Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-31

Germany has but 10 per cent and Eng
land only 16 per cent.
But again, we are here because we
are patriotic. Patriotism is closely akin
to religion and bespeaks lofty char
acter We love our country and we
love her flag. We talk much of the
patriotism of the Greeks and repeat
again and again the story of Leonidas,
the lion hearted, and his faithful 800
Spartans. But those soldiers were
trained to war from infancy and their
mothers taught them it was better to
die in battle than live, the survivor of
lost cause. Come back to me- she
said, as they went to war, either bear
ing your sword and shield or carried,
dead, in the arms of another But
our soldiers came from store and shop,
forge and farm. Boys quit college by
thousands and enlisted for the war.
They had never known strife or the
arts of war, but their country called
for $4,000 and they answered We are
coming Father Abraham, 100000
strong
But again we are here because of
history. A people, sir without q his
tory, is an ILL governed, reckless, saw
age people. History is more real than
the present and today as a nation we
i've in history. 4 history that, for
brilliancy and glory, transcends that of
any other people or ma ton on the face
of the earth. Here, where the pill
grim fathers landed less than three
centuries ago. Here, where George
Washington. the father of his country.
led the colonial troops against the army
OF England and broke the bonds that
held us in semi slavery 10 the mother
country. Here, where in 81 to 50 was
fought the bloodiest civil strife of all
the ages. Where the south fired on
Fort Sumpter they aroused a sleeping
sentiment among the people of the
north that no army could withstand.
This union is one and inseparable now
and forever was their battle cry, and
in proof that they meant what they
sald-they laid down their lives on a
hundred hard fought fields. They We're
shot down, captured. imprisoned,
starved frozen, away from home and
dear ones, but they never proved traitor
or owned allegiance to that miserable
eio ire lcDcIS gained u nag.
"Antietam, Gettysburg, Chickanau-
ga, Nicksburg-these and many others
are names eloquent with the memory
of dash and daring, shot and she'll
But this is not the hour, and 1 am
not the man, to dwell unduly on these
scenes of blood and carnage The war
is over-let US thank God-and the
angels of peace hover DER all our Dor
ders today. SO. as the grass grows
green over those southern earthworks
and the old cannon's mouth houses the
bird while she builds her nest in the
spring time let US with nature forgive
the past and rejoice in the victory
Members of the grand army yours
is an enVlable position today. You
have the honor of representing the
grandest army that ever marched to
conflict-the army that saved this union
from sure and speedy dissolution. Per-
sonally l appreciate What you did. and
honor you for it, But as i look TODAY
at Your thinning ranks-lny mind turns
to the many of your comrades VINO
have answered the final summons
Some sleep beneath the magnolia and
some by the side of the winding river
Some in cemeteries where loving hands
have placed tomb stones and some in
the lonely grave marked for the UNI
known dead
ITO You who remain, give this low
ing word Of exhortation. So live that
when, on the fields of cloud. that other
G. A. r. reunion shall be called, you
may be there to take your place anG
receive your crown.
Il bid YOU God speed and pray TO,
Your comfort and prosperity so long as
you shall linger by the shore of time.
Services for Dead Sailors.
With music and with the strewine
of flowers upon the waters of the Iowa
river, the w. r. c., of Frank NJ Thorn
as post held services at the home boat
landing in honor of the deal sailors OF
the civil war. The benediction, which
brought to close this service. ended
the formal observance of tho dav