The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-06-01
CHEERS N TEARS

Sioux City Journal Not for som,
years after the surrender of Lee die
Memorial day become a generally and
systematically recognized institution
yet human nature in 1866 was the
same as hnman nature is in 1916, and
from the beginning thoughts Ct suryiv.
ing soldiers turned to comrades who
had fallen on the battlefield. SO il was
with peace only twelve months old
and the land still quiyering from the
shock Of war, when the grass became
green and the gardens began to bloom
and the trees became alive with sing,
ing birds. in communities all over the
United States footsteps naturally turn
ed toward the cemeteries and in ten
der remembrance loving hands laid
flowers on the graves Of those who had
given their lives to pcr2etuate the life
Of the nation.
That was the beginning of Memorial
day-ifty years ago-a spontaneous
outburst on the part Of the living TO
do honor to the dead. Picture condr-
tons in comparison with those that
exist at the present time. The living
among the boys of Gland at that
time they were boys in fact as well as
i'm namc-werc in the vast majority.
The number Of patriots who had re-
spOndcd to the call 10 arms from
Washington was 2.77S.3Ol: of this
number 1924 had died either on the
field Of battle OF in hospitals and pri-
sons. So something like 2.5OO.0OO
union soldiers We're mustered out Of
the service TO 20 back TO their homes
and organize their Grand Army of the
Republic and pay annual formal re-
speCt to the silent minority.
But what has become Of those $500
coo brave lads in the fifty years that
have passed since 1866? Moving
among them more quietly but not the
persistently than had Mars, the
god of war, from 1861 to 1865, from
year to year old Father Time claimed
toll, and from year to year the
living majority grew less and less until
it reached that point where
those who marched to the cemeteries
were in the minority as compared with
those on whose graves they laid their |
tribute of respect. Nor was the change
to numbers. The boys who in
1866 marched with jaunty step, grad
tally slowed their pace; locks that
we're black and brown turned to white: |
erect forms Became stopped. In fifty
years the boys of 81 have become the
veterans of 1916. Instead of $500, 900.
here are about 1904 600, and they are
away at the rate of from TO-
to $4,000 a year.
But there is one thing about the old
soldiers that does not change, and that
S the red. white and blue banner
which goes everywhere with them. In
heir eyes, as in the eyes of every good
the beauty of the stars and
is never changing and everlt ST.
In this respect it is like the pa
riotism and the loyalty of the men
vho saved 1t from destruction. No one
an think of the gallant service done
~ these heroes of fifty years ago with
tut acknowledging in his heart a debt
" gratitude to them. Feeble and bent
hey are at present, but it was them to
whom the nation looked-and not in
Amin the hour of peril. Memorial
is strictly the old soldiers day.
Let the nations hat be off to the vet
Let honors be evenly divided
etween the boys that sleep on the hill
ldes and those who, with faltering
tep march TO pay them tribute. In
.ersoll put il prettily and neatly when
le said: Cheer for the living and
ears for the dead" !