Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-07-02
SECRETARY Of WAR
GREETs VETERANS
CONTINUED From Page oneJ

what they did Before the war Wc
were loosely connected band oi
communities. W. emerged from " a
firmly weldod-together nation
we must recall that the settlers
of our country came from all parts
OF the world. actuated By no COM
mon impulse and associated for no
common purpose. that the tohrtitu-
ton Was without model and "a
the Inception h loosely bound 10
gether thirteen cOmmonWcalths that
had little Ia common excepting the
necessity Of combinations AGAINST an.
atty, almost ~ necessity. became
seif-ccntored and communication
and commerce in those DAYS Ras sol
slight that there VAS little iutcrcom
munion Of any sort between tho poo
pie Of the different sections Of the
land.
AT the time ~ the Ciyil War this
great. wonderful experiment in self
government was only ~ years old.
and up 90 that time each community
had busted Itself with great cnergy
to develop - own resources and in',
crease IT, own strength and moana
So busy WAS each community iu
those pioneering days that. nh1tcvor
the inclination might have boon.
there Was little time pr opportunity
for mutual consultation and effort
And then the time for the newt.
able arrived Those Who honestly
believed that the lnitcd states VAS
q voluntary association of lndcpond
ent sovereign states. met in irroprr'.
siblc conflict those who honestly nc-
llcyed that tho United states was an
indissoluhlc union of otherwise in-
dependent states. Each side. Win
an the carncsiuosH of those who's"
hearts. minds aud ronsricnrrs ~
committed 10 au ideal sought 80
mold the government 10 their rraprc
tive views There was no earthly ri
bunal before which this great issu"
could be- tried and determined The
arbitramout OF arms alone remained
THE war that followed had mo- clc.
mont of wantounosg. or aeErandilc.
ment. or lust at gain and no men of
purer spirit ever lived than those
who wagcd II upon the respcctiv"
IA H.. - ia. 10 a.
ginning. like n loosely tied together
bundle Of iaggois. aud NJ ~ ondA
and when the wounds of II had been
healed, II left great sturdy branch
cs Of intense vitality firmly attached
To H. Hence. whatever ones Views
may have been upon the righteous
ness of the issue. Wholesome respect
~ those of each side must be render
ed Such q gathering ~ this We
have Witnessed today would not 9th
crwisc have been possible
~ is through pain that We attain
anything Of value n was through
pain that this nation found itself.
aud. upon tho great foundation thus
secured and established proceeded Ia
advance with giant strides to tho
forefront of the nations OF the earth
Can We not today penetrated as
We are 10y the deep spiritual meaning
of this impressive gathering, surely
say that it was worth 1t all, that
those silent martyrs lying forever
cnshrincd upon this field. did not die
In vain. that YOU who at the front
bore the storm and stress OF that
great conflict. and those who waited
In trembling anxiety AT home and
bore the woe and agony of suspense
aud uncertainty. did not suffer In
vain? Can We not truly say that uu.
~ this people had withstood some
such stress as this. there was mo- as.
suranco that this first great expert
mcnt of the ability OF men 10 govern
Themselves was surely successful
Shrink from the facts as We may.
do they not prove their ease Would
We within. or those who stood doubt
iuE without. ever have felt the as
surancc which Is now felt DO We
not know that those whom the God of
Nations hath Joined together. no man
can put asunder'
Apart from the deep significance
which your meeting has. and from
the important page which II will nll|
In history. Is il not good for YOU as
individuals to be- here today Your
last memories of this field will over
lay the earlier ones. u will mol
longer picture itself iu your memo
ries a. a field of carnage and suffer
iuE and woe, but field OF smiling
faces and happy hearts and great
JOYS And go the picture will go
forth 10 the Nation. and Do viii TO-.
inicc with YOU. and the whole world
viii realize that not only has gov
erumont of the people. by the people.
aud for the people not persisted from
the earth. but that IL will not ever
perish"