Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-10-26
YESTERDAY AND ToDAY

EDITOR CENSOR: Like children troop
ing home from school, thoughts of
long gone yesterdays come back to me.
Just fifty years ago a great contest
was on in our country for the presiden-
cy, resulting in the election of Abraham
Lincoln, which result fastened the aw-
flu climax-a clash of arms. OF those
who went out from your city at the
first call Of MIR. Lincoln but few are
living today. Fifty years ago your now
prosperous city was a little country
hamlet, far removed from busy world
no railway or telegraph lines to bring
in the news down to date, but mails
twice week by stage coach and week
ly newspapers only. Today, what have
you? But the latest and the freshest
of everything, as the world goes on,
down to date. Is it not wonderful?
Just fifty years ago. there came from
Richiand Center brass band led by
D. 7. Libdley, afterwsrd member of
the Sixth Wisconsin. Now you have
one of the finest bands in the country,
fixture in your pla te, and attached to
the Third regiment. w NJ. G., led by
Nat pfGrsts Of music Masters, MIR. Otto
G. Brown.
At that time Viroqua had but one pi-
ano, that in the home of DIR. e. W.
Tinker, while today NO home is COM
plete without a musical instrument.
Then there was little in the way of
schools, the higher grades not thought
of, while today you have every facility
in the way to higher education. Is
this not also wonderful? Fifty ye RS
ago the daily newspaper, of possibly
eight small pages, was luxury and
only to be had by the very wealthy,
while today the great majority of our
population may read the ne VS. of the
world printed in the daily aper hun
dreds of miles away and deliV cred same
day for not over two cents copy. The
old hand printing press has been super
ceded by the lightning press which puts
forth ninety thousand complete copies
per hour. And then the old-fashioned
OK team which gave way to the horse,
which is being superseded by the auto
mobile for rapid transit, and later the
flying machine. Truly wonderful and
all inside of fifty years. Is it not pos
sible today to live longer in one year
than our forefathers did in fifty? And
do the people of today realize how much
they have to be thankful for and their
great obligation to those who have
gone before?
And live there now such men az these
With hearts like the great of old:
Many have died in their miseries
And left their thoughts untold:
But truth shall conquer at the last
AS round and round we run,
And the right shall ever come uppermost
And justice ever be done.
Thanksgiving day is coming, fifty
years after the dawn of the day which
gave to us the great-hearted Lincoln,
who brought about united country, a
nation which today commands the re-
spect and admiration of the great
world, the Mecca for the oppressed of
all the earth, where is to be found lib
erty, freedom and enfranchisement.
where man to man is brother. Is not
all this truly wonderful and should not
all the people rejoice in the full meas
ure of true happiness?
Now, Mr. Editor, what think you,
and your people, with reference to a
golden jubilee in honor of those who
went out from your place as the adj
vance guard in the great struggle for
human liberty and progress? From
your Office went four printers, from
store and shop and farm went other
young men to aid Mr.. Lincoln in estab-
fishing a government Of the people, by
the people and for the people, which
today is their monument, great and
grand. May the only surviving mem
Der of the staff which left your Office
in 1861, though blind for many years by
reason Of wounds received in battle,
send warm greetings and best wishes
to your great family of happy surviving
comrades wherever they may be.
Sincerely yours,
w. E. MINsHALL.
Chicago, October Il, 1910.