Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-05-30

each party 10 llldI Contest yleluS lull
honor to the heroism of the other. In
so doing, they honor themselves. 1t is
no credit to have yielded to a foe of
inferior courage. Nor is it matter of
pride to have won in contest against
an unworthy opponent. When Greek
met Greek they did not underrate the
enemy, and when American Joined in !
battle with American the contest was
long and bloody.
1t is over forever. The time when !
swords were TO be beaten into plow-
shares and spears into pruninghooks
has indeed come Our great battle
fields are being converted into parks, !
and at Gettysburg Chickamauga,
Vicksburg and Shiloh the veteran sur
vivors and their descendants meet with
fraternal spirit to rejoice that the
cruel war is over This May day floral
holiday comes with healing and good
will Let us this day give our best
thoughts to our dead and maintain the
best and greatest monument to their
memory-a united, free and righteous
nation.
"And now, on this beautiful May
day. AZ years after the wars end, We
meet in peace and prosperity to again
recall those days of danger and nights
of waking.
| Pence Object of War.
THE true object of war is peace.
| Let us profoundly rejoice that the peace
has come Once only has it been bro
ken and then for a short period, by
the war with Spain. That war demon
lstrated that the union was, indeed, Sc
curcly restored, and that there were no
longer any real sectional lines when
the honor of the nation was involved,
for the soldiers of 1861, north and
south, sent their boys to the field to
vie with each other in showing their
devotion once more to the old flag.
"Pericles delivered his great Grafton
over the Greek dead twenty-three hun
dred years ago. and from that day I'M
til the 18th day of November, 1863, It
remained uncqualed as a masterpiece
iof patriotic speech. But, AT Gettys
burg. the immortal Lincoln placed be
side it the companion piece which will
Hast while time cndures. This day is
set apart for the teaching of the love of
country. 1t is a days schooling in pa
triotism. 1t should be devoted to the
lsOlemn side of our political life
"Solon laid down the rule worthy OF
all time: TO Danish injustice from the
commonwealth makes all men interest
ed in the injustice done 10 each
And who can give to the women of
the war the honor they deserve? The
mothers of 1861 wept over and kissed
their departing sons, but they cheerei
them on. My own mother gave her
parting kiss to my brother and myself
, and consecrated us to our country. My
brother fills soldiers grave and gave
his life for his flag. Time is the great
healer, and the sorrows of the past,
though still remembered. are coupled
with the pleasure of the living present
and hope of an even happier future.
Duty to Living.
> "'Youth like the aloe, blossoms but
lonce.' The boys of 1861 are boys no
longer. and soon this solemn and bead
,tiful memorial service must be carried
ION without their aid.
"On this day let us remember and
honor the dead by just observance of
our duties to the. living
Closing Exercises.
After a solo by A. f. Anderson. n
reading, THE Silent Grand Army" by
IF. \. Schulz and a song, The Boys OF
the Old Brigade by the quartet, the
company adjourned to the monument,
where the customary Grand Army serv-
ice was given, following patriotic selec-
Itions. The salute to the dead was fired
- ,,.,,,l N 'g