The Washington times., 1908-05-31
Thousands Bow Heads in
Tender Memory of War
TiorS of CLOS.
SPEECHES FEATURE
AT ALL CEMETERIES
President Decorates Graves of
Unknown" Sheridan Tomb, and
Spanish War Soldiers.

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/ choicest foral offerings. was observed
with a reverence particularly the Capt.
/ tal's own yesterday. -
From the time that President R0ose-
/ welt, in advance of the gathering hun
| dreds, placed his tribute upon the '-Tomh
/ or the Unknown" in Arlington yester-
/ day morning until taps" were sounded
! for the last time as the departing
( throngs turned homeward near night
/ fan, the day was dedicated TO the un-
1 forgotten Blue, resting In the city's
/ many cemeteries.
The elastic tramp OF the young sol
/ der, uuacquainted as yet with actual
/ warfare; the falteF.9g step Of the griz-
/ zied and silvcr-haired veteran, reminis-
i cent OF the five years struggle and the
/ two-score years reconstruction; inspir-
/ ing martial music not unmixed with
| Southern melodies. and the fiOwor-laden
presence of thousands OF old and young
| who nave grown TO love the day and It's
associations, made picture and constl-
tuted an event never to be forgtten.
Flag for Each Grave.
When evening came from 1890 graves
were waited the perfumes Of strewn
towers and above each sleeping hero
there waved, In eloquent testimony OF
a nation saved. a tiny United States
flag. And somehow the shades Of night
fell softer about the bivouac of the
/ dead because the living had been there
and had shown by their presence their
tears and their flowers, that the slum-
berers had not died IA vain.
1t was a happy and yet a sad occa-
sion. for wherever the devotional thou
sands gathered, the realization came
that umong the little handful" of vet
Grams assembled to honor those gone
/ before today. there were those who
would themselves pass the Great Divide
| before another Decoration Day had
dawned. II was IN tribute. therefore.
4 10 the living as we'll as the dead he
rOes, that flowers were scattered, mar
/ tlal music Welied upward and orators
referred eloquently 10 the nations
| saviors on yesterday.
President at Arlington.
/ The exercises at Arlington were
most typical OF what the day should
/ be. President Roosevelt. at Il o'clock,
visited alone the grave OF the I'm
/ known" the tomb OF Sheridan, and the
monument 10 the Spanish war vet
| Grams. and placed on each 81 wreath in
/ token Of the nations Indebtedness to
! those beneath the stone. The Presi-
dent was unable 10 accept invitations
/ 20 address any Of the memorial gath
/ eriugs on account Of the probability
/ Of an adjournmnet Of Congress at any
/ hour Representative John Esch OF
/ Wisconsin and Major +. 5. HOdgsOn
/ Of the Spanish War Veterans were the
! orators OF the day at Arlington. The
/ former. by his tribute 10 the martyred
/ Lincoln and his denunciation Of those
who would disrespect the uniform OF
la soldier. won the prolonged applause
/ Of the immense cOnCOurse gathered
/ within the amphitheater. Major
/ Hodgson's reference to the services OF
| Clara Barton awolSe responsive echoes
/ in the hearts Of his hearers
Patriotic Songs.
/ To the veterans one Of the most en-
/ joyabIe features Of the ceremony was
the singing Of patriotic songs by Prof.
/ Jasper Dean Neral, who has an ex-
/ Cellent baritone voice. Music by the
/ Marine Band, selections by the Gaelic
/ Society chorus, the reading Of Presi-
dent Lincoln's Gettysburg address by
! Samuel r. Strattan. and the reading
/ OF original poems by DIT. II. \. Dobson
and Miss Edith Sage Emerson, assist
/ ed in the perfect observance OF the
/ day. The assemblage was called TO or
/ der by Dept. Com. John s. Walker.
/ The invocation was delivered b. DR..
/ c. w. Gallagher.
! With quickened pulse and increasing
! enthusiasm. the veterans at Arlington
| cheered each succeeding patriotic num-
/ Der by the Gaelic Chorus, whose songs
! comprised a wei received portion Of the
! program at both Arlington and at the
/ National Cemetery, Solder Home,
/ earlier in the morning. At each cere-
mony, Mrs. Nellie 3. Kelser, assistant
/ director, led in a soprano solo, the
! selection at Arlington being The Flag
| Of Morning Skies" and at the National
| Cemetery THE Soldiers Home Memorial
| Hymn" Prof Harry W. Howard was
| director and organist. Both the solo
numbers by Mrs. Kelser and the songs
in chorus gave the veterans assembled
a few moments of apparent genuine
! pleasure.
| Ambassador Bryce, AIinist sr WI Ting
fang, the Brazilian ambassador Mr.
| Nabuco; General Miles, Gen. john NJ
| Wilson, General Walker, Gen. w. 5.
Odeu, past department commander;
Gen. Arthur Hendricks, past depart
ment commander; Newton Ferree, Adjt.
o. H. Oldroyd, Judge KimbaI, and other
| prominent persons occupied seats on the
| stage at Arlington. Ambassador. TAXA
hira, of Japan, paid a short visit to the
| cemetery and moved among the decor
| ated graves while the ceremonies were
in progress.
Members of the Grand Army Of the
! Republic, the United Spanish War Vet
| Grams, the Army and Navy Union. and
the District National Guard partici-
pated.
At National Cemetery.
Rabbi Abram Simon paid tribute to
the deceased soldiers at the National
Cemetery, Old Soldiers Home, refer
/ ring to the day as an annual feast OF
gratitude, the exercises at the National