Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-09-25

the American heart today as ever III
the past.
Let us uphold the hands Sc our
president who desires to avoid war
but who believes that the nation s
arms should be strengthened or the
land and the sea.
Let us here consecrata ourselves
anew to the task Of patriotic c}lzea-
ship,
ON this halIowed ground made
memorable by the citizens OF Rock Is-
land, let us pledge ourselves to carry
forward the work which our fathers
laid down that this nation under God
may have @ new birth Of freedom and
that government for the people BY the
people and Of the people. may not per-
ish from the earth"
Greetings From ". r. C..
Mrs. Mae G. Lincoln. Aurora. past
department president and present de-
parment secretary OF The W0meD'4
Relief Corps. in her address told of her
last visit il Rock Island about 10
years ago and the pleasure IL gave her
TO be present at the dedication of tbe
monument to the soldier dead Saa
traced The history OF the W. il e.. from
the time it was founded in Denver in
1858 at the time OF the national en-
-ampment of the G. a. r. when 81
women from Is states responded 10
the invitation Of Paul Van Darvoort
TO meet with the veterans, until the
present time, when it's membership
has reached $4,000 Of which 1900
are Illinois women.
During all these years" she con
tnued, we have not only scattered
seeds of Kindness. moulded MINIS I'd
become the protecting power of our
nation and eternaIized the memory of
our heroic deed but we have huldad
homes for the aged and inarm. hos-
pitfalls for the sick. homes and schools
for the orphans and erected u0nu-
meDts Of the heroes of PSI to 80. This
afternoon in Gods acre. on this hal
lowed ground, with the united work OF
the patriotic societies and the citizens
of Rock Island. another work is dedi-
Gated TO these heroes lasting tTib-
ute fitting to our heroes life and death,
for God, America and Humanity A
monument dedicated to patriotism
May these children, these boys and
girls. the powers Of the future. catch
the inspiration and drink from this
fountain of patriotism. 1t is a teach
ing which should thrill the hearts of
Oh 4 30.
OF the young. Each year nearly q
million immigrants come to our shores.
These people must be Americanized
and become adopted citizens Patriots
ism more than ever before is q ueces-
sity of today and a safe guard for our
future The teachings of free govern
ment and true American citizenship
will do more as a national defense
than all the modern weapons of war
ware.
Upon such occasions as this we can
hurriedly look back across the years
to the birth, struggles and glorious
achievements Of the greatest republic
this world has ever known, and with
the terrible war raging across the
waters, these gatherings should be oc-
casions Of prayer and thanks that we
are and ever may be in a land OF lib
erty and peace.
Traces History OF Nation.
DR.. Joe Bell, of Galesburg. in his
address traced the nation from the
time that the Plymouth colony was
founded TO the present day. He said
that the germ of free government was
established with this colony and then
referred to the other colonies which
grew up later and the jealousies which
arose between them He said that
these jeaIcusies resulted in very un-
stable government and said that such
men as Washington, Adams, Monroe
aud Hancock realized this. Rev. BeN
declared that this anxiety caused the
calling Of the convention Of 1857 when
The constitution was prepared.
IT rms years that followed he said
that the government was carried on
with uncertain powers and limitations
ard that the states rights theory was
Injected into che politics of the coun-
try. one party claiming that each state
hal d perfect right to be free and the
other PARTY claiming that we were
governed with a centralized power
He referred 20 the agitation on the
slavery question and the secession of
South Carolina, at 8 time when
president was in the chair who claimed
he had nc right to coerce a state into
union or from leaving il, il it SO