Arizona republican., 1910-01-02
The Watcher in the Desert Motto: To See theSunrise to Greet theComing Good"

II of the men and women who helped to make it grows keener and that their names will be remembered and honored.
 Sixty men responded to the call of the day, notable group. whose lives are part of the story of south- ern Arizona The secretary, Col. Sid- ney R. De Long. had just celebrated his Slst birthday, and forty seven years of that long span of life were spent in Arizona. The newly elected president Prof w. P Blake, knew Arizona first more than fifty years ago. when her name was yet un- chosen, ard there was hardly dream of her place among the states.
 Every name on the roll call brought to mind some page of past history. and yet it is of the spirit of the gathering rather than it's detail that l would speak. Because the day must of necessity have much of sad ness. memories of faces gone and questionings of which will be missed another year, the pioneer women of | Tucson organized an auxiliary. with the one purpose of brightening by some pleasant festivity the .end of the day.
 When the business session was over the pioneers came in a body to the
 home of one of the ladies, Mrs. Knox Corbett, and there with music and stories of old days. and a luncheon l of old-time dishes. the larger purpose of the organization was made mani- ' fest.
 Not only the holding fast to history but the holding fast to comradeship; the renewal of old ties that have loosened: the drawing closer of friends near at hand As the ranks thin, it l is good to close up, to stand shoulder to shoulder. It is good to pass on to the future a true story of the past; it is better to pass on it's large friendliness, it's charity that helped | first and asked questions afterward. its justice that generally hit the mark.
 l We need. we should have. in every ] city. and town, and camp in Arizona, a pioneers society. . simple banding 1 together for friendliness. for help in time of trouble. for closer comrade- ship with the living. It need not be a burdensome thing of laws and of- i ficers. and due, but just a league of | good fellowship. with some one day set for the gathering together and | brushing the dust off of old mem- ories and wreathing half-forgotten
 names with the flowers of apprecia- 1 ton.
 l Every part of Arizona has it's pio- neers. and it is to be earnestly hoped that before another 29th of December there will be many little groups ready ! to meet together and enjoy that fine friendship which only comes of mu- tual danger and hardship shares and of mutual sympathy in joy or sor- row. It would only need attendance at one such gathering as this annual session of the pioneers to prove the deep and lasting pleasure of the as- sociation
 There is a very charming coinci- dence in the fact that the official flower of Arizona. confirmed by an act of the legislature. is the exquisite, 1 waXen-white blossom of the giant cactus. the saguarro, and the official emblem of the Arizona pioneers is a many -armed giant cactus. The design was chosen by Col. ] Charles D. Poston. poet and scholar, ! anu <tIlLOHd llTSt utltBdtt lO COn- gress. and represents particular | cactus with curiously curved arms | which stood about three miles out , from Tucson on the wagon road to | Fort Bowie.
 l In the years of Apache warfare. the 1 traveller nearing Tucson watched eagerly for this tall landmark, and | felt himself within the line of safety when it was reached The design ap- pears in the center of the pioneer ! flag, and again in the center of the 1 crimson silk badges, and in the sil- yer pin worn by the ladies of the auxiliary.
 Oddly enough, there is another sen- ! tinel saguarro still standing green and ! tail, one straight column rising from cleft high in the grim jaws of the canyon opening down to old La Paz, on the government road from La Paz and Ehrenberg past Tyson Wells to Wickenburg It, too, was a mark be- tween safety and danger. and 'he-e are probably other such long known | sentinels in other places. It seems peculiarly appropriate. and thing for congratulations. that Ar:- zona has made such enb,ematic use of this strangely beautiful and or iginal cactus which has been the feature of her landscape most re- marked upon by travellers since the earliest times.
 It is to be hoped that this emblem of the pioneers will become .he per manent badge of all suc'i societies that may be. formed in Arizona.