Gilpin observer., 1909-05-27

should have a great amount of char
takes, morally and socially. They
have passed through terrible or
deal, physically speaking. They were
cut off from the business world for
four of the best years Of their life.
They have done we'll after following
the narrowing circumstances of war,
to take up the thread of life on the
peaceful road again and be successful.
There are judges and railroad presi-
dents and preachers and teachers,
and presidents of the United States
within their ranks and they have
been peers in their line.
They are entitled to as large pen
sion as can be paid, for they once
stood between our country and death.
The money that is paid them stays
in the country and goes back into cir
culation and thereby a blessing. This
was not conflict in which one army
had the advantage of the other, in
blood or science of war. 1t was one
half of the nation against the other
half. 1t was brother against brother,
and father against son. At Quebec
there is monument erected by the
French and English, to Wolf and
Montcalm. A similar one should be
placed by the American people over
the graves of the soldiers of the
North and South, and with the same
inscription:
"Valor gave them common death
History a common fame,
Posterity a common monument"
EXTRACTS from TAPS"
The roses and the lilies placed
upon their graves by nations sor-
row and nations love, give forth
their fragrance freely to the blue and
gray. The nations soil is made rich
er by their blood and watered with
the tears of the North and South
Upon this soil they fought in brave
defense of right, as each one saw
the right
gain, twas God decided.
And now we are at peace as they
sleep beneath the sod, with one flag
over all and not star dropped from
its place.
No mother weeps because her boy
was blue or gray; he was her child
The war with Spain did a great
deal to heal the open sore of the
North and South. Never before has
it been known that wounds caused by
a war that divided the home, have
healed so quickly. 1t shows the
kindred spirit of the American, that
they forgive and forget. Our con
flicts have never been for revenge
but for justice.
The spirit of righteousness actual
ed every movement in our late war,
and brought unlocked for success to
our arms. The destruction of two
whole fleets with the loss of but one
man, the surrender of $4,000 Spanish
regulars in an almost impregnable
care for and subsequent passage of
those prisoners to their homes by
their enemies, the mandate of a pro-
testant president for the care of the
surgents, the expression of Captain
Philips of the Texas to his men
who cheered when they saw Cevera's
| fleet being destroyed said, Don't
cheer, boys, the poor fellows are dy-
ing" all show that the American is
the first in war and the first in
peace. and although he stands with
fixed bayonet ready to redress a
wrong inflicted on his, or weaker
nation, yet his heart pulsates and
throbs with the red blood of tender
ness and good will to men. During
the Boer war one of Krueger's men
was asked what color the British flag
was and answered, white The
flag of truce was the only one he had
ever seen displayed. In defense of
our flag, no nation has ever seen
white to it, and as it leads in the
cause Of liberty, they never shall.
Transposing word or two in
verse from the Battle of Edin.
burgh:"
"Sirs, l charge you to keep it holy.
Keep it as a sacred one,
For any blood you may see on it.
Is the life blood of your son."
Decoration day should be kept holy
and not be given to sports ana games
for implanting patriotism and hero
ism in the hearts of the children, and