The Topeka state journal., 1908-09-09

c.-I,s nt SpO1lS or art, loot from
PuDilc gardens, gold from its temples.
relics from its museums and treasur-
Iss, conquest of lands, ceded territories,
serVituoe and dominion of conquered
peoples. devastating hearths, shrines
home.
For the first time in history an
a aIiIly charged with high and unset
lisn outy, sailed ten thousand miles
Utoss Inc ocean to discharge that
uuty. Iney encountered barDar1c,
eeLns4aVeo and stricken people, rich Iii
the Eathered store of friar and church,
%ealtny in commerce, mart ana tenn
PIE. whose homes were adorned with
costy heirlooms and keepsake, and
VINO gave that people liberty. earth's
priceless boon, and came empty hand
by conquest
This was the voyage of the Twen-
tletn regiment, Kansas volunteer in
fantry. You sought no rescue of a,
doIy CITY nor its sacred tomb. You
SET SAIL Tor no golden fleece. Beyond all
crusades, mightier than all conquests-
an spolation of lands. you bore them
Aperty' ana the only wealth your ves-
sci cargoed home was an enlarged and
more valued liberty, possessed by your
selves, the heritage of all Americans
VINO snali come down the centuries to
possess the land. This is the first
white, unstained victory, in the long
calends of peace before us.
so long as Duty, Valor and Sacri-
nee shall be the princely standards of
human conduct. they more than Old
Guard, they greater than Pretorjan
Cohort, shall be immortal.
I'VE cannot forget the wide sweep of
the flag you BORE the long journeys
you made. the stubborn campaigns. nor
your diminished number of the thou
stand strong. we meet today. We can
not forget the valor Of a score of
illustrious and renowned fields, nor
those who sleep far down the oceans
Waveless tides, where coral CLEANS,
and Ger each upturned face, the sail
ing nautilus rides.
The humblest soldier in your ranks,
helped to blossom on the temples of
your leaders. the scarlet flaming, rich,
red rose, that only Victors scent and
only victory blows.
The limelight was centered on your
colors from the time your hands re-
ceived them, until the state of Kansas
furled them to her bosom forever. Not
moment of your perilous career, of
your long marches, plunging across
the continent, over the cleaning ocean,
sentineled by morning, noon and night,
and accompanied by the eternal stars,
sweeping your battle line through the
ooze and brambe of humid and reek-
ing bayous. advancing against in
trenched rivers, over the bridges bro
ken bents, into the canebrakes. am
buscades, and then back again. when
Kansas outpoured her communities one
festal day to welcome your return, did
the eyes of the people lose sight of you,
or their great throbbing hearts miss
you in their prayers.
I'm these splendid times of peace: or
chards dropping their abounding fruit;
fields yielding their accustomed store;
In these perfect September days, the
mystery and touch of autumn invest
ing every created thing, the full round
Sai
somewhere. beneath our feet, the great
squadron wreathing its armament with
flowers and it's turrets flaming and
laundering with the Syllab1es of peace
and good will, this is the very nick and
pause of time for us to declare your
presence is both blessing and benedic-
tion; and we give you over again with
your welcome, your-good health. your
great happiness, your long life; and,
listen boys, we inpiore double bene-
and day. over ocean1isles ten thousand
miles away" tzEa
General Funston Speaks.
AS the applause subsided General
Funston arose from a seat near the
front of the audience and said: Com
rades of the Twentieth Kansas, I greet
you and am truly glad to be with you
were here that might meet all of
them.
Il well remember the first time that
1 met you as my command here in To-
pel<a as ragged and unpromising a lot
of men as one, could expect to see and
then 1 remember you with pride after
wards. One little incident which oc-
CURED at that time made a vivid i'm
preston on my mind for / guess that
all of us knew as little of war as pos
sible.
"I had just received my commission
from Governor Leedy and thought that
l would walk out to camp and take
look at my command and 1 was just
about as swelled up as small man
could be. l had not received my uni
form but that made no difference as
/ had my commission in my pocket and
1 was feeling my Importance.
"As 1 approached my regiment at the
fair grounds started to walk through
the lines when 1 was halted by
sentry. You can't go in there, this is
the picket line.' he said. But 1 argued
1 am the commander of this regiment,
your colonel, and again swelled up
with pride for 1 rad my commission |
with me.
THAT don't make any difference to |
me who you are and it don't go here |
You might try the next sentry, he's
dead easy and mebby you can get by
him. After while I was able to get
through the lines and / was favorably |
impressed with the sense of duty which |
caused the sentry to halt me. We were
all green outfit at that and Whlle
knew the meaning Of gee and haw and
1 suppose that all of the boys did
am sure that but few of us knew what |
guide right or guide left meant"
perhaps the regiment did better on |
account of their lack OF training Ior |
all of the boys had high sense OF |
what they were out for and L have |
often thought that the regiment gave
a better account of itself when we
finally reached the firing line on the |
9Th Of February following our enlist |
ment. Every member of the regiment |
had fighting blood in his veins and 1
do not know what might have hap |
pened if we had gone into battle at
that time.
and it would have been fight to the !