Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-04

great stature Ia the view of all genera
tons by knowing no limit to their
manly willingness to serve. In armies
thus marshaled from the ranks of free
men you will see. as 1t were. a nation
embattlsd. the leaders and the led.
and may know. If you will, how little
except in form its action differs in
days Of peace from its action in days
of war
May we break camp now and be at
ease? Are the forces that fight for
the nation dispersed. disbanded, gone
to their homes, forgetful OF the com
mon cause? Are our forces disorganiZ-
ed, without constituted leaders and the
might of men consciously united be-
cause we contend not with armies, but
with principalities and powers and
wickedness In high places? Are we
content to lie stillf Does our union
mean sympathy, our peace content
ment, our vigor right action, our ma
turity self comprehension and clear
confidence in choosing what we shall
do? War fitted US for action and ac-
ton never ceases.
have been chosen the leader Of the
nation. l cannot Justify the choice by
any qualities Of my own. but so 1t has
come about, and here I stand. Whom
do command? The ghostly hosts
who fought upon these battlehelds long
ago and are gone? These gallant gen
| tlemen stricken in years, whose fight
Nhat~
What are the orders for them, and
who rallies them? have in my mind
| another host, whom these set free OF
civil strife in order that they might
work out In days Of peace and settled
order the life OF q great nation. That
host Is the people themselves, the great
! and the small, without class or differ
ence Of kind or race or origin and IN
divided in interest, If we have but the
vision to guide and direct them and
order their lives Alright in what we do
Our constitutions are their articles of
enlistment The orders Of the day are
the laws upon our statute books. What
| we strive for is their freedom. theiI
right to lift themselves from day to
day and behold the things they have
hoped for and so make way for still
better days for those whom they love
who are TO come after them. The re
cruits are the little children crOwding
in. The Quartermaster's stores are in
the mines and forests and fields, in the
shops AID factories. Every day some
thing must be done TO push the cam
paiSn forward. and it must be done by
plan and with an eye 10 some great
destiny.
How shall we hold such thoughts IL
our hearts and not be moved? ! would
not have you live even today wholly IL
the past. but would wish to stand will
you in the light that streams upon U;
now out of that great day gone by
Here is the nation God has builded by
our hands. What shall we do with il
Who stands ready to act again and oil
ways in the spirit of this day of re
union and hope and patriotic fervor
The day Of our country's life has bu
broadened into morning. Do not pu
uniforms by. Put the harness Of tn,
present on. Lift your eyes TO the Grea
tracts Of life yet TO be conquered il
the interest Of righteous peace, of tina
prosperity which lies in n people
hearts and outlasts all wars and OF
rors Of men. Come; let us be comradc
and soldiers yet to serve our fellow
men in quiet counsel. where the blair
of trumpets is neither heard nor heed
ed and where the things are don
which make blessed the nations Of til
world in peace and righteousness an
love.