The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-05-30

erS OF tle Union army Dul was "a
ceptionally popular with his soldiers
enough Of whom are still living to in
sure lavish offerings of flowers on
each recurring holiday, without any
dependence whatever upon expressions
Of gratitude from a rising generation
However, there is yet another incen'
tive, quite aside from this common
patriotic impulse, which goes to ex
plain this exceptional floral tribute to
General Logan, and which makes II
seem especially appropriate. This is
found in the fact, all too often over
looked, that General Logan was the
founder Of Memorial day, as we OBJ
serve it in the present era. The claim
is made, apparently with perfect war
rant, that the fundamental idea OF
Memorial day originated in the south
where a number of kind-hearted wom-
en- inaugurated, Immediately after the
close of the war, the prictice Of devot-
ing some chosen day in the spring to
the decoration with flowers of the
graves Of the fallen oldiers-Federal
and Confederate alike.
To General Logan, though, belongs
the credit of establishing Decoration
day in May as a definite, fixed, annual
event of uniform observance in the
great majority of the states of the
Union. There had been no general
celebration and no fixed date until in
1868 General Logan, then acting as
commander-in-chief of the Grand Army
of the Republic, took the initiative and
issued an order fixing May so as the
date for the annual Memorial day eX-
ercises and calling upon every G. A. R.
post in the country to engage in fit
ting ceremonies and scatter tokens of
regard over the last resting places
Of their former comrades in arms.
1t is predicted that ere many years
there will be general adoption through
out the country of the practice, already
introduced in some places, of reading
IN connection with every Memorial day
program the original order of General
Logan instituting this event, which has
become such an important one on our
calendar Such plan would, of course,
follow the example Of the general Gus
tom of reading the Declaration Of In
dependence in connection with Fourth
of July exercises. For the present,
however, General Logan's recognition
In this connection consists in special
services at his tomb, and, as has been
explained an exceptional profusion Of
flowers, many Of the latter in the form
Of elaborate designs suggestive of
notable events in his military career.
The last resting place of General Lo-
gan is admirably chosen with refer
ence to opportunities for keeping
green the memory of this fiery war
rior. The body of General Logan lies
in a handsome private vault, occupying
the most prominent place in the ma
tional cemetery connected with the
United States Soldiers home, near
Washington, D. c. Among the thou
sand inmates of the home are a num-
Der Tho fought under General Logan,
and naturally it is a work Of love for
them to see to 1t that his tomb bears
evidence of the undying admiration
of his boys" of half a century ago,
At the Soldiers Home cemetery the
veterans do most of the scattering of
flowers on Decoration day, there not
being sufficient children on hand, as a
rule, to place blossoms on so many
graves. But the posies which the
soldiers carry to the Logan tomb are
by no means the only ones that come
thither on this festival Of remem-
brance. Floral designs are sent from