Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-07-12
Gdeefea Adcertiscr
The Soldier of 1861 and the
Soldier Of 1916.

nifty years, was Wnen Counpauy -
of Anderson, S. c., marched down
to the depot to take the train for
the Mexican border, numbering one
hundred and forty.three of as fine
looking soldiers as I have ever seen.
Every cotton mill was stopped,
every business house in the city was
closed unit the train pulled out of
the station. Such a spontaneous
outburst Of patriotic feeling; never
such a cheerful and willing answer
to a call to arms. Never did the
faithful Scott give with better grace
his sons for the defense of his be
loved chief Erie" than did the
fathers and mothers Of Anderson
give their sons for the defense OF
their country.
Fond parents were there to bid
their sons farewell, and to remind
them that they must live like Chris
tians and fight like Southerners.
Little brothers and sisters were
there to kiss thei. big brothers good
bye, and shed their childish tears.
And sweethearts were there, look
ing sad and wistful, and yet filled
with admiration for their brave he
roes going away to face deadly ma
chine guns. Bright faces, wreaths
of flowers, brass bands, drums gaily
rolling, and the bugler sending the
Joyous notes across blooming fields
and forest, and that music made the
pulse dance. Through their young
veins blood flowed like quicksilver,
singing to them the sweet song of
life. It made me feel proud to see
the blending of the cid spirit of
1851 with the new of 1916. They
will wear a halo no other can hope
to gain. (I mean the soldier fight
ing in the defense of his country.)
Why do I say this? Because they
are linked in my mind with the sol
diers of other days. These true
Southern American soldiers bear
our National colors in life-they
wear them in death, and | say the
soldier of to-day has the old-time
enthusiasm Of his race. He will
fight as hard; he will 60 into battle
urged by the same zeal; he will fire,
and will fall or die in the same way.
The bullet and sword scars in the
fathers breast has its impress upon
the hearts of the boys of to-day.
The battle cry is on; the tramp of
feet not still. The desire to rise and
meet the enemy is only sleeping,
like the picket at his post, but a
rustic among the dry leaves has
been heard, and an army is awake
and ready to march. The Anglo
Saxon was born to govern, to be
free, to create, to build a social and
political structure, mighty and mas
terful.
AS l looked at these noble, fine
looking men in Company B" my
own heart was made to feel sad, to
think that they will have to face on
a foreign field of a a savage mon
grel race. In a population of some
100000 thirty-seven per cent are
sava~e Indians and forty-three per
cent. are of mixed blood, the naser
element predominating, and a large
majority are stepped in illiteracv.
The United States must take
Mexico in charge. 1t will prove
costly and arduous beyond reckon
ing, but it is the only way their
wild faces can be turned to civlliza-
ton; but it is a duty to ourselves,
to Mexico and to the world. Mex
leo is no more a republic than the
darkest jungle Of Africa is a repub-
lie. 1t has no freedom to take
await has only anarchy and bar
barism. It's present condition is not
simply a curse to those within It's
borders, but a menace to all Amer
lea. The time has come to drop
illusions and, facing the hard facts
of the situations, 60 forward with
our duty. For a long while the
United States has done its utmost to
avoid this step. With marvellous pa
thence and pity it has brooked out
RACES which no other power IN the
world would have endured. In
1876, with General Winfield Scott
at the head of the army, the United
States marched into the City of
Mexico and gave the outlaws a
frst-class beating then which they
did not soon forget, and the boys
can do that same thing with them
to-day, and a do 1t quicker and
better with the modern improve
ments in war material. Wherever
the Anglo-SaXon race has put his