The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-05-31
over their silent DUST

III is just ABOUT once Il year tndC
we do really remember and realize
the debt this country owes to these
men and those who sleep beneath
the sod We should keep the thought
in mind continually. In such time
as this we think of them more than
we did when peace reigned over us
and most of us were a bit of a
pacifist / hope that we may in
some way or other remember their
sacrifice in some service which will
makes our country and our institu-
lions better and our great republic
stand four square especially in these
times.
at is to the Union soldiers to the
member of the G. A. R. that the
credit is due for carrying our country
/ triumphantly through her greatest
crisis. Other times were trying but
lthey were all Incompatible with the
one they saw and met.
| Secession was the deadliest foe
| that reared its head above the hor-
lion of our natoin. Separation per-
mitted then would have meant utter
humiliation To have allowed the
| conthorn states to go in peace would
have been to blast our every national
l..ope ana place destruction in our
path.
''The debt posterity owes these
comrades living and fallen can only
| be paid by thousand years of
almost sacred devotion to their
country
"These days then are tributes of
home which the American nation
pays to the spirit of patriotism en-
bodied in her citizens of the past
and the expression of her purposes
to cultivate like spirit in her citi-
zens of today.
To-day our nation has entered up
on another and greater war to defend
/, the rights of small nations, to save
the liberties of this people from the
iron rule of military despotism and
to make a unification not only as
was the civil war of small states
but Of the whole world to make as
our text states 'one law to the
stranger that sojourneth among you.
For international Unity
'We are contending not only for
unity and solidity not only for
national liberty but international in
dependence. That old battle has been
fought and won as we have said,
base would we be indeed to forget
the sacrifice made but there is an
other great battle on and you old
veterans have not been discharged
from your duties Of great loyalty to
God and country. We need your Oft
proven loyalty yet, your days of great
experience to aid as an incentive to
us this day to give UP all for country
and to make this old world a safe
place in which to live.
"The children of those days saw
their fathers, the wives their hus
bands, the girls their sweethearts go
forth to battle amid the martial
music. They formed part of that
group around the reader of that tele-
gram on that terrible Sunday after
Gettysburg. They shared tho anxiety
and unCcrtaintT after the news of all
tho great battles in which they
thought their loved one might be
engaged. Plans for college life were
given UP. They realized from ex-
p rerience the full measure of devotion
which war meant. Is there dancer
hat their chilGren's children forget
How like those days are the ones
through which we arc Passing today
only vastcr because of the larger
number of lien being called out to
their country's service. Mothers are
here today who have seen their boy
go away. Wives are here who have
seen their husbands go, sweethearts
. are here who have bid a fond fare
well, possibly forever to that loved
/, one. We are sharing the anxiety to-
day as then in running down the
casualty list and greater will be our
anxiety as the war continues. Plans
for home have been given up. Plans
: for an education have been sacrificed
, But what matters it now as then il
: only this whole world can be brought
to a great understanding that Chris
as Christianity and slavery could moi
exist in those days side by side.
There is great duty awaiting
, each one of us on every side. We
have been called upon to lift high 9
noble standard, standard such as
people have never seen before. 1t is
for each of us to rally around that
, standard SO that this whole world
, will feel our influence as never be
FORE
"There will come a time when this
conflict is over and we have defeated
i, the hnn-when we will be proud tc
: speak of the part we played anC
what we contributed toward making
it possible. There will come a time
when our grandchildren will gather
,, about our knees and ask: What die
!. you do in 1912 1t will be proud
moment l say for us to state we die
, our bit and then some toward all thu
agencies which helped to win the
!, conflict. l sent a son, l sent two
sons, yes maybe three or four OF
. five or l went myself Or l contributed
. in some way until it hurt to keeI
: my boys until that conflict was over
! Is it not a proud moment for the
: grandchild of today to gather abOu
. the old veterans and have him tel
, and retell of his experiences? Tha
proud feeling is mutual between
them. LIZ
Easier For Boys of '61
at was easier for the boys of 81
to walk away than it was for brood
ing love to stay at home. 1t was
:. easier to ride in blue or gray through
nj,