Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-15
Praises Work of the Grand Army in
War and in Peace.
MoULDs DESTINY OF THE NATION
Potent Factor in Present Civilization,
Best Of All Ages.
SYMPATHY FOR THE SOUTHLAND
People Down There Doiag Well In
solution OF IBdustrisI Problems
-ReuniOn Comes to
Close To-day. GGI


The biggest crowd since the assembling
Of the Douglss County Veterans associs-
tion reunion at Benson gathered Friday
afternoon to listen To this spirited and pa
triotic address by Governor Sheldon. The
governor and his party did not arrive on
the grounds until nearly o'clock and In
the meanwhile a varied program was
carried out on the campfire order. The
can pfire speakers were Charles William
son. BLIND Charley OF Omaha, a veteran
Of the civil war, and Judge Troup and
T. w. Blackburn Miss sslyRrd and Miss
McCandless OF Omaha and Miss Lancaster
Of Benson each sang solos, which were ap-
plauded.
While Mr. Blackburn was speaking Gov
ernor Sheldon and party arrived and Mr.
Blackburn curtailed his speech TO Join
in the welcome to the governor. As Gov.
ernor Sheldon and his party entered the
big tent the entire audience robe 10 well
come him A large delegation of old sal-
diers marched to the reunion grounds
| entrance as the governor and party rode
\ up in automombiles and with the fife and
drum corps in the lead escorted the party
to the tent. Those in Governor Sheldon's
party beside himself were Mayor c. {.
4
the Benson Chamber Of Commerce. Father
Mcrearity of Benson. z. C. Holder. all
OF the reception committee. In another
automobile were Joseph Mcclure. post
master Of Benson, and James Walsh OF
Benson. members OF the reception COM
| mittee.
After the applause Governor Sheldon was
presented to the big audience BY President
D. NJ. Hsverly Of the reunion association.
Product of Nebraska.
President Haverly said: Il present TO
you a sample OF the vigorous. upright and
splendid young manhood Of the west
product OF Nebraska. Governor Sheldon"
The sentiment quickly responded 10
| with another burst Of applause. a veritsble
ovation. Governor Sheldon said:
II am glad that could come 10 spend
this afternoon with YOU There is nothing
that can say that will BE- OF AnS kenefit
TO you. but 1 cannot help expressing the
thought Of appreciation TO the Grand Army
of the Republic for what It has wrought
both In war and in peace You deserve
the commendation Of the people as indi-
viduals and as a whole. II 10 gratifying
for we Of this younger generation TO pay
you the tribute Of our respect We live
in a civilization that IL superior 70 any
OF the ages and it is what you ~ Atneri-
can soldiers wrought and taught that has
given us that civilization. Your loyalty
courage, patriotism and achievements have
been the inspiration that has nodded the
destiny Of this nation. Your sons we're
willing to carry that civilization. that
liberty and righteousness to other nations
and to aid in making them better people
Hold the PhiIfaasnNs.
'our government should stay in the
Philippines to aid those people TO & higher
destiny. We are but chiidfan OF tssS ages
of which the best has been PreettNed. II
is our full duty to help those who need
our help. Wherever the American flag is
raised over whatever territory, however
acquired, it is for the betterment Of that
territory and people.
''The civilization of today is the best the
world has ever known and America has
been a most potent factor in the creation
OF that civilization And nowhere has that
civilization reached greater perfection than
in this great central west was told by
the admiral of the American battlsship
fleet at San Francisco this spring that
America had now the best men in her navy
of any navy of the world and better than
al any time in the life of our own navy.
IL was because, he told me. that these
young men had been recruited from the
Mississippi valley, west Of the Alleshenies
where heretofore the recruits had been
mostly obtained from the scum and riff
raft Of the Atlantic coast cities
1--WE owe Our Beat"
American citizenship has become the
greatest citizenship OF the world. We owe
TO our country our best whether Il be in
peace or war In times Of peace there are
as great and serious questions 70 be solved
and wrought out as in war. The great
problems of our national life are worked
out and solved at our firesidea. We elect
men TO office and tell them what they
must DO. II they DO not do what we re-
quire OF them We will elect others who will
We are a cosmopolitan nation, a nation OF
varied interests. We must consider the
interests OF every section, OF the east, west,
south and north and central west We
must have a united purpose We cannot
have everything our own way. We must
consider the interests of other sections.
! am an ardent believer in state and sec
tlonal pride, but at the same time / be-
lieve in the utmost fairness
MY military career was not particularly
strenuous Our chief battles were with
flies. mosquitoes and yellow fever But
when in the south ] visited many Of the
battiefields over which you men OF the
Grand Army fought and saw what our
civilization has cost US
War Need Not Have Been.
If the men before the sos had done
their duty fully there would have been no
cause for this fearful war Of which you
are survivors The people OF the south
have not yet recovered from that struggle.
yet hear no regrets expressed BY the men
who wore the gray that the war ended as
, II did. lest ! except some Of the features
D Of the reconstruction period. Their Indus
trial systems were different from those OF
; the north They had 10 take . people re-
. leased from bondage and adopt new plsAs
] and methods. They are now solving the
; tenant system in their Industrial problems
: and solving n well
{ Let uS not forget the sacrifices q ouI
. fathers in this great war and let o. kesb
IN mind a. American citisens that we mast