The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-06-09
WATERFOWL man.
GIVES ADDRESS.
Tribute Paid the Star SpdnQled
Banner by Col. P.
H. Swift.

The following is a synopsis of the
brief address made by Col. P. H
Swift of this city at the Memorial
day services at Eau Claire:
"The Star-Spangled Banner, long
may it wave, Ger the land of the
free and home of the brave
The tongue of an orator and the
genius of poet, is necessary to dc
justice to the flag We all love and
honor, and which has had SO much
to dc with the history of the world
since it became the ensign of our ma
ton. Under it's folds and protection
millions of the oppressed from across
the ocean have found an asylum
where they could establish homes,
educate their children and become
identified in the social and political
affairs of the nation. We are all de-
scendants either remote or near of
those who, loving liberty, left their
homes in the old world that they
might enjoy the greatest gift vouch-
safed to man, an heritage which he
could bequeath to his children and
descendants for all time
The history Of the flag will be OF
interest to all, especially the young.
At the beginning of the revolution
which freed this country from British
tyranny, the patriots had no ensign
to give them patriotic inspiration and
under which, they could achieve vic
tory. The continental congress ap-
pointed a committee to design a flag,
which in due time reported, recon-
mended the Stars and Stripes and
their report was adopted and the
flag we honor today, became the flag
OF the nation. A woman in Phila-
delphia was commissioned to carry
into effect the recommendation of
congress and she spun, wove and
dyed the material which entered
into the flag which led the half
starved ill-clothed continental army
to victory, after seven years of war
against a rich and powerful nation,
in which, thousands of patriots gave
The White in the flag is emblematical
of Peace and Purity; the Blue, of Lib
erty and Equality; the Red, war, if
necessary to maintain our indepen-
dence; the field, the unity of the
colonies, thirteen in number now the
forty-eight states which constitutes
the federal union, the United States
of America.
Every citizen should honor our
flag and at all times be ready to
make sacrifices to defend it. Should
the time ever come, that by reason of
the absence of patriotism the flag is
neglected or forgotten, the nation will
disintegrate and our liberty be jeo-
pardized, if not wholly lost; hence
the necessity of educating the young
and instilling in their minds love for
"Old Glory" and all for which it
stands, Liberty and Equality for
every man, woman and child in our
beloved land, now and forever. And
the teachers in the schools in this
city are entitled to great commenda-
tion for preparing memorial exer-
cises in their respective schools.
Cardinal Manning said: 'Give me
the first seven years of childs life
and the world may have the re-
mained," for the lessons learned will
never be forgotten. So the teach
ers in their work of teaching their
pupils patriotism, are building for the
future safety and hope of our country
Today, we decorate the graves of
the men who served in the Union
army during the great and bloody
Civil war that our nation might sur
vive and not perish from the earth" ;"
And it should be regarded as sacred
privilege to lay flowers upon their
grvaes. And then, there are those
who followed the flag during the
Spanish-American war. They too, are
heroes and should be remembered to-
day, and on each Memorial anniver-
sary.
Sleep on, brave hearts, and take
your rest,
A hundred million strong and free,
Shall guard each heroic breast
Your pure and priceless legacy,
Twas not in vain, o noble band,
Your blood imbued Columbia's sod
United now her children stand
One flag, one country and one God.