Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1913-06-06

peace.
mo less, my friends, is the man in
the humble walks of life who assists
with his voice and vote in holding up
the hands Of the greater master in
thought. That humble man is pa
triot in peace.
"On that great, historic field Of
Gettysburg, July 4th, will assemble
the blue and the grey in joint re-
union. There they will recount the
deeds of yalor Of blue and gray alike,
and alike will they cheer, each, the
heroism of the other There will
they obliterate the old gulf between
them, and over that closed chasm
erect a monument with a scroll,
"E Pluribus Unum," and there will
they emblazen the final arch of uni
versal commemmoration with the
sanctlfed principles embodied in the
ultimate, universal brotherhood of
man.
History tells Of Cincinnatus, of
Washington, Of Grant, of Sherman, of
Sheridan, Of Lee, Of Longstreet, and
many others, whose names are right
eously enrolled in the temple Of
fame, but what of the millions who
barred their breasts to the shafts of
the enemy; who stood like the rock of
ages between their hearthstones and
their country's foes? They, who, in
that cyclone of war, that very mael-
strom of destruction, entered the SOL
itude OF death. And today, all over
this glorious land, many are sleeping
in unmarked, unknown and neglected
graves, over which no requiem is
ever chanted, save that of summers
gentle zephyr, or the discordant
revelry OF bowling winter. would
not be understood to underyalue the
great worth or deserving service of
the great generals of the republic;
nor would | omit one item from the
glowing tributes of respect paid them,
or pluck one star from the diadem of
their shining career. But in our
laudable enthusiasm for the great
leader let US not forget the debt Of
gratitude we owe to the rank and file, |
and today l would crown the un-
known and neglected grave with |
choicest garlands and in due season
plant the sweet Forget-me-nots as a
lasting tribute of our love.
There is no nation on the face
OF this earth that can point with more
pride to the heroism of our citizen
soldiery than we. There has been no
war in history of this republic where
In the armament of our national life
was not as literally sown with deeds /
Of heroism and of glory as the neav-
ems with stars Yet no clash of
American arms was ever heard, ex-
'ept in defense of humanity. The /
smoke of battle never rose from fair
america except in defense of right, L
md the perpetuity of our free insti-
utions, The American saber never {
lashed in the sunlight to spill
lrop of human blood except in de- {
ense of the helpless, the oppressed {
" the home and hearthstone.
We have always been people a
Who dreaded war; who would avoid
if we could But when the home /
5 threatened and our inalienable t
lights invaded, then it is that the {
eacelul citizen is transformed into +
gallant soldier; the soldier into a a
alient hero, who defantly faces the {
annon's mouth and brayely walks q
light into the jaws OF death. There O
; only one exception to that rule, and
his exception is found in our own
md 1t is this A braggart in
eace is most always a coward in
ar.
Let us so forth to tue tombs
here rest the sacred ashes of our