The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-06-07
PATRIOTIC PEOPLE PAY
TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD
From Thursdays Daily.

MemOrlal Qay ceremonies were
carried out at Sibley park this after
noon following an auto parade in
which the members of the Woman's
Relief corps and Wilkin Post, Grand
Army of the Republic, were con-
spicuous. The autos were hand
somely and tastefully decorated for
the occasion. The parade formed
at Jackson and Second street and
the machines covered the route that
was published in The Free Press
yesterday. John Holman, president
of the Automobile club had charge
of the parade.
This is the thirtieth observance of
Memorial day in Mankato. When
at first Wilkin post began to dec
crate the graves of their dead COM
rades the number that slept in
silent tOmbs were few. Now the
number has grown and several com.
mittees are assigned each Memorial
day to place wreaths on the mounds
that have been raised above the
dust OF the heroic dead. Today
these graves were decorated by
loving hands.
Formation of Parade.
The parade formed at the corner
OF Jackson and Second streets at
1:3O this afternoon President John
H. Hohmann, of the Automobile
club headed the parade, which form
ed in sections. Members of Com
pany H and Professor Frey's band
followed, while M. d. Fritz drove
the automobile carrying Rev. Hobbs,
and daughter, Mrs. Fritz, who pre-
sided at the services.
Before the parade started, Milton
Hanna, who had charge of the
parade as far as members of the
q. A. r. were concerned, stated to
The Free Press that a $40 reward
would be offered to the person Civ
ing information leading to the ar
rest and conviction of the parties
who tore down the decorations on
the stand and at the entrance of
Sibley Park. This act is unseemly,
and when it is considered that the
decorations were for the members
of the G. A. r. and Woman's Relief
Corps, it seems that only those
without mind could have committed
such an act.
Large Attendance at Park.
There was a large attendance at
the exercises which were carried out
at Sibley park. Business houses,
offices, banks, etc., were closed out
of respect to the memory of the
dead. Mrs. M. d. Fritz presided and
in a few words explained the pur-
pose of Memorial day.
The program carried out was as
follows:
Invocation. Rev C. B. Osgood
"Tenting Tonight" .............
........... Professor Freys Band
General Logan's Order No. II.
............ Comrade ]. G. Fowler
patriotic Medley" ..............
........... West Mankato School
Reading of General Orders. .....
.......... .Adjutant Steiphenhofer
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Song ...............M essrs. Grit
fifth, Schroeder, Jones and Hughes
Address. Rev. r. w. Hobbs |
Hanging of Wreath for Unknown
Dead. Mrs. c. H Nerbovig
Hanging of Wreath for Spanish
War Heroes. Mrs. E. w. Foster |
............Pr Professor Frey's Band |
AooreSS ny Kew. HOLDS.
The address of the day was de-
livered by Rev. r. w. Hobbs, pas
tor of the Baptist church. He said |
in part
This is one of the sacred days
of the American. We have many
holidays, but this day should be OBJ
served as a holy day. The wide
extent of it's Obervance indicates
the greatness of the Civil war Every
hamlet and village and city of the
North felt it's touch.
Long is the list of those we should
remember on this day. The martyrs
% the great principles of liberty, who
n behalf of their beliefs laid down
heir lives in the years preceding
he Civil war, should be enrolled
The death of Lovejoy at Alton is a
Ease in point.
when the battles red tide swept
,ver the nation hosts of our choio-
sst men were overwhelmed by it.
Most of these were after all but
boys. Let us not forget them,
Sleeping the years of their man
rood away
I'm this list also belong those
struck down by disease and weak
less, who died within the walls of
he hospitals and southern prisons. ,
Theirs too was the patriot spirit.
"The unknown dead! Behold the {
,raves which no man names or s
,nows; ,
'Uncounted graves, which never {
can be found; {
Sraves Of the precious missing,
where no sound I
If tender weeping will be heard, t
where goes {
10 loving step of kindred-Oh, how {
flows Y
md yearns our thought to them! 8
Tribute For The Women. c
Incomplete would the roster be i
Without a tender thought for the I
eroic women through whose sac $
ifcial work that the men wrought s
ut was made possible. f
Here too belong the later dead, /, f
1ho in the effort to free Cuba from
er wrongs, showed that the brave h
lood of the sires still runs warm q
yithin the sons. I
Each year since that awful strife +
larks an increasing growth of the ="