The Republican journal., 1915-06-10
Veterans Meeting in Morrill,,

MOrrlll, thursday, June 5fu. IL was an
ideal June day, and an unusually large
number of veterans and friends were in
attendance, representing Newburg, Mon
roe. Brooks, Swanville, Searsport. North
,Searsport, Unity, Liberty, Montville,
Waldo, Morrill,, and delegation of over
seventy from Belfast. The forenoon
meeting was held at the Grange hall,
with President Crockett in the chair.
The records of the last meeting were read
and adopted. The President appointed as
committee on time and place for next
meeting, Comrades Stinson, Trask and
Putnam. A song by Comrade Smith and
remarks by chaplain Merrill completed
the exercises of the forenoon.
A long and happy noontime was en-
joyed. Over two hundred people were
satisfactorily cared for in the dining
room, followed by the usual smoke talk.
The afternoon meeting was held at the
church, and the Doctors auto was in evil
dence carrying the aged, the lame and
the too full fed from the hall to the
church, and as usual on these annual oc-
casions the church was packed to the
doors. The meeting was called to order
by President Crockett. The school chill
dren, with flags, and led by their teacher,
Mrs. George Dow, marched in to music
and took their stand upon the platform,
and sang America, the congregation join
ing in. Then followed an instrumental
duett, by Margie Knowlton and Helen
Merriam. On cali of the President
seventy veterans responded. the largest
number ever present at one of these
meetings. At the Regimental Roll Gall
twelve veterans Of the 4th Maine, two
of the 9Th Maine, six of the 18th Maine,
four of the 18th Maine, three of the 18th
Maine, thirteen of the 10Th Maine,
eleven of the 26th Maine, one of the 5th
Maine Battery, four of the LIST Maine
Cavalry, six of the End Maine Cavalry,
one of the 45th Massachusetts, one
sharpshooter, two of coast guards and
six of the navy responded. At the age
call there were found to be present four
veterans over 80, fourteen over rs,
twenty-six over 7O-but, God bless them,
they will always be "the Boys in Blue. "
After prayer by Rev. Nathan Hunt,
Comrade James G. Harding gave the
following
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Ladies, Comrades and Fellow Citizens:
Once again it is my pleasant duty and
privilege to welcome you to Morrill, Me.
As the buds begin to swell and the leaves
and blossoms make their appearance. we
begin to count the weeks and days to the
first Thursday in June, when we all
know it has become time honored GUS
tom for the Waldo County Veterans As
ISOLATION to meet with us. And in be-
half of Honesty Grange, whose guests
you are today, | bid you welcome. 1t
was said in the last meeting you held,
that a very friendly feeling existed be-
tween the memberssof the Grange d
the Veterans Association. This is I'M
doubtedly correct, and in the sisterhood
of Oranges you will not be able to find
one more loyal than Honesty Grange. 1t
could hardly be otherwise, situated as it
is in town that has always been noted
for its loyalty. One short year ago all
the world except Mexico seemed to be
at peace, and were preaching peace.
Now how changed. In the Civil War, in
which you veterans bore conspicuous
part, there were several great principles
at stake which need not enumerate, as
they are we'll understood. But the one
that stood out more prominently than
any other was the preservation of our
national integrity and unity. For this
you fought, for this you bled, and many
of your comrades were sacrificed on our
country's altar. Victory crowned your
Efforts and our flag with its AZ stars
floats over united country. The coun-
tries now at war have no great issues.
All of them have been making protesta-
lions of peace. Kings, bishops and
priests had preached it until common
people thought all thoughts and causes
standing the preaching, in tWenty-four
hours without anything in sight to justi-
fy it, the warning nations of Europe
were at each other with armies of such
strength fully armed and equipped, that
all their protestations of peace vanished,
and they stood out in their true light as
preachers of that which they never in
tended to practice. So far our couD-
try has managed to MAINTAIN its neutral
ity, although to my mind we have made
some humiliating sacrifices. There is
one thing that stands out prominently
in all the thoughts and actions of the
rulers of the countries now at war, and
that is the thirst for power. England
in the beginning was just England. Now
she has Scotland and Ireland, and on
this side the water she has Canada.
Australia owes allegiance to her. She
has subjected three million Asiatics to
her will, and established her dominion
over Africa. England helped the south
all she dared and had the south been sue
cessful in establishing a confederacy,
England would have given her the same
kind of care she gives Canada and Aus
tralia.
France in her thirst for power has all
ways had SO much trouble within her
own borders that she has been outcl ass
ed by other countries. France has been
twice a Republic. twice an empire,
monarchy again, and now for the third
time Republic. Germany has built up
her mighty empire from a few petty
States, until now, as progressive ma
ton, she excites the admiration of the
world. Italy has come out from under
the heel of Austria and cast her lot with
the Allies. Should Germany succeed in
tho nrosapt strife TtaIv will nrobablV