Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-01

organized fifty years ago. The ad-
dress follows:
I'VE rear monuments to the mem
ory of our illustrious dead. The name
and fame Of the great heroes we
herald forth in bronze and marble
On Riverside drive in New York
stands the mausoleum of Grant, dedi-
Gated not only by the president Of our
land, but by the gratitude Of an en-
tire nation. have seen beautiful
monuments erected to the memory Of
Lincoln, Sherman, Logan. and others.
throughout the land memorial piles
have been raised by loving hands,
some of them magnificent and ma
jestic. others more modest and simple,
yet all Of them the expression Of the
same reverent love and gratitude to
the liberators and defenders Of our
nation And on each succeeding
Memorial day we decorate these
graves and stand silently by in thank,
full retrospect. The deeds of valor.
the sacrifices, the blood that was
shed, the love of country, yea, the
love Of humanity, the patriotism that
was the guiding star of the fallen
heroes as they rode down into the
valley of death for US fill our hearts
with an emotion impossible to ex-
press. And we gather the remnants
Of the grand army together, those
who still remain around us to bear
testimony to us Of the titanic contest
and glorious victory. Then we thank
you, defenders of the flag. for your
sacrifice and for the blessings that
we enjoy as an heritage from you and
your comrades who sleep under yon.
der trees, awaiting the resurrection
call from the bugle Of the archangel
Of God.
"But you do not need our monu-
ments, our praises, our speeches.
They add nothing to your heroism.
They do not repay you for your sacri-
fices. A better reward Is yours. But
rather we need them. Our nation
needs these monuments. We Of e
younger generation and our children
and children's children. until the end
Of time, need to gather for these
memorial services to place fresh
laurel wreaths on the graves of the
nations illustrious dead. For we are
the ones who need the lesson in
patriotism that such occasions con.
how to honor its heroes Is not worthy
of having any heroes and will not
have any. have often thought OF
the message that day will bring to
US, when we shall gather for memorial
services and not one of you, Grand
Army Men. shall be present. We see
that day coming. It is not far dis
tant. Then shall we mourn, and
gather at your graves as we are gath
cred round about your comrades
graves today. and you, being dead
shall yet speak to us, and we shall
hear.
Yves, we need to learn the lesson OF
patriotism which We may learn from
you. And why? In order to glorify
war? No! But rather to glorify peace.
feel thit II there is one thing that
you would say to lis today, on this
Memorial day, and in the shadow OF
the awful world cataclysm that threat
ems even to engulf us, 1t is to keep
the peace that God has hitherto
vouchsafed unto u.s. You, better than
anyone else, can tell US Of the hor-
rors of war You know how little
glory there is in war and how terrible
and degrading its reality Is. You are
ready to say with me today that II
war has any glory it's glory Is only
borrowed from peace. What is 1t that
sheds glory on the battlefield? Is 1t
the brutal lust OF carnage? Is it the
wild exhibition Of animal courage
Is it the roar Of the cannon, the
shrieks of the dying? Is it the after.
math of disabled strength OF manhood
+, the tears Of widows, the distress OF
orphaned children? All. these you say
are the sinister shadows Of war
Where then is its glory? Is 1t in the
marshaled columns. the waving ban
ners, the music? There isn't much OF
that in war today, and even when
there is. there hovers over the scene
the vulture of death. Is 1t not rather
in the virtues that have been learned
in times of peace. and which are not
! forgotten in war? The obedience Of
| the soldier. his love Of country, his
reverence for the flag, his one pur
pose to live and die for truth and JUS
tice his noble attempts to make wal
less hellish, more humane, the hand
iextended in help to the fallen, help
Hess enemy, say, are not these ant
all other virtues OF war borrowed from
! peace?
/ Have there been any glorious
wars? Yes, you say, and point will
| pride to the wars of this country. VIII!
lhave they been glorious? Because
ythey have been fought for high ant
noble principles. We have fought TO
liberty, for justice. for peace, LASTING
\ peace on sure foundations. And THU