Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1914-06-04

For a sweetly solemn ceremony we
are gathered today on this little eleva-
ton. beautiful for situation in this gar
den of monuments. Each stone tells
the world-old story-here lies one who
lived and is dead How like silent senti-
nels they stand keeping watch and ward
over this silent city of sorrows.
Today new stone joins the white
company TO tell the same story and yet
another, and larger tale: mnoument
10 the heroic dead, a tribute to the hon
ored living, who counted their country
dearer than their lives, a memorial to
the imperishable principles of human
rights.
Today is unveiled before our eyes this
stately and enduring shaft an evidence
of the gratitude of the citizens of Alma
who with the Women's Relief Corps
have Joined the VIM Meyer Post, Grand
Army of the Republic in perpetuating
the memory OF courageous men and val
liant deeds by grace of which we stand
today a free and united people working
out the experiment OF self-government
under the eyes of the civilized world.
Here we rear this stone to tell the
story of the struggle for liberty and
Union, equality and fraternity. lest we
forget that these inestimable blessings
were not always ours; TO remind us that
nearly 40 years ago, with vision high
and wide our forefathers wrote the I'M
mortal Declaration of Independence
and to the principles of self-government
pledged their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred honor. How firm their
foundations How well they builded
Witness such master workmen as Wash
ington and Adams. Jefferson and Clay,
the galaxy of illustrious names which
shine as stars i'll the early years OF our
nations history 1t reminds us of Wash
ington praying in his tent while his
barefooted sentinels paced the frozen
earth and snow; of Lafayette, Mad An
thony Wayne and Schuyler, of Bunker
Hill and Lexington, Saratoga and York
town, and the birth of popular govern
ment among the nations of the earth. 1t
reminds us especially of the Boys OF
'6l" and the greatest and bloodiest fra
tricidal strife in the history of the
world. when from the common people
arose a gentle and gigantic figure among
the rulers of the earth, and the principles
Of union and freedom found their invin-
cible champion in the well-beloved and
immortal Lincoln. Whittier sang the
wrongs Of human slavery; Phillips and
Garrison with fiery and persuasive elo-
uuence reused the conscience of the
north until the clouds of war burst in
thunder and flame. a nation rent and
torn and drenched in blood, brother
fighting against brother in the mad
frenzy OF civil war. From every spire
the bells tolled requiem; by the hearth
stone a vacant chair; husband, brothers,
sons and lovers went out never to re-
turn. Where their hands had sown
wheat and corn, homes and happiness,
where peace and plenty reigned, Mars
sowed with prodigal hand the little
hills of grief where the widow and the
orphan followed weeping. The path of
glory leads but TO the grave" This
shaft will long remind us OF Grant and
Sherman and Sheridan, of Meade and
Hancock and Thomas, OF Bull Run,
Charlottesville and Antietam, of the
starvation and unspeakable horrors OF
Libby and Andersonville OF Cold Har-
Dor. Appomatox and Gettysburg, car
mage following carnage until the God OF
war, sick with a surfeit of blood. fled
away as victory marked the triumph OF
the rights of man and the shackles fell
from the hands of four millions of hui
man beings. AT last the bells rang out
Liberty throughout all the land to all
the inhabitants thereof" and for the
first time in our history and 90 years
after the words were written i'll the
Great Declaration, Life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness" became 'the in
alienable right of every man" from the
British Possessions to the Mexican gulf
from the eastern ocean to the sundown
seas, no north, no south, no east, no
west, but one free and united brother
hood under the stars and stripes.
And so it appears that this granite is
unique. While all these white sentinels
are monuments TO the dead, this is a
monument to the living in that it stands
for the eternal principles of human
rights-of liberty justice and frater-
nifty. Liberty entails responsibility. And
because the blessings of freedom and
self government which we have inherited
and enjoy today were bought at such
enormous cost of treasure and human
life, as those in whose honor this me.
mortal is reared dedicated their live:
to gain and insure them to us. we also
must dedicate our lives to their preser.
walton and enlargement, that the price.
less heritage may be passed on to our
children and the generations yet unborn
In so doing we pledge ourselves to the
principles of honorable peace. War
means waste and waste means not oni,