Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-06-05
HONOR THE BOYS Of 6l-65
DECORATION DAY OBSERVANCE
MOST TIMELY
A Splendid Parade-Large Attend
ance-ApprOpriate Address
and Music

At the last hour nature smiled on
Niroqua's memorial day exercises.
Threatening weather till noon, then
came glorious sunshine and the prob
lem was solved. A procession two
blocks in extent with an assemblage
of several thousand souls. and all was
we'll.
The flag carried by Comrade v. NJ. Crume
NirOoua Ban6
Civil War Veterans hanked by Flower Girls
Spanish-American War Veterans
Noman's Relief Corps
City officials
County 0ficisis
All former Memorial Day Orators
Clergy
Campfire Girls and Boy Scouts
Training School
NiroGua Schools
As the procession entered the beau
tiful rest of the dead, the band de
ployed while the flanking columns of
white-clad flower girls turned to the
left and right to perform their beau
tiful service of decorating the graves
of our soldier dead. The cars dis
charged their precious cargo of old
and grizZled veterans at the pavilion.
T. o. Mork as master of ceremonies
opened the program with appropriate
remarks, Rev. Hofstead following with
fervent invocation. Messrs. Parker,
Berg, Nye and Goldsmith nicely rend-
cred the centennial hymn and" When
the Boys Come Marching Home"
Never was that classic, Lincoln's
Gettysberg address, rendered with
more feeling and fidelity to the orig
inal than on this occasion by Carol
Christensen. With faltering voice and
slow, Col C. NJ. Butt read the roll of
honor-in minds eye, the mighty
host of half century ago passed in
silent and pathetic review. With
ringing voice and compelling empha-
sis Rev. Bullock pronounced the fol-
lowing address, synopsis:
We have gathered together today to do
honor to the veterans of the Civil and other
wars and TO pay a tribute TO the members Of
the WOman's Relief Corps, who, together
with the veterans, bore the burdens of the
stirring days of iS6l-IS65. This Is your day,
and we honor the memory of those whose
graves have been decorated this afternoon,
who hsd part in the struggles through
which you veterans passed.
The observance of special days come TO us
from out the pages Of history, freighted with
Divine approval IL was In the early days
of Israelitish history, when they were liberated
from slavery to the Egyptian taskmasters,
that God commanded them to observe the day
they left Egypt as an annual memorial day.
The Feast of the Passover was cOmmem0Tated
each year and meant much TO the future
people Of Isreal. Nations have patterned af-
ter the Divine example and have set apart
certain days that memorabilia great events.
Take our own Fourth of July and Thanks
giving Day. well AS the present occasion.
EaeG 3sy has special value and each has
great lessons to teach of patriotism and 10y
atty.
Memorial day is the great Honor Day for
the veterans of the Civil war. We are re-
minded of the hereism. the courage, the BRAY
cry and the sacrifice of these men who went
al The call of country. We admire their he
rOic efforts and the price they paid TO pre-
serve a great | would pay tribute TO
that great army of silent partners in this
cause. the wives and mothers of these vet
Grams. who labored silently to keep the Home
Fires Burning" Who suffered, screwed, pray
cd and rejoiced in the quietness of their own
homes. Out of that crisis they know how to
sympAthze with the mothers Of to-day, whose
boys "over there"
! We remember today, the glorious results
! of the Civil war. We rejoice that the Union
was preserved. The nation was united. We
rejoice that the slave freed. We rejoice
in the patriotism. the blessings OF freedom
and the blessings Of Union TO the nation.
But today. after fifty years, We face new
conditions. While we honor the veterans Of
time to the boys in khaki across the sea-
engaged not in national, but a world war.
Similar principles are oeing fought out 70,
day. The Civil war is repeated in a world
war. You veterans fought to preserve the
Union; boys lighting TO preserve the
unity Of the nations a. represented IN their
I
many has become law unto herself. Treaties
are regarded scraps Of paper. She mas
broken faith with the other nations This
autacratic and despote power would ignore
and override all others. u GU veterans tonGht
for the liberty and freedom OF the slave
Our boys fighting for the liberty and free
dom of the weaker nations that are today
being reduced TO a slavery worse than that
of the negro in the south. The great prin-
ciples of the Declaration of Independence.
THAT all men are created equal. that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain
inalienabie rights, that among them are me-
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness, APP
plies lust much 20 nations today as 10
individuals in the early days OF our history.
Germany would ride over the weaker nations.
The policy Of the Mailed Hst. the doctrine
that might makes right. the old idea OF the
Divine right of Kings. ignore the rights oil
the weak. Germany says the weaker nations
must go TO the wall. Militarism respects no
one. Righteousness Is ignored Oar boys are
over there to stop militarism, despotism, au-
tocracy and monarchy riding over the rights
Of the people. To stand up for the realization
of those memorable words Of Abraham LIN
coin: "a government of the people, by tie
people and for the people"
To-day we are demanding patriotism.
Everybody is enlisted in the conflict. Each
one can do his bit. The boys and girls are
| being enlisted. the young people are appealed
| 10. We all standing back Of Uncle sam
/ whether It's Liberty Loan, Red Cross, \. NJ.
/ C. A. war saving and thrift stamps, we are
all in the war TO win. Even the veterans
| whom we honor today are giving US an ex-
ample m keeping the h"He hles pui
l One Of them in the recent Liberty Loan drive
oyersubscribed his allotment more than any
| other man in the city.
We look forward today to the Memorial
l Days of the future. Another year we hope
| the veterans of the Civil will be ceie-
/ hrating this day with the veterans of a world
war You will be glad to share the honor
with the boys from across the seas We
/ honor today the mothers Nnd fathers
1 whose boys are there engaged in the greatest
/ conflict of history TO help fulfill the words OF
| our beloved President Wilson, ITO Make the
| World a Safe place for Democracy"
Program closed with music by the
band and taps" by Chief Musician
| o. g. Brown. In view of the constant
drain by the war upon the ranks Of the
/ band, their appearance in force and
| their excellent music was matter of