Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1918-02-21
CORPORAL BLEDsoE DIES
MILITARY FUNERAL HERE.
concluded from mage IL

he offered his life for the preserva-
ton of those democratic institutions
which we Americans hold dear. He
belongs to the number who daily are
dropping to their death from the
clouds, or sinking beneath the waves
of the sea, or falling in the trenches
for the maintenance Of our liberties
and the purchase of our happiness
and peace. And because of this his
life and death have been a message
for us which we dare not ignore.
Let us not be vague in our concep-
ton of the institutions for which he
has offered his life. Yonder in the
Square stands our old court house.
Two blocks to the north of us is our
splendid high school building. Here
we are gathered in a church, and
are surrounded by other churches
dedicated like this to the free wor-
ship of God. Beyond the sea a hand
is stretched forth, red with the blood
of innumerable innocents and foul
with unspeakable cruelties. 1t seeks
to fasten its unholy grip upon our
court house, that II may change It
from temple of freedom and justice
into an agency for the furtherance
of tyranical Cypress ii. 1t seeks to
lay hold upon our school house, that
it may substitute for the pursuit of
truth a curriculum designed to jus
tify and support the divine right of
a merciless despotism. 1t seeks to
strike down our free worship of AL
mighty God, and turn our services
of praise into blasphemous echoes of
the rawlings of vicious and unbal-
anced emperor. 1t is for the proven
ton of these cosmic calamities that
our boys are dying Gathered here
before the casket of one who has
made the final sacrifice, let us seek
to get a vision of our own duty as
Americans.
Not many of us here will have the
privilege of active military service,
but let us remember that there are
victories possible to us no less neces-
sary than the victories of the battle
field. 1t is our holy privilege to
cherish and perfect the institutions
for which our boys are so gladly
laying down their lives. In the
light of this sacrifice which we are
here to celebrate, I. invite you to
contemplate your miserable penny
and Hog Island selfishness.
Bring your sneaking and dishon-
est politician, your religious bigot,
your swindling merchant, your pet
ty slanderer and your grudge carrier
into this revealing light. I do not
know how it is with you, but from
this time forth 1 will vote for no
man because of his party tag, nor
will / respect him because he is able
TO pronounce a UNCONVENTIONAL Shib-
boleth. Unless he can convince me
that he is deeply and unselfishly
loyal to the best interests of those
things for which our boys are dying,
he shall have no claim upon my
support or my respect. For he who
destroys the harmony of the commu-
nifty, or undermines the justice and
integrity of the state and nation,
is a traitor, not only against the
State as an abstract conception, but
against the blood and memory of
those who have died to preserve it.
Gathered here around this casket
let us deeply resolve to be forever
free from the faint Of such petty
treason. And let usNsay, with the
solemnity of a religious VOW that,
as far as in us is, we are ready
to preserve, pure and imperishable,
the heritage of freedom which is
secured to us in the blood of our
sons aad brothers.
Life is TOO often like leaky wood
en- bucket. Drop by drop thru the
weary years happiness and hope,