Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-06-07
FOB PRESIDENT 1908
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
BY Will Of The People.
Decoration Day.

Decoration Day.
Canton celebrated Decoration Day
with a spirit Of patriotic pride never
surpassed in her history. The splen-
did company Of National Guardsmsu
with the Luther League band under
the leadership of Prof. Indseth head
ed the procession composed or yeter-
ans and the Woman's Relief Corps,
the Mayor and citizens in carriages
and a large contingent Of firemen IN
their handsome uniforms. The n
was a long one and made a n APP
pearance. :,
The cemetery was reached at IL
O'Clock and the veterans under the
command of Senior Vice commander
Tripp marched to the cenotaph and
formed in order for the ritual SER
vice, after which a brief patriotic adj
dress was delivered by President Tive
OF Augustana college and 1T was SO
highly appreciated for the noble sent
iments expressed that we take pleas
ure In publishing it for the benefit OF
those who were not present:
Veterans of the Civil and Spanish
American Wars, Womans Relief Corps,
and Fellow Citizen: We thank God
with you today that Old Glory Is still
floating over a free and united people.
You battle SCARED veterans who have
followed it in the toilsome march and
In the din OF battle kne% best what
1t cost t preserve inviOlate the cluster
OF stars In that field Of blue.
When the electric telegraph flashed
the dreaded news across the length and
breadth of this land, that the sacred
emblem Of union had suffered v1o-
lence, i see before me, not so much
the noisy ioStling crowds that throng
the streets, giving vent to righteous
Indignation, as the many blanched
faces, watching with eager eye the
martial demonstration, and in whose
ears every sound Of clanking arms
drives a pangof anguish to their hearts.
Their emotions were too deep Tor
words. They could only look, and lis
ten and think, think, think. They
were silent not from lack of courage,
o yet from lack Of patriotic feeling
bnt %, the sacrifice! The loss OF
human life, the ruined homes, the de-
vastated c~ountry-and the outcome,
who could know? Oh, the pity Of It
all! Brother arrayed against brother
In mortal combat! And yet, stifiing
every anguish that tore their bleeding
hearts, they sacrificed their all upoi!
their country's altar. We should be
unchivalrous and unmindful Of our
duty today, If we should forget the par
emit the wife, the sister, who had TO
make the first great sacrifice.
The youth and manhood OF the re-
cruiting forces In their patriotic ardor,
famed into a flame by the force OF
numbers, could little comprehend the
sad bereavement that tore at the hear
strings OF those left behind. 1t was
only In the slant hours OF the night
In his lonly tent, or as he lay pilloWed
upon his arms in the bivouac OF the
open field with his eyes fixed upon thu
consultations of heaven, that the en-
dearing features, the parting WORD;
up In his imaginatiOnS, and the one
supreme in his affections stood like
guardian angel near his lOwly couch,
In dreams he heard again the last
whispered words OF parting, IF yot
fall, Dear, remember we must meet
In Heaven"
As We decorate the graves Of oul
heroes today, let us drop n flower
upOh each OF the graves OF a million
horoinea, who with nervous hand, trac.
ed your every movement on the map,
and fought your battles over and over
again. Let the flower be q cluster o
Needing Hearts Ia graceful lines 81
red and white, emblematic OF h pur.
ity Of their love and their devotion,
And when we lift our eyes upon that
vast tflronR OF heroes every one, that
Obedient to their cOuntry'S call, flock.
ed to the defence and support OF that
same standard that floats above oul
heads today, mot a stripe erased MOI
= star polluted, our hearts swell with
pride and emotion. With pride be-