Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1916-05-31
MEMORIAL SERVICES
OBSERVED YESTERDAY
CONTINUED from first page

Wnen we remember that across the
lines, ths South, too suffered untold
losses; losses in men-fathers, hus-
bands, brothers, sweethearts-los losses
in property and loss in blasted hope
Unbelievable loss of all that they
had fought so long and valiantly to
protect and preserve; that they too,
left widowed mothers and orphaned
children and were left a country, in
Isome respects more desolate than the
desert; a country devastated by the
hand Of an invincible conquerer:
that they had lost all, and had no
government to provide for and aid
the widows and orphans. to pension
the surviving soldiers. nor to aid in
repairing the stupendous losses
wrought by three years of desperate
war, and yet, there were wives and
families, widows and orphans whose
immediate needs must be met or
death by starvation be their unhap-
Ply lot.
But, were we to look alone at the
dark side OF this a picture-too con-
slider only the loss of the three hun
dred and sixty thousand brave In
ion soldiers, the three hundred thou
sand equally brave Confederate sol
diers; the loss in money cost of 49,
400, 700, 900 to the North; the 81, 400
100000 to the South, and the tragedy
OF the conditions at the close of the
war, then must we, indeed, exclaim
with the prophet of old, "A voice was
heard in Rahmah, Weeping and great
sorrow; Rachel weeping for her chill
dren, And she would not be comfort
! ed, for they are not But thanks
be to God who giveth us the victory
this Memorial Service is not altogeth-
er one of sadness and sorrow
There are times when we may look
beyond the darkness and catch a
CLEAN of the dawn of new day, and
now, when we look beyond the dark
ness of that awful period we behold
the noontide of the new day and re-
Joice in its splendor
We rejoice in the regeneration of
American life and social condition:
rejoice to know that now each Ind
all are on equal footing before the
law, and in the sight of mankind as
we'll as in the sight of God We re-
joice too, in the belief that the Ma
tional sin--the sin of the forefath-
ers and founders of this Republic
IN permitting the enslavement of
their fellowman, has been blotted
out, and washed away through the
blood of the heroes sacrificed in this
Iinternecine war; and there is joy
too, in knowing that at the close of
that war, four million human souls
looked out upon the world for the first
time, to acknowledge no master but
their Creator, and to feel the sting
Of no lash but the lash of conscious
guilt of violation of his Divine law
Yes, we rejoice, too, when we know
that the haunting spectre of States
| Rights and Secession have been for
ever driven from our land when we
know that measures of concern to
the Nation may now be considered
calmly, deliberately, dispassionately
and with no regard to Sectionalism
land free from the threats and pres
sure OF those forces that would defy
the National Government and threat
en- the National life. We rejoice to
know that this Union has been pre-
served and perpetuated, and that TO
the world has been demonstrated
that We are one country, the Union
the United States.
Then too, we may rejoice when
we contemplate the glorious heritage
| transmitted to US by these dear old
yeterans-a reulited country, with
the freest and best government UNI
der the sun; with material resources
beyond the most eXtravagant dreams
OF the adventurer; with an area OF
more than three and a quarter mill
ions Of square miles, and coast line
OF over thirty thousand miles, bath
ed in the limpid waters of the two
greatest oceans of the world and
above all, teeming with a population
of over a hundred million of free in
dependent people. Truly there are
reasons for joy as well as sadness on
this Memorial Day.
But, my fellow offensive who
are the beneficiaries of this great
heritage, are also the trustees there
OF for posterity. We are charged
with obligations in respect of this lie
gacy, 10 preserve and protect it and
hand it on to our children and to our
Ichildren's children.
We may not, however, receive and
keep it, as the slothful servant, SIM
II ply as ii was when it came to us. but
Every year they're march,