Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-31
.FEELEY SPEAKS
AT THE ARSENAL
Former Leader of Iowa House
of Representatives Delivers
Grafton.
THE MEANING OF THE WAR
Impressive Memorial Exercises Are
Conducted in Honor of the
Soldier Dead.

dead, who fought for the union during
the Civil war, and in honor of all dead
soldiers of the United States, we're
held yesterday afternoon at the Rock
Island arsenal.
Inc services this year were held I'M
der the auspices of the August Wentz
post of the G. A. r. of Davenport. The
most active work in making the ar
rangements this year, however, was
done by the younger generations and
the members of affiliated patriotic
bodies of Davenport.
A special train carried the veterans
OF the Grand Army, the Sons of Vet
Grams, Ladies of the G. a. R., the Wo-
mems Relief Corps, Spanish War Vet
Grams, Company B, Sons of the Amer
lean Revolution and Daughters of the
American Revolution, all of the affil-
lated organizations cooperating in the
observance of Memorial day. The
train left the Rock Island depot in
Davenport shortly afternoon and went
to Moline, from which place the vet
Grams and others proceeded to the ar
senal with the Rock Island and Moline
bodies.
FEELEY SPEAKS.
The principal address of Memorial
day was delivered by Guy A. Feeley of
Waterloo, former speaker of the Iowa
house of representatives and we'll
known in the tri-cities.
| Mr.. Feeley traced the growth of free
dom from the earliest times down to
the Civil war and the period following
| the war. Then he continued in sub
stance as follows:
In days of old, it was customary in
many nations to journey annually to
the grave of some fallen hero, there
to receive new inspiration and to
/ swear again their allegiance to their
country's cause. In this spirit we
come to the graves of our departed
| soldiers to pledge anew our fidelity
| to the principles of human liberty and
freedom, and while these men have
gone from our midst, we will strive
to emulate their virtues and to keep
their memory green in our hearts un
til time shall be no more.
But once since the Civil war has ouI
record for peace been married and that
was during the Spanish-Americau
war. 1t was of short duration and
was marked by many brilliant deeds
of valor and heroism. Again there
came the bugle call to arms and as
in 81 many more than the required
number responded This war has
been of too recent occurrence for the
people to realize it's true significance
The Spanish-American war will g
down in history as one great wal
fought only for the sublime cause o
humanity and the freeing OF a race
race which had struggled helplessl!
for 10 years against a tyrannica
usurper.
NO MORE SECTIONALISM.
Among those volunteers were man!
of the veterans of the Civil war; be
side them marched a younger genera
ton, a large per cent of whom were
the sons of veterans, and side by sid
the sons of the north and the sons o
the south marched up the hills of Sal
Juan, they fought shoulder to shout
der at Ell Caney, together they manned
the guns at the naval battles of San
tiago and Manila bay. To the United
States this war had a special signifi
canoe. In these camps and on the bat
tlefields, the sons of veterans of tn
north and south, by their acquaint
ance and true knowledge of each other
cemented a friendship of the two sec
tions of this nation which absolutel.
wiped out, and forever, the Mason ant
Dixon line. A sectional warfare ca
never occur again in the Unitel
States. The 49th Iowa volunteer res
iment of which l was member, W.
Irrigated with the Fourth Virginia an,
their friendship became so warm tina
as the one regiment would give ava
to let the other pass in marching, tn
southern band would strike up "Yar
kee Doodle" and the norm would ans
wer with Dixie Land7 and they ha'
button made to illustrate the fee
ing between them on which were tn
clasped hands of everlasting friend
ship, and above, blending the number
and the names of these regiment
were written: THE 49th Virginia an
the 4th Iowa"
would feel that I had been VI
grateful if / did not pause long enougl
to compliment those present for tn
patriotic interest which they hav
taken in this day and especially tn
enthusiasm with which these chi
dren have gathered here, for fror
their ranks must come the leaders o
the nation in the future. And espe
cially are the Grand Army of the Re-
! public, the ladies' auxiliaries, the oil
ganization of the Sons OF Veterans. tn
Spanish war veterans, to be thanke
and complimented for their unririn
efforts today in making these cert
monies so beautiful and impressive
The special duty of these organization
! is to keep warm in the hearts OF n
American people the patriotic yea
which has been fired by the noble a.
amples of these old gray-haired vel
Grams.
HONOR THE DEAD SOLDIERS.
Our nation is standing today wit
uncovered heads to pay tribute TO In
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