The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1915-06-18

their kins-people and to posterity. In
my minds eye can see these pion-
GERS in the early days as they were
vending their way over the mountain
tops and through the valleys, cutting
the underbrush to get their possessions
through, battling against all the hard
ships that fall to the lot Of an early
settler, the men carrying the guns for
their immediate defense, the women
carrying the Bibles, that good book
which was to be their rule of conduct
in their new homes and the basis for
their development in the strange COM
mun;ty. These men were truly pi-
oneers, blazing the way of civiliza-
tion and making it rossible for those
who followed them to make this coun-
try blossom as the rose.
Ny friends, when seriously con-
template the things for which the flag
CT my country stands and the purpos
es that were in the minds and hearts
Of our forefathers when they unfurled
it to the breezes cannot but serious
ly inquire whether or not we enter
tain the proper appreciation of what
it means and what it was intended to
mean. Take not only the history of
our country but the history of the
ages, scan the pages carefully and
you will see that so far as it is pos
sible for one at this distant time to
see, great struggle has been put
forth by mankind for centuries to
evolve plan of government such as
we, the proud citizens of today, have.
These principles were contended for
not only in the Revolutionary struggle
but for centuries before. The culmi-
nation came with the ending of the
Revolutionary struggle, so far as this
country was concerned, and thus say
to you that these liberties and rights
were purchased by the blood and the
lives of millions of patriots; yea, and
these rights have been made grander
and more sacred by the tears and
prayers Of the mothers of our coun-
try; why then, my friends, should we
not venerate this emblem of human
liberty and Of equal and exact justice
to all? And why should not every
American citizen at this day and at
this time VIXEN he calls to mind con-
ditions as they exist throughout the
civilized world raise his head tri-
umphantly and with a spirit of ear
nestness exclaim, "All honor and
praise to the founders of this Repub-
lie and to the men who have perpetu-
ated its glories." Would that were
able to burn into the very hearts of
the youth of the country proper re-
spect for these things and deep ven
Grafton for the flag of our country.
1t seems to me that our duty is not
at an end. The flag has been handed
down to US at the terrible cost of
blood and lives. Should we not by
every effort that we can possibly put
forth perpetuate all Of these things
for which it stands, for the enjoyment
and for the glory Of others who are
to come after us. We should not let
the petty differences Of politics, po-
litical prefernent or selfish ambition
swerve us from our duty in pro-
tecting that emblem. We should not
permit the tarnished hands of the de-
spoiler to reach it but we should keep
it not only upon the battle field, but
during peace during the time when
we are enjoying the greatest blessing
that free people can enjoy-unsul-
lied as it was when it was made the
emblem of our Republic. Not only
should we be willing to give our lives
to sustain these principles in time of
war, but by our daily lives we should
exemplify the fact that we are the
worthy of heroic sires. So today we
can all properly hail to the flag and
to our country; and let US so perform
our work that we can with every CON
fidence look down the vista of time
and catch the distant and faint voices
of posterity as they join in the sol
emn refrain, "All glory to the fathers
who established this Republic; all hail
to the men who have defended it's
principles and who have perpetuated
the liberties throughout these ages"
thank you.
pET n0C cuOwC cICNc