Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-04-26
Among their ranks each CLEAN the

/ risen
To greet the spirit of one who's
night
On earth has closed; whose flesh bar
red prison
Has ope'd its door and let the soul
Pass upward to it's destined goal.
Onward they press, the fiery tide
That meets their front lays low tn,
| pride
Of many a hearth; still on they
| sweep,
Till on the strong embattled steep
| They meet the foe, and hand te
| hand,
In fierce and desperate confiici
stand,
Then DER the opposing ramparts
leap;
No earthly power can backward
keep,
The immortal band that dare
To plant the starry banner there
The rebels fell back to an inter-
ior line Of rifle pits and we held the
works we had taken.
Speaking of the part played by
the private soldier in the War OF
the Rebellion, distinguished orator
has said: 1--WE may not forget that
many an humble individual inspired
by purpose pure and noble, has
striven manfully against great odds
and without hope of other reward
than that of an approving consci-
ence. 1t is only in the seclusion of
the family circle or in the hearts
of a few firm friends that these
humble individuals receive the hom-
age which is their due and the tri-
butte of love which gratitude alone
can give. For all time the projec-
tors of great things, the leaders and
prominent actors of the world have
received the homage of their fellow
men; their lives have been filled
with the fragrance of their own good
deeds and of the emoluments and
honors which have been showered
upon them" 1t is the custom when
persons who have rendered great
public services yield up their lives,
to accord to them every need of
praise their services merit, and
when men and women have lowered
above their fellows in bravery.
charity and sacrifice pass away, an
appreciative people are swift to rec
ognize their worth and to- pour out
libations of love. In the halls of
legislation their achievements are
rehearsed by eloquent tongues,
panegyrics are pronounced from pull
pit and platform, in the parlors of
the wealthy, by the fireside of the
lowly, in homely phrase, the COM
mon people talk of the distinguished
dead and tell to each other the
story of their lives. Stately and
costly funeral trains convey the EN-
balmed body and richly draped cas-
ket with all its elaborate adorn-
ments to the beautiful mausoleum
which awaits its reception. Great
cities contend with each other for
the honor of providing burial
place for their bodies, costly monu-
ments are erected to their memory
and their tombs become the shrines
of a grateful people. History has
great things to say of Moses, Alex
ander, Marlborough and Frederick,
who is called ''The Great" of Ma
poleon and Wellington the Iron
Duke.''
l once saw noble monument in
the heart of London, erected in
memory of England's great naval
hero Lord Nelson. l have stood at
the base of another, in the capital of
our own country, erected in honor of
the father of his country. I have
gazed in wonder upon the splendid
Egyptian obelisk in Central park,
called Cleopatra needle, with its
vertical lines of incused hierogly-
phics, shaft of enduring substance
which has defied the ravages of time
and beat back the storms of cen
turies, noble tribute to the genius
of once great people. 1t has been
my privilege to stand beside magni-
ficent statutes of Jackson, Lincoln
and Grant, shafts of fame worthily
put up by their fellow citizens, but
/ think the most significant and com
prehensive of all that / have ever
seen is that which came 10 us from
France, which looks upward and out
ward from New York harbor. lib
erty enlightening the world. II
stands for a great worldwide prin
ciple, and grandly represents the
common soldier of the Revolution
and the Rebellion, by whose proves
the seeds of liberty were planted
to be plucked when they shall have
developed into ripened fruit upoi
every part of this American contin
ent,