Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-06-01
YATES TELLS
OF LESSONS OF
THE FIVE WARS
Recalls Scenes Of Nations
Historical Struggles and Eff
feet on Civilization.
SPEAKS At THE CEMETERY
Former Governor Holds American Cit
izenship to Be Greatest Thing
in Modern World.

The address delivered by former
Governor Richard Yates at Chippian-
mock cemetery Saturday afternoon
proved an eloquent tribute to the pa
triotism of the men who fought in
the five wars of the nation In his in
PRODUCTION the speaker referred incl
centally to the fact that his father was
governor of the state during the civil
war. Il am persuaded" said Mr..
Yates, that, next to the service of
God, the chief glory of the world anG
its civilization, today, is the citizen
ship enjoyed by Americans. Many
of us believe that this citizenship was
Divinely ordained-at any rate it has
always been, and is destined always
to be-full of all civil and religious
liberty Hence all along our vending
way it has been deemed worth fight
ing for and worth dying for
Mr. Yates held that every war, ev-
cry degree of progress, every onward
step. was ito establish an unprece-
dented, unequaled and sublime citizen
ship. He recalled that this year
marks the 10th anniversary of the
last war, and eloquently pictured the
scenes of 1898, when the nation
thrilled with horror ana Indignation
over the sinking of the Maine. united
III a determination to remember and
ayenge that battleship. He recalled
the excitement, and the calmness of
the countrys president which kept
the people from rushing unprepared
in;o an unfortunately premature strug-
gle. This war added only three thou
sand to the 100000 graves of soldier
dead, but the sentiment is the same
as of the earlier conflicts.
Recalls the Wars.
Governor Yates then went back to
the time of the Revolution. and told
of the soldiery of that great struggle
Speaking of some of the leading spir-
is in that contest for American lib
erty, he said: The very sound of
their name rekindles in the American
spirit the sacred flame which glowed
III the hearts of our patriot fore
fathers who fought and fell round
about the campfires which Graded our
liberty" Passing from the Revolu-
ton, he spoke of the War of 1912, and
from this to the Mexican war;
OF Chief Signiacancc.
But it was reserved for another
controversy to develop so much havoc
OF life, to tear such gaps in the ranks
of manhood and TO create so much OF
courage and patriotism, as to contri-
butte the main interest to this day
and occasion" In speaking of Lin
coin. Mr.. Yates said: THE new presi
Gent leaving his Illinois home for the
national capital, is SO surrounded by
| difficulties that he owns his strong
| mind, courageous heart, and mighty
| soul to be unequal to the unprece
dented task Lincoln's farewell to
his neighbors. when he said: There
has fallen on me a task such as die
not rest even upon the father of his
| country; and so feeling | cannot but
turn and look for that support withou
which it will be Impossible to perform
that great task. / turn then and Tool
to the great American people, and Il
| the God who has never forsakeI
Them was quoted by the speaker
and from this he drew the lesson o
the occasion. the Divine guidance o
the country's destinies.
| rr<,.r,.-,.
Governor Yates concluded by speak
ing of the battles of today. the strug