Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-31


citizen betray his sacred trust. Give
US efficiency in gcvernment-let no
man use his government for his own
private gain. The man who will pilfer
from the State, the person who will
take from the country. the individual
who will steal from the city is traitor
to his country, his State and his man
hood, and deserves the severest con-
demnation mankind can give. The man
who takes hush money. the man who
sells his honor, the man who barriers
what only American government can
give, merits the punishment of the spy.
who would betray these hardy veterans
in struggle for National honor.
These men made our Flag the SYM
Dol Of all we are, of all we hope to be;
it is the emblem of equal rights. 1t
means free lands, free lips, the safety
Of the individual. 1t means free un-
limited education, knowledge for every
child, enlightenment for every mind.
1t stands for common school that is
the bulwark of Freedom, the buttress
| of liberty the foundation of self-gov-
eminent 1t means that each man IS
accountable to and for his government,
and that duties 60 hand in hand with
privileges, 1t means that every one has
his part in the making Of the whole
and it asks each one to do his part in
bearing the public burden. 1t means
that the source Of citizenship must not
be poisoned or we sully the white be-
tween the stripes Of red. 1t means
that wherever we go, at home, abroad,
on land or sea, we are protected by
| ont strong
enough, large enough. to do its duty.
| 1t means that all distinctions of birth
and blood are vanished, that poor MAJ
succeed as we'll as rich, that brains.
genius, ambition and ability shall feel
no break, but are free to work their
own desires. It means that all are
equal in the eye of the law, that tho
laborer can have his rights, protected
and determined by the same tribunal
| that the millionaire does. 1t means
that the unfortunate are cared for and
that all may have their Just deserts.
| That flag is the emblem Of supreme
right of a nations power. Beneath
its folds the weakest must be protect
| ed and the strongest must obey. 1t
shields and canopies alike the lofty
mansion and the humble cottage. It
thrills alike the heart of man and Wo-
man, old and young. 1t represents the
sufferings of the past, dark gloomy
horrible to contemplate. 1t represents
the joys of the present, great, hopeful
wonderful to look upon. And it por-
trays the thoughts of the future, big
ger. srander. sublimer than ever.
This day is sacred to a great heroic
| los+ MAN. of tbap1 TOO few of
them living who kept this Flag above
our heads. sacred to the living, sacred
to the dead. sacred to the SCARED and
manned, sacred to the wives who gave
their husbands, to the mothers who
| gave their sons.
Here in a peaceful land. the good
| flag flies, unsecured by bullets and
shell, waving as ever its own true
message to the world and mankind.
Fluttering in the breeze and bringing
iov to our hearts. Draped on the walls
to remind us of the r&st. No words can
express our debt to its defenders. 10
words can tell of tie 10y" we bear ~
all who died for those stars az"
stripes Too meagre is man to 40
justice to its teachings. Many nave
tried, many have succeeded in telling
part of the story No one can tell OF
its influence in the days to come. Rut
wears ago one Francis Scott keNes
wrote a song called the Star Spangled
Banner. It's tune is familiar to US all.
It's words | fear to only few OF US
That song has inspiration, we az
should know it. Written under condi
tions productive of patriotic thoughts
| It remains today cur real National
song Too seldom do we sing that
song together. Too strange are verses
two. three and four. If | could have
my way the foreigner of today on be
coming naturalized, instead of repeat
| ing sections of our Constitution. would
tell his story of wishing to be ar
American by singing the Star Spansled
Banner. I'll wager he would remem-
her it longer, understand it better. and
be more patriotic for 50 doing J
know of no better way of ending this
part Of the exercises than by adapting
tie action to the word and singing the
song Of our Nation.