The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-23
SATURDAY

million and a half of veterans Just
mustered out were thrown upon an
oyer-crowded. glutted labor market
swer that shall go laundering through
the ages.
We proved to the world that when
our country's summons called us from
farm, shop and mine. from store, office
ana school and sanctuary, we answer
ed the call of duty. That we did not
tight for greed of gold. or to win re-
noWn- That we had loved the peace OF
quiet ways. But that we had broken
the clasp of clinging arms. turned from
the DeW1tching glances Of tender eyes,
left goodbye kisses on tiny baby lips
10 look death in the face on bloody
desperate fields. only to save the
Union And now that the country was
saved we would quietly take up the
broken threads Of love and life as best
we could. And that the same love OF
country that had made good soldiers.
should make of us better citizens.
We came to Kansas! True the wilds
OF Kansas had been pictured to us as
peopled by wild beasts and wilder
brutal savages; but we came. We had
Vanqulshed misguided, but as brave
people as ever drew a sword, in their
enorts to break the Union Of these
states and to conquer the desert and
win IN the light against wild beasts and
saVages, were minor matters And 80
we came, a hundred and fifty thousand
OF us came. We brought our loved
ones and the courage of our convic-
tions with u.s. and Joining with the
noble pioneers we found here. we have
during all these years. labored for the
elevation OF the people. for the up-
building of the state, and for placing
ana keeping Kansas at the very front,
IN progress, mortality. and civic right
eoUsness- In this building we have
ever kept in mind the belief, that IL is
not wealth., nor energy, nor enterprise.
nor intelligence alone that can build
the state into sure greatness. but men.
only men with all these and with the
added fear Of God in their hearts
There was a time, when a majority
OF the voters of Kansas were veterans
OF the Union Army, and now though
our numbers have been decimated by
death to fifty thousand. or Iesss vet the
tact remains that a majority of the
citizenship of Kansas today, are men
who wore the Blue" and their de-
scendants So that a majority Of the
people of our state are personally in
terested in the erection of Memorial
Hall. from the standpoint of those who
gave, or offered their lives for their
country. But history in its every atom.
is memorial. and our State Historical
Society is in itself a Memorial Monu-
ment to the heroic, the splendid citi-
zenship of Kansas, that has paid THE
Price of the Prairie" That took these
prairies as we found them. peopled BY
wild beasts and wilder savages, and
made OF them the great state, that in
THIS Semi Centennial year of its his
tory has reached the van of this MIN
teenth Century. And so 1t matters not
from whence we have sprung. for
every man, woman and child in the
state, who appreciates the blessings
we have Joined in labors to secure. will
heartily approve the purpose of our
state Wide Reunion next week. recog-
nizing that it is probably our last At
least, that never again can we gather
in a reunion of veterans Of the Civil
War, at a time bringing to each Of US
so much joy, fraught with such vital
interests, or meaning so much in the
eDochs of the state. as the celebration
of this greatest anniversary that has
yet come to Kansas.
The summing up is this. That to the
citizen, to every man, woman and child
In the state, this Semi-CentenniaI year
brings a patriotic thrill that shall pro-
duce ecstatic delight when the crown
ing event is reached on Wednesday.
September 27. when William Howard
Taft, President of the United States.
with eloquent words. words betting
the history we have made. shall lay the
cornerstone Of the building now being
erected by the state, as a perpetual
memorial to the patriotic men who
gave their lives, or services for the pre-
servation of the Union, and to all those
who have laid deep the foundation
stones Of the great state Of Kansas.
GEO. A HURON.