Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-04-03
A Voice From the Mountains.

since / have seen your paper, shall
now try to break the long silence
between us. These are war-times as
you know. and this is a fatal hour
in the history of the world. Au-
tocracy and Mohamedanism are
making their last stand before the
triumphant march of democracy
apd christianity. That for which we
now struggle was the morning star
of hope in the breast of Washing
ton, the shrine at which met Jeffer-
son, Madison and Monroe and the
goal sought at this hour by the
American nation, in that the world
might be free people, for this our
boys the very bud and flower of the
nation are facing the bullet show
ers of the trenches in France to day,
shedding their blood and offering
their lives. For this the women of
the Red Cross brigade have gone to
the front line. God bless them every
one. To inspire their manhood at this
sacred shrine they too offer their
lives, fortune and everything that
is dear and sacred to them for our
common country. They vii, point
their sons, brothers and sweethearts
to the clear path of duty in defense
of the nations honor. More could
not be desired, more could not be
expected.
Our flag stands for humanity,
equal opportunity for all people. 1t
is the only banner that means man.
kind. 1t stands for no race. 1t is
not like an English, French or Ger
man flag. 1t stands for all men who
come and live under its protection.
Other flags mean glorious past, the
stars and stripes mean glorious fu-
ture. 1t is the flag of tomorrow the
signal of good time coming. Stand
by the flag boys. know you will
die there if need be.
The uniform of soldier is just
as sacred as the robe of preacher,
and our soldiers are most worthy of
this statement. They defend our
lives, our rights and our honor.
What could be more noble? They
are fighting the Kaiser. who stands
for Prussian autocratic rule. Wood
row Wilson stands for democracy,
humanity and christianity. God
bless president Wilson. He is the
greatest man in the world living or
dead.
l hear of some old "angled-back
rough neck croakers" saying this is
not our fight, but if the Germans
were to come over here I'd be the
first 10 defend the flag, Such fellows
have no flag, and they are liars and
towards. These are strong words of
course, but it is strong case and 1t
demands strong LANGUAGE. 1t is their
fight. 1t is democracy's fight, hui
manity's fight and God Almighty's
fight. The beast is loose, the devil
is unclaimed. The right must win,
it cannot lose, but peace with hu-
man liberty will never be had for
nothing. 1t must be paid form blood
and treasure. There is no other way
as long as the Hun and vandals in
fest the earth. Ghis is just as much
our fight in France as if the battle.
line was drawn up between the Sa-
vannah ana the Saluda rivers In
the name of God, we will set up our
banners.
We want the Elgefe!d boys to
give the Rebel yell' as they 90
over the top, and get Fritz" out
in the open and don't give them
time TO burrow in the ground. Keep
them on the run and carry the VIC
tory to the imperial castle at Pots
dam and there tell the Kaiser that
no South Carollnian ever took Or
ders from king, prince or emperor.
When Leonidas and his three hum
dred Spartans died defending the
pass at Thermopylae, the gateway
to Greece, and the freedom of
Greece was won. There was a
monument erected there with this
inscription: Go stranger and tell
the Spartans that we obeyed the
laws and lie here But there is no
law in the United States that re-
quires her soldiers to die on the bat
tie. But when a monument is
erected in memory O. her heroes,
let this be the inscription: 60
traveller to South Carolina and tell
her for her sacred honor we lie here. D
And now let me say just word
to the mothers and daughters.
When you write a letter to the
brave boys in France or in the train