The Republican journal., 1912-06-06


Memorial Day is always day of
mingled pleasure and pain; pleasure, be-
cause it comes in the spring of the year
when all nature is awakening to life, and
the birds sing the loudest, the flowers
smell the sweetest, and everything
speaks of hope and promise; pain, be.
cause on this day we plant flowers DER
the graves of those who gave up their
lives during the dark days of the war
and who since have passed into the
great beyond, and all hearts are sadden-
ed with the memories of their suffering
and sorrow.
But above all the pleasure and pain,
there arises one great and mas nlicent
sentiment that stirs each and ail of US to
nobler and lofti' r thoughts, and incites
US to better and nobler lives, and that is
patriotism, the love of country which on
this day, above all other days, stirs and
moves the American heart. If no other
lesson than this were taught by the cee-
bration of this day, the reason and cause
for its existence would be sufficient. Boys
and girls of today learn to love the Stars
and Stripes from the lessons of the dead
heroes whose memories we honor; and
until the last white-haired old soldier is
laid away to rest, l trust the observance
of Memorial Day will not be forgotten in
this fair land Of ours.
Yes! Long after the last hero has
gone, may the day still be observed and
the lessons of their lives still be incul-
Gated in the minds of aspiring youth.
| am not going to speak with you to-
day as to what might have been the re-
suit if the Stars and Stripes had not been
victorious through that bitter contest,
and the patriotism of the North con-
quered the rebellion of the South 1t is
not my purpose to inquire whether or not
we should have becor dependent of
some foreign nation; or whether we
should have been divided into separate
add Individual kingdoms, each with it's
own particular form of government: or
whether we should have been Republic
still with the slave-holding States in
power and the curse of slavery planted
throughout the entire length and breadth
of the nation; or whether chaos would
have reigned by half a dozen foreign
nations anneNing different parts of our
country to their domains. These are
speculative questions only, possible dan
gers that the men of 1861 saved our
country from.
What We do know is that out of the
strife and turmoil and anguish and suf-
ferlng CT that war came the most glori-
Gus, noblest and best nation that has ever
been known since history began. Other
nations may have been as rich and pros
perous other countries may have had as
rich and fertile soil, other people may
have been as intelligent and enterprising
as our own, other governments may have
of floI ~ HI E,
the institutions Of society; but no coun-
has prospereC, or had a people so gen
orally happy, cOntented and industrious,
with a government in which each and
every person participates and in which
every voter is an independent sovereign.
We hold that most dear which costs US
most. The greater the suffering in any
undertaking, the greater the resultant
happiness. The mother loves her child,
giving birth to whom she faced the mys-
terry Of death. The father fights for that
mother and child, and by the sweat of
his brow, builds up a home to shelter
them; and when once il is completed,
finds his greatest happiness in the memo
ries of the struggles through which he
passed. This noble country of ours, which
was baptized in the blood of Northern
and Southern soldiers fifty years ago,
and which came out of it vigorous and
strong and powerful, is an object of
great pride and love and reverence, be-
cause it has cost so much.
Again, time assnages every grief, it
takes the sting from every wound. The
men of the North have forgiven; the
men of the South have forgotten. 1t is
one country now, with one flag and one
people. United, we can bid defiance to
the armies of the world. United. we
have a country whose people will work
their influence upon the destiny of the
whole world. Our career as a nation is
unlimited in its possible grandeur and
magnifcence. We have the natural re-
sources, the geographical position, the
intelligence, the strength, the vigor, the
industry, The inventive genius, and the
pure blood to make US superior to any
other people.
But to carry out our destiny and our
mission in this world, we must be true to
high ideals, and it is of these ideals
wish to speak to you briefly this after
noon.
l. We must be true to the principle
of self-government. Let no man or body
VI illCli L1ihC IlolIi ESOplC lBSlllSSl,Ve Cd
the control of their affairs. The nearer
we keep to the rule of the people, the
better the government will be. 1t is the
fashion among certain powerful and rich
people to say that the people are not fit
for self government. No greater fallacy
was ever uttered. 1t is true that all
men are not created equal, and that some
have greater strength and some greater
brain power than others; but the aver
age American citizen measures up 10 the
highest level of humanity; and you let
all the people of this country, the rich
and the poor, the capitalist and the work.
ing man, and the high and the low,
thoroughly understand any great ques-
ton that concerns their government or
themselves, and majority of all the
people will decide that question right.
1t is true that there are agitators and
men who lead the procession, and whose
ideas are very much in advance of the
times. 1t is equally true that the people
sometimes appear to be swayed by pas
sion and excitement, as when the Battle
ship Maine was sunk in Havana Harbor
and cry Of war went up throughout the
length and breadth of the land; but
among all our people was great, strong,
conservative, silent thinking body of
men and women who knew what war
meant and who hesitated in urging the
final step. They were lead by the Presi-
dent, who himself had fought with you
in the war Of 1861 and who realized