The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-06-02
WAR AS A MAKER OF
GREAT NATIONS
Memorial Day Address
By John W. Fogler

that the nation might live. and on the
morning of every recurring memorial
day, there is performed in the capital
city of our country singularly beau
tifu' and impressive ceremony. An
+open boat, laden with flowers conse-
Grated to the memory of those who
died upon the sea in defense of the
Union, is cast adrift, with solemn
ceremonies by the Grand Army of the
Republic, upon the waters of the Po-
tomac to be borne upon its current
dition that never once has one of
these frail boats been found wrecked
upon the shores of that historic river
but that guarded and guided by an I'M
seen hand, they have drifted silently
out upon the great deep. and there
amid the ever sounding requiem of
the wind and waves, have scattered
their consecrated burden upon the
wide, unsearchable grave of the sea.
And who shall say that this cere-
mony is vain? And who shall say
that some flower, wet with the tears
OF affection, shall not softly sink, at
last, in this secret tomb, beside some
spot hallowed blythe love of a sorrow
ing mother, or sister, or wife? No, it
is not vain, even though the dead
sleep on in deep oblivion of it all, and
though the flowers be wave-washed to
the farthest shores of the sea. Not
vain, because it is the token of a ma
tons love and gratitude to those who
have sealed their devotion to their
country with their life's blood; not
vain because it is the tribute which we
pay to brave men and brave deeds; not
vain because 1t is the heart Offering
which we bring to the altar of patrio-
tism, whose sacred fires we should
keep ever brightly burning.
In this same reverent spirit we come
here today to do homage to our sol.
der dead, and to consecrate ourselves
anew to the cause for which they died
And happy we whose dead lie not in
the restless grave of the sea, but who
sleep, peacefully, upon the green
slopes of their native hills where we
may water their graves with our
tears, and scatter the beauties of ma
ture about them, and where, above
their last resting place we may write
in marble the record of their names
and their patriotic deeds.
But it is not for the dead alone that
these ceremonies are held today. We
honor the dead because, having but
one life to give they willingly gave
that to their country. We speak to
the living that the memory of the dead
mate the hearts of those who live
after them as long as this nation
shall survive With each passing
year we tell their story anew, and,
with reverent hands, again lay chap
lets of flowers on their graves, that
the youth of our land may have their
example ever before them, that they
may catch the inspiration of their
lives, and that it may reveal to them
that there is love in mems hearts
which they, as yet, have but dimly
known and dimly felt,-a love stronger
than the love of life, and as deep as
the love of home and kin,-that love
of country which thrills mems hearts
and stirs them to deeds of lofty pa
triotism and heroic sacrifice, and
nerves the arm to strike when hos
tile hand is raised against their coun-
trys life.
You men and women of the civil
war know what this means; you men
who went to the front; you who un-
willingly staid at home and kept the
farm and the shop that the sinews of
war might not fail; you women of the
civil war; you who sent your sons
forth to battle, and endured an agony
of suspense worse than death; you
who nursed the sick and wounded to
life again and sent them back to the
front with your godspeed; you who
received back your dead with Spartan
fortitude and counted your loss your
conntry's gain; you know what this
lONe iS, lOI yOul WHOle DolnS Has Dbou
stirred by it to its deepest depths. To
you the war came as a Yertable bap-
tism of fire and you are richer by an
experience which comes only to those
who have lived through great vicis-
STUDIES of their Country's life.
How can | fittingly speak of those
memorable days of 81 WHICH brought
us face to face with q crisis that test
ed the sternest fibre of the nation
You gray haired men and women who
sit before me, you cannot forget them
You cannot forget the thrill that pass
ed over the north when the news came
flashing over the wires that Sumter
had been fired upon. You cannot for
get the cry of agony as of an almost
mortal hurt. that went up from the
great heart of the people. You have
not forgotten the benumbing sense OF
fear and dread and anger that struck
at every heart, and you have not for
gotten how. as If by common impulse
the arm of every loyal man was nerv-
ed to strike back the foul blow aimed
at the flag. You know how the hearts
of men beat faster, and how the very
atmosphere thrilled and grew tense
with the spirit of patriotism. and how
when the first call for troops came
men forgot everything else in the one
absorbing purpose to save the coun-
try.
1t could only be saved by fire no