The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-06-03

departed heroes. and reiterate our
praise of the little band of veterans
who remain. Memorial Day S ands
for the coronation Of the common
American soldier, and the great ideals
for which he offered his service and
sacrifice on the altar OF his country.
1t is now half century since the
clash OF arms resounded in the Vir-
ginian fields and opened the most de-
structive and momentous conflict OF
modern times. Bitter was the con-
flict, for the great Rebellion was per-
haps the fiercest war that has ever
shaken the earth. Long ago Gods
grass healed over the scars that the
cannon balls had made but still the
southern hillsides are billowy with
our country's dead. Among our peo-
pie the month of May is dedicated TO
he memory of these brave men. liv-
ing and dead, and we do well to cele-
brate their victories
Nothing educates like emergencies,
and the memories thereof. The meas
ure of nations wealth is not In gold.
but rather in the number of just bat
ties it has fought, and the righteous
victories it has won. That nation is
greatest that has the greatest number
OF great events to celebrate.
Savaees have no Fourth of July, for
they have never wrestled against tyr
amy and conquered. Indians have no
I4incoln's birthday. because they have
no power to create hero. They
have no decoration OF graves because
they never had host of patriots
struggling unto blood in behalf OF
their convictions.
1t has been wisely suggested that
history assemblies the soul-treasures
of nation. even as great exposl-
ton gathers its material riches.
Who OF you here today cannot see the
force of this analogy? Walking
through some great Worlds Fair like
the one in Paris or at St. Louis, one
gazes with admiration and astonish'
ment at the riches collected. What
architecture. What books. and what
,. wisdom in them. What looms. and
presses What ships, and engines!
1t seems as if the genius of all inven-
tive minds has been swept together ID
Il single city And not otherwise is 1t
with the history of our Civil War
That crisis produced great men, W
course it wrought no miracles. but II
developed the latent possibilities OF
men so that those who had otherwise
never been hailed as great were forced
into that honorable company. The
emergencies put men on their mettle'
and led forth the best that was IN
them That war that filled the whole
horizon with the smoke of battle, gave
the world two of the six greatest sol
d,ers of all time; it gave US one of the
worlds six greatest statesmen, Abra-
ham Lincoln. 1t gave us three OF the
greatest inspirational orators that the
republic has producer. Indeed,
should not be surprised If some his
torian were to call the roll Of one
hundred men whose names lend dis
tinction to the pages of history dur
ing the past three centuries, If half
these names belonged to the epoch
that eliminated with the war very
important therefore are these nation
al anniversaries, recalling the past
and giving continuity to our history.
They make US touch hands with
generation of heroes!
Great battles and wars like noun
|, tains, need perspective. Distance
lends enchantment to small eVents'
to large events it gives proportion
One can never understand the bulk
of these mighty mountains so long as
he remains here in the canon. Some
cleft in the rock-ribbed hills, to the
wide-stretching plains yonder. AS
looked back the whole series of sky
piercing peaks greeted my vision, and
I then really sensed the size and SUD-
Unity of the mighty Rockies. Away
yonder to the south was that gigantic
wall of granite and iron with the
bastion and tower at one end, named
Pixies Peak, while far off toward the
north Longs Peak stood out as
watchful sentinel silhouetted against
the sky-a mighty sentinel, guarding
the rich valleys at it's feet.
1t is even SO with the great Broth
ers War" Now that fifty years are
passed we are far enough away 10
understand it's message and its mean
ing. At that time surely the most
tar-seeing could not find an interpre-
tation for the long, long conflict!
How terrible was the waste of hui
man life! What needless destruction
ct>towns and cities! Has man no bet
ter use for his brother than to run
him through with iron and cover him
with earth? At first the tide ran
against the Federal cause at Bull Run
ard the North cried out: Hath God
forgotten the cause Of the poor and
Weak-the cause of the slave?" Al
Gettysburg Meade turned back Lees
victorious host, and theDceforth the
wave of battle, flecked with fire. rolled
southwards. For four long, terrible
years the battle ragged on, and now
at last we have the true perspective
The smoke has cleared. and at last
the peaks stand forth. We begin now
to understand things that were long