The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-06-06

Engrossed as we are in the actici-
ties of business and profession and
in the pursuit of the almighty dol
lar. it is meet and fitting that we
occa sionally pause to reflect upon the
blessings which we now enjoy and
to pay proper tribute to the ones
who made such blessings possible.
In these times when the mad rush
for wealth. power and position has
become almost an ALA absorbing pas
sion with our people, it is well that
we have made an established part
of our national life this wholesome
custom of stopping for one day in
the year the great wheels of Ameri-
can activity to rejoice in the suprcm-
acy and the grandeur of that nation
al life. 1t shows that the power of
money and enervation of pleasure
have not and cannot extinguish the
fires of American patriotism. 1t
shows that above the despotism of
the dollar is the despotism of duty.
L shows that. however much faction
and discomfort may rise up among
our people and rankle in their hearts
yet when common danger con-
fronts us. when national peril
threatens us, factions will be for
gotten. differences will disappear.
and North and South. Federal and
Confederate alike. beneath the silk
en- folds of the Stars and the Stripes
will march shoulder to shoulder in
defense of a common country.
This gathering here today. which
has so generously responded to the
promptings of patriotism. is especial
ly fortunate in being largely re-
cruited from the ranks of the COM
mon schools. 1t is indeed bright
and suspicious omen for the nations
future when the children of our pub
lie schools, the youngest of our citi-
zens. with the eagerness and the zeal
of grizzled veterans, partake in the
festivities Of occasions like this and
ponder upon the lessons of sacrifice
and of patriotism SO grandly taught
by the soldiers of the Civil War.
Upon you. the children of today.
rests the responsibility of the flu
ture. The welfare of the nation and
the destiny of the Republic will soon
be confided to your care. Import
ant. then. it is that you of the ris-
ing generation realize and apprecia te
Your relations and your responsible
ties to the government of your coun-
try. Important. then. it is that You
honor and rever that government
and respect and obey it's laws And
there is no more effective method
of intoxicating such respect and ODE
dience than the observance of occa-
sions like this, when we recall the
trials and the triumphs, the victo-
ries, defeats, the struggles and the
sacrifices, of both the Blue and the
Gray, the defenders and the foes,
wisdom from their devotion to their
ideals and their loyalty to their chos-
en- cause
The patriotism of our people, and
especially the patriotism of our
youth, vitality underlies and deter
mines the character and the perma-
hence of our national life; for upon
the whole people. upon all classes and
upon all conditions, rests the destiny
of the Republic. We need not alone
the patriotism of the battlefield. but
the patriotism of every day life, the
patriotism of toll. the patriotism of
sacrifice.
| When we think of patriotism. we
enter the realm of subject sacred
as liberty itself Indeed, patriot
ism is the foundation and the safe
guard. the beginning and the glory.
of all liberty. Its rise marks the