The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-05-31
MEMORIAL OBSERVANCE
WEATHER INTERPRETED WITH
PLANS-PROGRAM HELD
IN HIGH SCHOOL.

"disarranged the program carefully
prepared for yesterdays observance
of Memorial day. Clouds gathered
late during the day before, and an
almost continuous rain fell from that
time until yesterday morning. The
essentially formal portions of the
days arrangements We're carried out,
but all street demonstrations We're
abandoned.
Jas. Robertson. marshal of the
day. arranged in the morning for
co%nveyances to carry committees to
the cemeteries to decorate the graves
of our soldier dead. Several auto
mobiles were obtained. loaded with
flowers. and assembled at the court
house The committees in charge,
representatives of Gen. Shields post
q. A. r.. officers of the S. ID. n. c.,
and several boy scouts and two bug
lers were detailed for the ceremony.
In view of the uncertainties of the
weather. a detail was sen to each OF
the two cemeteries. instead of, as
heretofore. to each in turn. In the
chill drizzle of the dark forenoon
standing beneath the furled flag, boy
scouts. acting instead of the Flower
girls as at first arranged. placed flor
al tributes upon the graves of Martin
: Dodge. Alonzo Heith. j. ID. Tyler.
NJ. b. Goodall. Jonathan Staley. VIM.
luce John Bowe. O. G. Belrood,
David Dewey. +. ID. Gilbert. John
THOMPSON. S. p. Hall. @. c. Bell,
John Hoessler. Thos. Kerr, A. =.
Hull. r. A.. Murray. VIM. Boswell,
4. /. Beardsley, John Gilchrist, John
Gregor. S. NJ. jerks, Moses Frost,
owen owens, J.. A. Coyle, ]. A. Hew-
lit Hiram Miller, Thos. Costlow,
Preston G. Tyrrell, Albert Bliss, VIM.
Colbnrn. b. c. Barron, j. NJ. Pres
TON stephen Gregory. l.. T.. Farrand,
&. r.. Waters, w. ]. Mosher' !. NJ.
.C0etlow, ThOs. Feneran, f. u. ram
or. Frank Fintzel. VIM Lee, +. =.
Healey. VIM. Whitmore. Chas. hing
ham. Chas. Nicholson. r ]. Burnett,
Edison Miller. Jas. Shaw. John wal
ter c u. Bailey. n. b. Stacy and A.
w. Holdridge at Graceland cemetery
for the veterans of the civil war, and
on A. Leister and Albert Gatske Tor
veterans of the Spanish war.
At the Madison Catholic cemetery
The graves of Edward Coffey, John
Stannard. j. II. Garry, Neil McCui-
lom John Walden and VIM. Tobln
received floral tokens Of respect. "
both cities of the dead taps sounded
in martial notes of the soldiers
farewell.
Afternoon.
Owing TO the impossibility OF nav
ing a parade as planned, the exercises
for the afternoon was held in the
auditorium OF the high school Q
ING 10 previous announcement. Inc
nrogram was previously set for $50.
hut in the absence of the parade II
was later called for 100. At the
hour the crowd had not all gathered.
and il was somewhat later when the
veterans of the G. A. r. and the W.
r C. marched to their places under
he banner for which they had
fought. Following them came the
bows of Company +. Fourth Dakota
infantry. and took the position as
signed them.
] w. Heston announced the pro
gram The band. stationed on the
platform. rendered America" then
the chairman introduced the speaker
of the day.
In response to the Introduction Ira
F. Blewitt greeted the assembled cit
izenrv before him. BY this time the
hall was crowded. many not being
able TO gain admission, standing IN
the halls. wings and on the stairs.
Mr.. Blewitt paid a glowing tribute
10 the day and what ii signifies, stat
ing that il is an American institution
wholly. Not another nation i'm the
world has a day set apart for the
memory of its dead defenders. ON
er nations soldiers. dead in the con
quest of other and weaker countries
and peoples, lay where they fell on
foreign soils. in obscure and I'M
known graves. our country, having
fought for protection Of freedom
alone. have its warrior dead upon
soil sacred to Americans. n IN
honor of them and the principles OF
freedom for which they fought, a day
has been set apart for the observance
and recognition of what they did.
This is the 49th anniversary OF that
day.
The speaker called attention 10 the
fact that our wars are fought by boys
instead of by mature men, stating
that for this more glory was theirs.
Quoting astonishing figures he stated
that of 2,778,309 enlisted in the
great civil war there We're rs boys
10 years old, 225 boys II years old,
1923 boys IA years old, S44,S9l
boys 16 years old. and ~1,121,S4S of
IS. Only 61S.511 men of 81 or over
were enlisted in that great war, the
typical union soldier being a boy.
In the present fight, the speaker
asserted, it is not a fight against
aristocracy alone. but for freedom.
1t Is not only hat militarism might
control and subdue all Europe, but
that America itself might come under
its dominion. The war of the revo-
luton was fought against foreign OPP
preston; the war of 1912 was fought
against foreign aggression and for
the freedom of the seas and seamen,
and that great conflict Of '61 was
fought for the freedom of a race
whose mothers happened to be black.
1t is again not alone for ourselves,
our God and home and native land,