The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-06-05
Memory of Heroic
Dead Is Kept Green
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily. r.r
Ceremonies befitting the occasion
were carried out this morning at
the annual memorial exercises. which
were IN charge OF the Women's Re-
lief corps and the Grand Army of
the Republic. Members of these
two, organizations met at the Odd
Fellows hall shortly before ten
o'clock, and marched from there
TO the Mankato Theatre in a body.
The Civil war veterans were es-
corted by Company H as a body
guard. Here was a picture OF youth
and age, and these who lived in
the days OF the beginning Of the
great civil strife were reminded OF
the days when the men who are
now bent With age were, young and
their step was as sprightiy and
their. eyes as clear as the vision
possessed by the young men who
make up the state militia. " . I
Large Gathering at Theatre.
There was a largo gathering at
the theatre and the program opened
with the invocation by Rev. C. w.
Comstock Adjutant Stiefenhofer
then read the Grand Army general
orders, and Commander Williams OF
Alexander Wilkins post gave an In
teresting talk on "Why We, Observe
Memorial Day" speaking from the
standpoint d man who has risked
bis life for his country His talk
was. interesting and patriotic In it's
topa 70 9li'H 1'sf Shf -. ~"
D. N. Jones' ACCOMPANIED by Miss
Mammie sktise. sang two solos dur:
Ing the program and Mrs. w. W,
Jones read Bincoln's Gettysburg ad-
dress. A group Of pleasant Grove
school children, Under the direction
of Miss Barbara Mansfield. sang "A
patriotic song preceding Mr.. Ply.
mats address, ia N1'ta@- r ..Nai
The ceremony 'lof the hanging OF
the wreaths for 2 the fSpanish-Amer-
lean war veterans and the unknown
dead was carried out by Mrs Isa-
bella Temple and Mrs! Mary A. Ply
mat. NNg1tAe iv.d 10 '-iz
Address by W.sRsJPIymat Fl
The address way delivered by
Attorney wgiA. gPlynat as follows:
1T would be preposterous and alb
surd OF meato relate TO the veterans
here assembled the Story Of the
Civil war all Of which they saw
and part OF which they were-or
to these school children who are
learning II day by day from their
preceptors,--or TO you fellow Ameri.
cans, who know II by heart, aud
even we're It proper or fitting for me
SO to do. 4 am no historian to re.
late Its horrors, its sacrifices and
its glorious outcome--nor am I an
orator to weave golden skein OF
love from the yalourous deeds Of
those heroes.s,,,g "a ~. '.
EMO, speech, then, but, vagrant
ramble through such fields an tempt
as, and II we find fruits or even
flowers, let us be thankful and II
we encounter only briars Il will not
be the FIRST , half hour we have
wasted. 80, -.asf II
in this huly-buriy "rag-gather-
ing age, in our busy and never
ending vigorous rustic after the "al.
mighty dollar u Is soul satisfying
to know that everywhere over this
land of the free men have laid
aside their business and their cares;
have loosed themselves for the once
of their burdens, and today are
Joining hands in a grand communion
and singing paens of praise to the
memory OF those who gave their all
TO save and preserve this republic.
Who sacrificed home and family ties.
and each and all The human heart
holds dear that this Union born
OF Liberty might endure. counting
It but little II they, should loose
their all that the great principles
for which they fought might pre-:
vail. tx;N
). What Manner Of Men
May we not al such time as
this inquire into what manner OF
men they were who so sublimely
forgot their own selves and gave SO
unseIflshlyH OF their all that we
might receive the fruits of their
labor, liberty and union. - {
Picture In your minds eye Il
you win. the master and the man
the employer and the employed. IA
Dor and capital, rich and poor. the
city-born and the eopntry-bred go
ing forth to do and to die for the
eternal right. They were men II
you please, from every avocation d
life. Whose ancestors came from
differsut lands and climes- aye even
from different races In search
for liberty and having found IT,
gloriously Joined hands IN an en-
deavor that that nation so cinceivet
should prosper that the Union might
remain inviolate. Isl !.
vThcy cahae fi5mi humble homes
from the cabin ON the prairie from
the cot upon the mountain. The,
-.