The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-05-13
CIVIL WAR VETERANS TO
OBSERVE MEMORIAL DAY
With the Passage of Time
the Line Between the Old
Warriors is Being Draped
With Rosemary and Rue.
THE TENDERFOOT'S
WEEKLY SWING

The old soldiers of Roswell will oh.
4. seve Memorial Day on the Goth OF
May, with joint meeting, another
proof that with the passage of time
the line between the old warriors Is
being drapcd with rosemary and rue,
and the spirit that once led TO sep.
aratc gatherings on this day Of wide
significance is being softcncd and
chastened by time. 1t is well that IL
is so, for there will not bc so many
years in which it will be possible for
the two 10 join together in the dee.
oration of the graves of the silent
army and the recognition of the fact
that there was no real difference in
the patriotism of the Yankee and Con.
fcdcrate the time 10 conccde which
point is above all others on Memorial
and Decoration day. The idea of this
beautiful custom was first suggested
aud made IA great national holiday by
ten. John A. Logan. He was u
thoughtful man, swayed by sentiment
dent of the classics. He read much
and frequently referred to historic epi
sodes in his speeches
BY nas re Gen. Logan was inclined
Ia be heroic, aud 50 after the war
after reading much about the customs
Of the ancient Greeks in hOnoring then
rrs at annual festivals, it came 10 him
that il would be "A patriotic and popu
lar thing to likewise honor the dead
soldiers of our own country in a sim
liar way. lie held that TO decorate tn,
soldiers graves once a year in the
month of May with it's flowers ana
blooming splendor would awaken new
sentiments of loyalty and regard foI
the government among the people.
II was n fact, as he well knew, that
nearly every household had lost one oI
more members or relatives or dear
friends. Gen. Logan's inspiration
awoke n response in every heart and
his movement was soon organized and
made of national Importance, Grand
Army posts were established in every
section of the country. All agreed
that decorating the graves of soldiers
with flowers on the day appointed
would give the nation new life and b'
welcomed by all the people
> q But this is not all. The religious
at the bottom of the idea
of honoring the dead soldiers aud per
petuating the memory of their heroic
doeds made the day something highe
and nobler than anything known il
the days of the Greeks. Thus it cam'
about that Memorial day became thu
greatest of all our American holidays
II was a day for the bereaved to com
muno at the tombs of their honOre'
dead.
For many years, as we all know, tn
custom was an event--the most beau
tiful sacred and pathetic of our holi
days--but later on, rs the ranks o
the survivors grew thinner and tn
families who hal contributed so man.
lives to the war had passed away, tn
day became more like other holidays
day more noted for military parade
a day for games and picnics and hav
ing a good time generally, until nov
the general public are coming to loo
on Memorial day ~ an ordinary holi
LAY, like washington's Birthday o
the Fourth of July.
Had II not been for the deep re
ligious sentiment with prayers an
church services held in honor of tn
soldiers, Memorial day would forr
The beginning in all probability haV
been attended with the noise and dis
play of the Fourth of July. Forum
ateIy this religious sentiment has mad
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