The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-16
PIONEERS OF COUNTY
ENJOY THE EESTlvITY


tContinued FROM page One)
when freedom and equality were in peril
and the great Lincoln sounded the call
to arms to save the nation, they went
forth to battle in the cause of freedom,
to save the destiny of their country and
consolidate the states into great ma
tion-each state an empire-the greatest
governmental triumph in all the world
wherein all government is secured by the
consent of contented, devoted and
prosperous people.
Many of us may not remember when
they Jared forth to battle in freedoms
cause but the minds OF most OF us are
stirred by strange memories as they
came back after long service, wearied
and worn by the drive of battle and the
shock of arms but bringing back our
standard shell torn and battle smoked,
but still the flag of the free still the
standard of justice, mercy and equality
under the law of the people, still the
emblem of the highest. accomplishment
people, as It shall be forevermore.
What wonder then with such line
age, our youth today again go forth
upon the seven seas with upright vision
and hearts: beating in harmony with
the spirit of their ancestors. to battle
for the cause of human rights in the
crisis of the world when the destiny of
man is in the balance and 10 bear the
"
the making over OF the world.
War was not then as now a monstros-
ity of mechanical force. but then to be
wounded meant almost certain death for
lack of knowing care while now the
wounds of men are cleansed and healed
by the skill of science then unknown,
and courage then was taxed as courage
now is taxed in equal measure.
War then as now meant sacrifice ard
unselfish service to the state, the call
of courage and the sense of duty to be
done in the saving of the institutions
of liberty among the people, who en-
joyed the proud heritage of pure free
dom won for them free from the domn-
ion of kings across the seas, and for a
people among whom each was of equal
right under the law of all. rule of right
found only under the flag of America
but always to be found under that flag
upon every sea and in every cline
And while our men were carrying on
the flag in freedoms cause, our brave
women here at home were filling the
fields and making the harvest and keep
ing alive the eternal fires upon the al
tars of our homes.
While building up homes in the wild
places, over coming the obstacle of
harsh nature, driving back the redmen
into the wilderness. serving the flag upon
the southern fields of battle, our people
of Minnesota had the courage and ca
pacity to formulate and progress a
state government the foundation of which
by them laid has preserved to us all of
the civil rights SO dear to us in the pres
ent day.
Such was their courage, capacity and
attainment in the face of obstacles, diff
fcultieS and hardShips that the people of
the present day with all their ease and
opportunity may hardly understand nor
clearly comprehend.
In view of the example of their sery-
Ice we may not now listen with much
patience to the suggestion that it is
beyond our measure at the present time
Or full fnxa 70
and our state while giving service to the
nation in the winning of the war of the
world.
For now, in contrast with conditions
then, we may take new courage end
assume new burdens still unknown with
confidence that we shall have power and
purpose to discharge the trust our
fathers have imposed in us.
In their time over all a chaos seemed
to reign more disheartening than ever
experienced by the people of our country
manifestly more alarming and disturb
ing than we have ever known since
then.
Commonwealth was arrayed against
commonwealth in mortal combat, rather
against son, brother against brother,
family ties were annulled, friendships OF
long years dissolved; but out of ali the
frey furnace of discord and internacine
quarrels finally came the purified ele-
ment of the freedom of man; and time
which cures all wrongs and heals all
sorrows have united the people of all
commonwealths into one consolidated
nation, saluting the one flag and imbued
with one common impulse-the spirit OF
America|of equality, justice and mercy
The vision of a boy from Dixie land
serving in trenches on the fields OF
Flanders, has seen the solidarity OF
crisis of the world, and has written in
the music of the southland.
Here's to the Blue of the windswept
North, EtF
When we meet on the fields of France
May the Spirit of Grant be with you ali
AS the Sons of the North advance.
Here's to the Gray of the sunkissed
When we meet on the fields of France
May the Spirit of Lee be with you all,
AS the Sons of the South advance.
Here's to the Blue and Gray as one.
AS they meet on the fields of France
May the Spirit of God be with us all,
As the Sons of the Flag advance.
What wonder then that our brave
youth today are carrying on our fal
flung battle line across the sea il
Flanders, Picardy and Lorraine; wha
wonder that to inspiration of the pas
and the hope of the future has cheereC
their souls and steeled their hearts tt
deeds, Of heroism never written in his
tory before; what wonder that the new
spirit of America has freshened the hopes
of humanity and mas brought a rude
awakening to those who would sustain
the intolerant dominion of the rule o
kings who would drive from out tn,
world those things for which ever.
generation of our, land for three hun
dred years has labored and fought ant
endured.
What wonder that our youth so far
ing forth with the new spirit of America
have made the grandest army the worl,
has ever known; the new crusaders
clean, courageous, constant to ,hei
most righteous cause.
That army of crusaders goes forth t
battle for cur rights and liberties wol
in the blood of our fathers, for our ma
tion our state. our homes, our altar
and all we hold most sacred; for tn
privilege of manliness, for the sacred
ness of womanhood, for the protectio
of childhood; yes, for the endurance Q
to the victors OF force by any mean
and brutality at any cost, then Chris
shall have died in vain upon the cross
the progress of twenty centuries sha
come to naught
We have Weakened from our sense G
secure seclusion from the strife of tn
world to find monstrous agency {
brutal force rampant throughout tn
eastern world, reaching to our very door
with its hellish means of jnhuman de
structiveness, and with snakelik
tenacles extended to every corner of tn
world to poison the minds and conf
dence of men. determined to destroy a
things that do not yield to its inhuma
purposes.
Now awakened to our sense of dut
youth to follow the flag of liberty an
they have filed the ranks of the gres
army of crusaders fighting for the in
mortal truth and right and shall driy
the Beast of Berlin back to its home
hell from whence it came and win f,
all the neCnleS of the world the right