The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-06-04
Program AT Armory
Address By Soldier
From Mondays Daily.

lie Deneatn the sou WAS pdlu AT the
annual meeting held this morning at
the Armory. The meeting was well
attended by young and old. all enter
ing into the spirit OF the holiday. Vet
Grams Of Alexander Wilkin post and
the local Womcn's Relief corps
marched into the hall In a body aud
took the front rows of seats that had
been reserved for them.
The High School Glee club occupied
the balcony at the end of the hall
opposite the speakers PLATFORM and
rendered several appropriate patriotic
airs from time to time. The program
also included some musical numbers
nv the wellknown luartette. consist
ing of ID. NJ. Jones. Ike Griffith. Frank
Blylcr and Sidney Davies. Among
these were Stand by America.
'Tnnting on the Old Camp Ground.
and Scatter Flowers Ger the
Graves" Other musical features of the
program we're selections that were
played from time TO time by the SaxO-
rhnun Urartcite. consisting of Captain
O. S~ott. alto: Conner Jones. tenor:
Meredith Griffith. soprano. and Pierce
'cnrs. baritone. At the close the au-
diencc all united In the singing Of
the national hymn. America"
Auditorium Was Decorated.
The auditorium was decorated for
the occasion with several large flags
~ the front nf the platform stood a
large cross. adorned with foliage and
flowers. Here three wreaths were
hung. ono To the soldier sailor dead
Nv Mrs. r Smith: another to the
Spanish American soldiers, by Mrs. J.
" Vance. and another tn the unknown
dead. by Mrs. Fannie Jones. All OF
the ladies accompanied the ceremony
with appropriate remarks.
Judge LOr:n Cray presided over the
meeting Rev. W. II. Kccsey led In
prayer. uttcring a fervent petition for
peace for this country. II such could
he consistent with national honor. and
that il America did have to take part
in the European war. the sons would
prove rs brave and patriotic as their
fathers had been.
Governor Hammond's proclamation
naming May 81 as the day for the an
nuaI memorial services i'm honor oI
the nations dead soldiers. was read
ny J. G. Fowler. adjutant OF Alexan-
der Wilkin post. J. Paul Jones. q
high school student, rccitcd Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address"
Address BY Mr.. Wynn.
G. II. Wynn. attorney AT law. Rands-
burg. Cal. n veteran Of the Civil war
having boon in the service when but
fourteen years Of age. addressed tho
gathering at the Armory I'm part q;
follows.
We have two national patriotic
holidays. tho Fourth of July anC
Memorial day. The Fourth Of July l.
to commemorate the winning of the
independents" Of the thirteen Colonie;
from England by George Washington
and his brave soldiers in the Revolu
tionarv war n was the birth of thu
United States Of America. McmCria
dav IA in memory Of the preservation
of the United States in the civil wal
nv the Uuion soldiers of the north. by
tho boys In blue. If tho Union sol
diPrs OF the north had not been vic
torious In the Civil war. the great vic
tory OF George Washington and hil
noble Revolutionary soldiers wOulr
have come To naught. u would have
boon the death of the United states
There would have been no more th.
United States OF America. whicl
would have been cf the greatest i'm
rort tu America and to the worli a
large.
For the preservation OF the Union
in addition tn its great Importance Il
our own people had two great world
wi1o effects We have recorded his
tory that goes back about 5.oOt
v"ars. We know what has occurred
during that period of time. II show
that during that time there has beer
constant strife between two form,
of government. the Democratic form NJ
government. and tho Munarcha
form Of government. being a govern.
mcnt by the people. the people govern.
ing themselves: the monarChial form o
government. being a government by q
king or emperor. Ivy an sristocrat
This strife between these two forms
az government. while combating ont
another so many years are still con.
testing. and they do not seem to be a
al anywhere near a solution of tho
question. II may never be settled.
Democratic Form Of Government.
"Of the great. or first class powers
of the world. as England. France. Ger.
many and tho United States. some
seven or eight In number. there ar,
only two. the United States and
France. that have n democratic form
Of government. And France Is YER,
uncertain country. She has had both
forms of government several times
during the 40 yc1rs' existence of the
United States of America. while. dur
ing that period. the United States has
never changed its form Of government
II is evident that IL the democratic
form Of government is to prevail In
the future, II will be by reason of the
Tinted States. II is the United
States that will carry on that contest
in the interest of humanity. II the
south had won I'm the Civil war. there
would have been no longer any United
States and no further contest between
the two forms OF government II
would have been a death blow to the
fight of the people rf the world ia
govern themselves. So we see the
importance to the world OF the vic
tory Of the north.
The preservation OF the Union had
another world wide effect. The Uni
ted States. though only 40 years old
has become the greatest OF all the
nations OF the world. The other great
nations of the world are thousands of
years old. Our country. not including
the colonies. has n hundred million
n n n.