The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-06-04
OUR PATRIOT DEAD.


its defense rolls around and the ma.
ton pays it's annual tribute to it's
patriot dead. Although more than
forty years have interviewed since the
close of that struggle of brother with
brother, years have not dimmed the
lustre of the achievements of those
who fought in defense Of "Old Glory"
and laid down their lives in behalf OF
liberty and union 1t is truly said that
the best index of a nations verility
and character Is the respect paid to
it's heroes. And despite all the super
ficialisty of our American life, and our
intense craving for the spectacular,
the tender and reverent regard dis
played more and more with each sue
| ceeding year, as Memorial Day comes,
for the memory of those who sacri-
| feed their lives that the great repub-
lie might live, and men who breathe
heavens air under the stars and
stripes should be freemen-is one Of
the hopeful indications Of the present.
No other holiday in all the year fills
just the same place in the hearts and
affections of the people as that of
Memorial Day. 1t is well that in the
increasing activity of the widening
and more complex civilization of today
that there should be one day set
apart, in the hush of whose hours we
shall contemplate what the heroes of
1S61-65 sacrificed for us and what they
accomplished through their sacrifice.
All honor-everlasting honor to our
patriot dead.
Not to the dead alone should our
appreciation be extended. There still
live along lis heroes of many hard
fought battle who with their com.
rades, who have departed claim equal
homage. Every "old soldier whu
walks our streets should be an object
of generation and regard. Their ranks
are thinning rapidly with advancing
years and not many years will pass
before the last member of the Grand
Army of the Republic will have an
swered Heavens roll call. but the rep.
resentatives of the later conflict will
Spain are still young men and will
long remain to remind us that those of
our own generation were not less
ready than their fathers to respond
to their country's call. While we
place wreathes of flowers with tender
affection on the graves of those who
fell in two wars, let us in the same
spirit of appreciation honor the veter
ans of these struggles whom we greet
from day to day. This last conflict
in which the sons of fathers who wore
the blue marched side by side with
the sons of the fathers who wore the
grey, did more to heal the wounds OF
bitterness and animosity between the
North and South than anything else
which time has brought to cement the
sections. We are now united coun
try. The people of the new south are
as loyal to our national life and as
concerned for our national destiny as
the people of the north and west. The
political divisions and boundary lines
between conflicting opinions are al
ready dim and will soon be obliterate(
by new issues and interests. The mel
4 who fought against the flag are ne
longer to be hated. Their blindness
it to be forgiven in their present devo
tion to the nation. But we must
honor with an everlasting gratitude
those who fought to save rather thar
those who fought to destroy. The dis
tinction is not to be forgotten. Those
justice to every defender of the flag
If it is true that the best heritage
is a noble parentage, it is also tiut
that those nations are richest whose
past is full of good names. Much a:
we honor Washington, Adams, Jeffer
son and Jackson, we are not obliged t
go back to the early years of OIL
: national life to bring forth men whC
can stand the search light of the
keenest criticism as patriots ant
heroes. The men who fought for the
flag under the leadership of Hancock
Meade, Mcpherson, Thomas, Logan
Sheridan, Sherman and Grant were al
whole patriots and gave glad devo
ton to their great generals.
; We of the present day can do more
, than praise the deeds of past heroism
The nation these men contended To-
is ours to maintain. Enemies les,
conspicuous but more subtle, not al
brave but more crafty, call for oul
J conscientious opposition. They are
numerous and allied. and only al
t army of unselfsh voters who are will
| ing to place the life and good name
of their country before their own sci
fish interests-as did the men wh'
, fought for the union and for human
, ity-can these enemies, greed, graft