The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-06-18

The men who fought at Bunker
Hill would regard the American ma
tion as it is today with inexpressible
astonlshment. Probably no man in
America at the time of the revolution
even dreamed of the marvellous growth
which this country would attain.
Therefore, the deepest emotion that
would be excited in these patriots
would be unbounded wonder at the
material evidence of:power and
wealth. They fought for American
rights and ideals, and, now that the
glorious Seventeenth of June" is at
hand, the descendants of the heroes of
l775 are doing some thinking; possibly
q few are asking, what would the men
who fought at Bunker HILL think of
the American nation today2 A large
question, but pertinent.
In view of the glowipg history we
have been making for fifty years, it is
difficult to conceive what Warren and
Prescott and Putnam and Stark and
their "embattled farmers" of that early
history would think. Putnam, like
many other heroes of the Revolu-
ton, won his first laurels in the
wars between the French and Eng
fish colonies which so severely
tried the spirit of American volun-
teers. He was the first to receive the
rank of major-general in the Revolu-
tionary army, and were he living to-
day, [ feel certain that he would think
of that plow he left in the furrow when
he heard the figures representing the
manufacturing interests of the nation.
Prescott, a soldier well versed in
military affairs from distinguished
service in the French war, would feel
his blood tingle in his veins as be was
told of the war of 1876, of Grant,
Sherman, Sheridan, Mcpherson and
the millions who at incredible cost
preserved and made forever sure the
principles for which Bunker Hill was
to stand in history. He would think
hard when told that close to 725,OO0
men of those armies still survive.
Warren, major-general, also doc
tor by profession, who refused to as
sumo the command due him by his
rank on the day of Bunker Hill, would
look about and say, "Can this be Bos-
ton? Where is the old hillp Monu-
ment? Yes, but that redoubt to which
Putnam sent me, where was it? see
no trace of it." Taking little trip by
trolley, his professional eyes would
sparkle, his surgical heart would beat
dangerously fast as he saw Harvard'f
marble structures in which goth cen
tury medical and surgical science II
making its peaceful conquests.
Ali these men would look puzzled
and be thoughtful when told that th'
last anniversary of Bunker Hill wit
messed the assembling of The Hagu'
conference, representing forty-five ma
tiOns of the earth, to take meas
ores calculated to mitigate the horror
of war among the nations, wheneve
that is possible. Nor would the
think it inconsistent thatiAmerica i
in the lead for such project, nOtwith
standing our monster battlesh hips
which are both warnings and sensibl
preparation for even remote possibil
ties, all calculated to insure peace.
Their thoughts would kinGle whe
told that in all the wars of the natto
the flag of Bunker Hill has not ono
gone down in final defeat. Only IL
years have passed since the famou
battle; and yet, if any one of thes
brave men, from Gen. Warren an
Col. Prescott down to the humble1
private, could open his eyes today an
look upon the country for which
fought, as it now stands, he would,
think, be fairly dazed.
These sturdy young men were har
working and self-respecting, honoriI
their Puritan religion and trained
democratic habits and principles. Tn,
would welcome the resources of the
country's vastly expanded acres,
instead of thirteen small states, 9
tending from the great lakes to Il
Florida line, and scarcely more th'
one hundred miles inland, they wou
see q gigantic republic, stretchil