The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-30
COMMANDER C. A. R.
SONS DECLARES
COUNTRY SHOULD
BE PREPARED
tsy Associated Press.l

(By Associated Press.)
Kansas City, Aug. 30-"Unprepared
ness in the last analysis is nothing
more than cowardice," Col A. E. B.
Stephens, of Cincinnati, commander in
chief of the Sons of Veterans. said in
his address of greeting at the encamI.-
ment of the G. A. r. here last night.
True patriotism. my comrades, not
only means love of country and that
she should be decided to the great
doctrine of peace. Justice and liber-
ty, but it also means love and venera-
ton to those illustrious spirits, who
suffered and died that this country
with all its. splendid traditions and
history might live he declared. 1--WE,
who have come up since the Civil
War, having coursing through our
veins the blood of those gallant men,
should learn of them lessons which
we need for the twentieth century.
We should catch their spirit of abso-
aute devotion which gave up every
thing for the Republic and counted life
not dear. We should follow the ex.
ample of those who found joy in sac
blush of youthfulness, it behooves us
rifice and their highest reward in the
sweet, stern face of their country as
she smiled upon them ere they died?
My comrades, we live in deeds, not
years. I'll
"As American citizens we have re-
ceived our precious heritage of liber-
ty at the price of sacrifice, made first
by the founders and later by the pre-.
servers of the Republic. We live in a
blood-bought land and under a blood
bought flag. Ours is costly citizen
ship. It is builded upon the best
blood and treasure of the nation from
Bunker Hill to Manila Bay. In this
las true patriots we glory. But let us
ever remember that In the lives, pa
triotism, sufferings, and history of the
soldiers Of the great Civil War, the
best things of life are ours to enjoy
today.
81 believe I voice the sentiment Of
every patriotic heart before me today
when say I am a firm believer in
the policy of preparedness and ample
and thorough preparedness at that. All
the traditions of our country point
with unerring finger to the necessity
and wisdom of that policy. I am for
national preparedness that will create
respect for the United States the
world over. lam for policy of trade
protection and even-handed justice for
all. am an American that see Amer
lea first, for a patriotism that means
more than mere response to the
colors, patriotism that means an
undying devotion to our land, an TN
fiinching, eternal loyalty, vigilance and
reverence for the flag, for all the ira
Iditions, history, and brave men that
belong to this great nation Of ours.
No nation can be weak today and
strong in efficiency tomorrow. I
would be just as much ashamed to
be rash and unprepared as would to
be coward, for unpreparedness in the
last analysis is nothing more than
cowardice.
True valor, my friends, 10 self-re-
specting. True valor is circumspect.
True valor strikes only when it is
right to strik. True valor withholds
itself from all implications and entan-
clements and waits for the great op-
portunity when the sword will flash
from its scabbard as If it carried the
very light Of heaven upon its blade.
That is my sentiment and feeling in
this critical period of our nations his.
tory, sentiments which l feel find re.
sponsive echo in the breast of every
loyal veteran and Son of a Veteran
before me this day, and l feel I do
not in any sense violate the proprie-
ties of this occasion by their enuncia.
ton and declaration?"
"Oh, l don't know. Oh, 1 don't care. "