The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-10-07
A. r. in Washington.

c, A. X. In washington.
ans Welcomed by President Wilson.
made and Review by the President.
,,u1VGroN. Sept. %. Veterans of
Spl War, here for the annual en-
snsnt Of the Grand Army of the
Fslir we're formally welcomed to the
vi ,s'' tonight by President Wilson,
ptaa them their battles so years ago
fovght that the greatest instru-
,.6ty for the uplift of mankind the
has ever seen might not be i'm
President spoke amid scenes of
,,ns feryOr in the crowded conven-
hail MO which the old Census
4rr had been converted. Col.
liner, commander in chief of
r. * Introduced him amid thun-
~, ers-lng and informed him that
,s,sr stood solidly behind the Ad-
srslols conduct of the present
| msIEa problems, and that their
,roa support him in any steps he
Etttsar-
Ems.sl frequently interrupted the
[sisDt as he spoke to the veterans,
families and friends. He did not
| directly on the European war or
roeer~ growing out of it, but de-
AIS sllyess to the mission of the
re STAKES and the lessons taught by
| GV War. He spoke of the Civil
AZ one of the few in history of
F n both sides should be proud.
| me point the noise in the hall made
he arrivals and resulting difficulty
wtro.ng the crowd forced the
ksdent 10 stop speaking for nearly 10
rr4s while the chairman restored Or
H. meeting marked the formal OPEN
d the Grand Army encampment,
II, will continue during the remainder
Me week. After his address the
sgiert rem aimed in the hall while the
h Of various organizations affiliated
II tts G. A. R. made brief addresses.
Ia Presidents address, in part, fol-
FIJI & singular thing that men Of
kE generation should have witnessed
EI1Jl nave witnessed in the crowded
yssrs which you celebrate tonight.
i TOOK part when you were young
/ tn great struggle, the meaning of
hi. ARE say, you thought would
! .y revealed during your lifetime, and
! no more has happened in the making
lgy other Nation in the lifetime of a
b. generatlons.
/ The y 4tion in which you now live is
EAe Nation for whose union YOU
Elt You have seen many things
|a nave made this Nation one of the
|as5rtaJve Nations of the world with
El 10 the modern spirit of that
Ell, ami you have the , sat sfaction
|m | ARE say few soldiers have ever
Of ooking back upon war abso-
Fyu0qle in this, that instead of de-
Fglg, % has healed; that instead of
lng psrmanent division, it made a
Fzsa-7t union.
|IGs allon was from the beginning
aHua Enterprise, and you have seen
E'pri 1f the two once divided sec
Hot tins country absolutely united.
y wsr " hich seemed as if it had the
sio. very kind of bitterness in it has
b slg gle generation put bitterness
solt44 out of his heart and you feel,
Ham sure the men who fought against
fee, that you were comrades even
"a, though you did not know it, and
III aow YOU know that you are COM
ats IN common love for a country
ieh You are equally eager to serve.
Tins IS miracle of the spirit so far
National history is concerned. This
He Of he very few wars in which in
e'ense everybody engaged may take
ns Some wars are to be regretted;
DE Wars mar the annals of history;
l. some wars contrasted with those
Ike those annals distinguished, show
athe spirit of man sometimes springs
great Enterprises that are even great
lan bis own mind had conceived.
You set the Nation free for that
Vat career of development, of unham-
ied dev=lopment, which the world has
messed since the Civil War. But for
loya part | would not be proud of the
faorll1ary physical development of
country, of it's extraordinary de-
oFment IN material wealth and fnan.
power did l not believe that the
'pLe OF ne United States wished all
lbs po1er devoted to ideal ends.
There nave been other Nations as
o as We; there have been other Ma
Us as powerful; there have been other
alons as spirited, but hope we shall
'tF forget that we created this Nation,
no Serve ourselves, but to serve man.
hope may say without even an i'm
0llon of criticism upon any other
al people in the world that 1T has al
v seemed to me that the people of
united States wished to be regarded
stVoted to the promotion of particular.
gEples of human rights.
ihe United States were founded not
provide free homes but to assert hui
anghts. This flag meant great en-
Pll'e OF the human spirit. Nobody,
Iafee bodies of men, in the time that
was first set up, believed with very
belief in the efficacy of democracy.
you realize that only so long ago as
ume Of the American Revolution
alVcfacy was regarded as an expert
~ in the world, and we were regard
y rash eXperimenters?
ouL We not only believed in it, we
.eI our belief was well founded and
"a Nation as powerful as any in the
VI could be erected upon the will of
people; that, indeed, there was
' y, n such Nation that dwelt in no
= Nation unless also in that other
IUn the spirit Of the people prevailed.
we now know and the world knows
!, Tie thing we then undertook, rash
# seemed. has been practicable, and
), we nave set up in the world a Gov
Ient maintained and promoted by
- general conscience and general con-
p y ! stand here not to welcome you
&c Natlon's capital as if l were your
= out merely to welcome you to your
NJ