The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-05-30

sheds her gracious light throughout all
the world, spreading hope and givins
courage to the oppressed and harrass-
ed of all climes
Not many months ago the great state
of Iowa, conscious of the everlasting
obligations 1t owes you, appropriated
many thousands of dollars. and with 1t
erected monuments on the various
battle fields of the south where you
and your comrades fought and bIed
With impressive ceremony these mon.
uments were dedicated on the very
spots that already had been conse-
Grated with your blood. Time will be
when these monuments shall have
crumbled to dust and decay, but with
Gods help this great nation shall en-
dure forever as an eternal monument
to your patriotism and courage
1t is an elementary truth OF nature
that that which costs most is most
dearly priced The child that needs
constant care of the mother. through
its tender years the prey 10 all the
ailments that menace childhood and
then after years of nurture and cease
less care blossoms out to manhood or
womanhood, is often the best loved
child Between this dependent child
and the mother nature seems to
strengthen the ties of love and devo-
ton. Each tear and ache and wake
full night spent together seems to
quicken the affection that endures
between them. And so with our
country We have seen her as an in
FAINT emerging from oppression and
thralldom into the lists of independ-
ence We have followed her from
Valley Forge to New Orleans, and
from New Orleans to the throne of
the Montezumas. We have watched
her at Bull Run and at Richmond, at
Shiloh and before Petersburg; and
then as the last fiLal triumph we have
marched with her eXultant hosts DER
the crumbling ruins of ancient Spain.
through a century and half we have
followed her triumphant march. We
have seen her writhing in the clutches
of anarchy and disruption, menaced
within and abroad; yet with indie
structable grandeur we have seen her
survive and grow stronger in ad
versity No love is so true as that
which survives the vicissitudes of
time: and by that test lie, the love
which we bear our country be meas
ured, 1t is of that quality which does
not fuctuate with the alternating
tides of fortune, but constant and
perenniel, it is the best assurance OF
tie permanency of the unioS
Here on this western continent we
have a great crucible in which are
melted together in one homogeneous
mass, men of all creeds and nations.
Scarcely a race represented on the
earth but shares in the fame and
glory of this republic. On the battle
fields of all our wars has mingled the
blood of all races. The buoyant air
of freedom has transformed the thralls
and serfs of the old world into the
heroes and martyrs of the new
These old veterans, SCARED with the
abuses of time, have done their duty
We'll uSlI udyS VI uSeluiuSSS anu
activity are drawing to an end. II
has been their happy lot to linger
here, and share with us in the fruitful
harvest of peace and prosperity. In
few more years they shall have
passed from or midst, to live only in
memory. Upon lis is devolved the
duty of preserving and clarifying our
legacy
From these men we have learned a
lesson in patriotism and devotion
that we shall not soon forget. They
have taught us what precious thing
is liberty, and how dearly it has been
bought. 1t was their portion to de
fend their country on the battle
field; it is ours to defend her in times
of peace. Our responsibility is no
less than was theirs, for
Peace hath its victories no less
renowned than war.
The marvellous growth of this conn,