The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-07-19
HONOR BOARD DEDICATED.
Brilliant Address by Oliver L. O'BOyle
of Milwaukee.


of Milwaukee.
The dedication of the Honor Board
carrying the names of the boys who
are called into the service of their
country was most fittingly made on
Sunday afternoon when an attendance
of at least two thousand people gath
cred to participate in the patriotic ex-
ercises A large platform had been
erected in front of the board with re-
served seats for the mothers Of the
sons, members of the G. A. r. and w.
r. c., with the speakers stand and
band directly opposite. The program
began with brief address by Atty.
Geo. W. Blanchard who spoke of the
double purpose of the occasion, being
also in honor Of the French indepen-
dence day. July IA. Mayor Leary then
introduced Atty. Oliver L. O'Boyle of
Milwaukee, who gave one of the most
pleasing and eloquent addresses ever
listened to in our city. In part he
spoke as follows:
When before in the history of Amer
lea as republic have its people gath
cred together on an occasion so sig
niicant, go suspicious as the occasion
which you celebrate today? We are
today to dedicate this tablet upon which
is inscribed the names of those men
who nave gone forth to fight beneath
that flag in America s second great fight
for liberty and independence.
Today We are to offer up humble
tribute to our sons in service. Four
long years of this war have passed and
the end is no nearer now than 1t was IN
the beginning. How difficult it was
for many of US to realize the danger
that threatened our republic, how long
we were in rising to the need OF the
occasion, in squirting ourselves to the
action that has since been aroused that
our ideal, sacred principles, be preServ
ed for our children. During the early
years OF the war We seemed to take
security from the great distance the
conflict was away from US, that dis
tance lent a certain charm and We felt
that we were protected by mighty
oceans on either side Of US, were safe
from the danger, from the blOodshed,
calamity that was convulsing all Eu-
rope. Our statesmen warned US, our
neighbors warned US that we too would
be drawn into the naelStrOm. Some
times, perhaps, we had such a feeling
ourselves but we laughed those feelings
down Who would dare defy US with
all our hidden power? Who would seek
US out and attack US? We who could
raise up a hundred million stalwart
men? Who would dare insult that flag
that for century and half mad en-
jOyeG the respect and honor of all peo-
pie? Who, l say? Surely we alone
would remain at peace with all the
world. Then as nightmare it came
upon US. We found ourselves engulfed
in the very center of this cataclysm.
We were a long time awakening, but
when we gaze upon those names, men
and women of Edgerton when as we
pass TO and fro upon this street from
this day forth and read the names of
those we love best, of the very flower
of our manhood, who are perhaps dying
upon foreign shore, aye, when in our
sleep those names are burned in our
very brains with fiery letters, we will
curse the war mad crowd, the military
government of Prussia that has dis
turbed the beauty of our peace, that
disturbed the tranquility of our be-
loved land. Our country has cast It's
lot with those other nations in the bat
tlefield that will decide the destiny OF
free people.
We were patient, we waited. We
wanted peace. We did not desire ter
ritorial gains We had this fertile lane
that was sufficient for all our needs OF
US and our children. We had no quar-
rels to decide. We wanted peace. We
were patient and we suffered insult anc
we turned the other cheek. And ther
we realized. Then the naked truth
stood before US in all its horridness
Our ships were sunk upon the high
seas. Our rights guaranteed by the
laws of nations, those laws that haC
been so slowly, so painfully construct
ed, thru all the ages, were violated
were broken, were disregarded. That
flag was scoffed and ridiculed. Thai
flag that we have come to love, to hon
or, to respect, and finally our citizen:
whom we were sworn as free govern
ment to protect were killed upon the