country and
our firesides, it is our own authority
and existence We seek to protect.
And so we meet each recurring
year to hear again the lessons of duty
and to keep green the memory OF the
past brave deeds of our fellow free
men. And, indeed, we have memories
SO replete with vaIor and heroism that
they kindle to hot flame the emotions
of the heart and thrillus in every fib-e
of our being. From the early wars
OF the INTREPID pioneers with the
savage hosts, and their gallant struggle
| for independence, down to the present
day, the record uf this nation is indeed
proud one. Full of devotion to coun-
try. lmbued with love of freedom, it
sparkles with bravery and glows with
charity for the vanguished. No
other modern nation can show such
utter disregard of self and devotion
to duty on part of it's soldiers and
sailors as can ours. | will refer you
to one example only; but it is a
striking one because its parallel the
modern world has not witnessed.
refer to our Civil War of which
writer has said: "This whole war in
which were enlisted on the Union
side alone more than TWO and one half
million of men, of whom about one
million We're constantly in service,
was the most obstinately and bravely
fought of any war in modern history.
Measured by the losses in killed and
wounded, as battles always are, it
showed such stupendous courage and
daring, and utter disregard of death in
the determination to conquer, that 1t
leaves all other wars of modern times
far behind. The losses of the victor
and conquered are given as approx
mately one million men,"
in song and story have been i'm
mortaIized the sublime courage of the
Guards of Inkermann, the Ninety
third Highlanders, the famous charge
of the Light Brigade, the terrible
fighting and losses at Mars La Tour
and Gravelotte, but think of it, in our
civil war there were more than one
hundred regiments, each of which in
some one battle suffered greater loss
than the British at Inkermann, than
any regiment under Wellington,
Butcher or Napoleon at Waterloo, or
any regiment in the FrancoPrussian
war! No European regiment in any
recent struggle suffered such loss as
at Gettysburg befell tn. One Hundred
and First Pennsylvania, which lost 76
per cent, or the Twenty Sixth Mort h
Carolina which lost u per cent such
as at the second battle OF Manassas
befell the One Hundred and First
New York which lost IA per cent,
ant course. With clearest eye they
now scan the universe and the great
Creators plans and wisdom are to
them an open book. They look down
upon this earth and trace the record
of their kin. The massive past, now
Graded in eternity, unfolds it's pages
before them; and the mighty present,
with it's sprouting seeds of Infinite
truth here and there family struggling
existence, bids them to hope that
their prophetic vision of the glory of
the age yet to come will ripen into
reality. They see the human race
slowly emerging, a century upon CEN
fury rolls by from midnight darkness
unto dawn. AS yet our peoples with
few exceptions, lie slumbering in the
night. A few nations only see glim-
meirngs of the coming day. Will they
at length reach the light? And when
they do it they reflect its CORY to the
enlightenment of their less fortunate
fellow beings? The spirit voices bid
US hope! They tell US that the fun
damental, the basic principle of this
government, that all men are created
free and equal" is the adoption to
practical life of what the Master
taught nineteen hundred years ago.
1t is to US the glimmering of the
dawn, while vast millions processing
also to be followers of the Master
still grope in darkness and deny the
Masters word. 1t was the practical
application of the great Teacher les
sons which created this nation and
has made it great. Christianity told
US not only of our rights as beings
created in the image of God, but it
showed US our dtuy to our fellow men
1t bred federation and respect for the
rights of others: 1t gave us freedom
for each to work out his own saliva
ton: 1t bred practical charity and
noble astruism and engrafted them
upon the national character. 1t has
led US IN every effort which brought