Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-30

been colonies, majors. captains. lieuten-
ants sergeants, corporals or privates
Most of them. indeed. most Of the soldiers
of both armies. are in their honored
graves.
Decoration day is gradually growing INTO
Memorial day-a great national holiday,
CHASING with Christmas and the Fourth
of July. Most assuredly II is a beautl-
full. wholesome and ennobling custom to
decorate the graves of all American
soldiers, both Union and Confederate
soldiers. of all our wars and to memorial
iZe their valor, their sufferings and their
sacrifices.
president Mckinley did wise.
gracious patriotic thing when he sus-
gested that the federal government
should care for the graves OF the Con-
federate deed at Arlington. and this sug-
gestion came with double force because
ne was himself Union soldier of APPROX
ed capacity and high courage If the
spirits of the mighty dead take any in
terest in the affairs of this lower world.
William Mckinley soul will be full of
JOY next week when there Will be dedi-
Gated with fitting ceremonies a monu-
inent to the Confederate dead as an en-
during testimonial of the perfect peace
and abiding friendship now existing in
all parts of our beloved country. Every
American citizen worthy of the name
Will rejoice at the dedication of that
monument. with the fervent hope that in
DAYS will be merged into one Memorial
day.
II speak for the generation which
was too Young TO participate in our great
civil war. | was only eleven years old
when the first gun was fired at Charles
ton. and now my head is blossoming
Ike the almond tree. | will tell You
how | regard that awful struggle and
Row the generation to which | belong
looks upon it-as a most heroic chapter
IN the annals of mankind
Valor of Americans.
Cold must be the heart of that Amer
lean n no is not proud to claim as coun-
tryman, the flower of the Virginia
youth who charges up the slippery slopes
of Gettysburg with gallant Picket or
those uncomfortable men in blue who,
through two long and dreadful days rail-
lied aroun heroic Thomas. the Rock of
Chlcamauga. 1t was not southern
valor or northern valor-it was. thank
God, American valor-that valor which
caused our revolutionary fathers to
throw their gage of battle into the face
of the son of a hundred kings-that valor
which animated Washington at Prince
ton. Brandywine, Monmouth and York
town-that valor which upheld his fam
shed men amid the unspeakable horrors
of Valley oFrge-that volar which sus-
tanned the soldiers who followed Arnold
on that cruel winters march through
the woods of Canada and in the Christ
mas Storning of Quebec, where Mont
gomery fell immortal-that valor which
served Andrew Jackson and his raw mill
tia on the ever-glorious Sth of January,
when they humbled to the very dust the
towering pride of that mighty monarchy
upon whose dominions the sun never sets.
and utterly routed the veterans of the
peninsula. who had snatched from Ma
poleon's brow the iron crown of Charlie
nagne; that valor which at Buena Vista.
Cherubusco and Chapultepec filled the
world with its renown; that valor which
wrote Davy Crocketts name above Lee
onidas and made the Alamo another
shrine for freedom; that valor which he
girts this land as with a wall of fire. for
bidding the nations of the earth to touch
the ark of American liberty lest they die.
Callous indeed must be the man who can
not find something to admire in the colos-
sal character of Abraham Lincoln or in
the splendid career of Robert e. Lee.
who deserves to rank with Cnevaner
Bayard. Sir Philip Sidney and King Ar
thur.
The soldiers of the north and the SOL
diers of the south were American free
men all, fighting like heroes for what
they considered right. As such honor
them and teach my children to cherish
them"
Tribute to American Bravery.
Senator Smoot said. in part:
No soldier who was big enough, I'M
selfish enough. patriotic enough to offer
his life for his country will be small
enough not to forget and forgive. Sol
diers of Lincoln, you were right in your
Loyalty to the Union. But none OF you
will deny that the soldiers of the Con-
federacy were as loyal to their cause as
were you to yours, and they were brave
and worthy foes. In saying this l 90
it with the avowed intention OF comph-
menting the valor. heroism and PATRIOTISM
of the soldiers of both armies Let US
thank God this day for reunited ooun-
try. As an evidence of that unity have
but TO call your attention, and the at
tention of the world. to the fact that five
DAYS from today will take place the I'M
veiling of the Confederate monument
erected in honor of the Confederate dead
on the sacred soil of Arlington
The corner stone of this monument
was laid by q republican President OF the
nited States. How fitting it is that the
veterans of the north and the veterans
81 the south should participate in the ex-
ercises. the same as they are doing on
TINS our national Memorial day
Not many days since there were
brought home the bodies Of our men-at-
arms slain at the taking Of Vera Cruz.
The entire nation mourned the noble
dead. To maintain the nations honor
these men died. and today a million men
Z necessary are ready 10 finish the task
which they began
Gave Lives for Flag.
These men gave their lives that brutal
murders of American citizens and bloody
anarchy should cease, and that our nag
should be respected IN the republic to
.he south of US. We find the same spirit
of patriotism. the same loyalty to coun-
try at Vera Cruz today as has been man
Tested by the defenders OF our flag in
every call for national defense. We do
honor to ourselves in honoring this day
the men who died at Vera Cruz.
Tho Vera Cruz invasion has proven to
the world. az did our war with Spain. that
this country Is the United States of Amer
ica. Allied with brave. generous, patriotic
and Godfearfng citizens.
II conditions develop in Mexico re-
curing our army to enter the capital
city OF that unhappy and distracted re-
public. II we should become involved
in real war with all factions, and every
faction IN Mexico, there will be no
brothers arrayed against brothers. no
Americans against Americans. 1t will
he q united America seeking to enforce
respect for the ordinary obligations of
civilization There will be but one
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