The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-31


Today the Prussian Junker would
place the whole world in bondage to
a military oligarchy with headquart-
ers at Berlin. 1t is the privilege of the
American nation to prove to our Ger
man enemies that the rights of self
government so dearly purchased by
the blood of our forefathers can never
be defeated.
History has made us familiar with
the great events of the Revolutionary
war; with the privatiOns and over
whelming odds against which the
American army struggled. We see
Washington discovered near his win
ter camp at Valley Forge with his tear
stained face uplifted implOring divine
aid for a holy cause We see his SOL
diers ragged and barefooted tracing
their footprints in the winters snow
by their very life's blood, but their
hearts warm and glowing with the
spirit of liberty. We see at last Corn
wallis outwitted and brought to bay,
make his final stand and surrender
his sword to Washington. May the
time never come when the people of
this land shall cease to honor these
men who were wise enough and brave
and to establish it.
From the original thirteen colonies
along the Atlantic seaboard with
three millions of people at the time of
the Revolution, the American pio-
neers began the forward march into
the wilderness. Westward the star of
the Republic took it's way. With the
true American spirit these settlers
were not daunted by the resisting
force Of savage beasts and savage
men, and in their triumphant advance
they came not alone nor did they for
get the blessings Of free government.
Free schools, freedom of religious
worship, self government and equal
rights to all were institutions which
these new citizens of these western
states ever held inviolate.
Today the American pioneer is no
more. His work is finished The west
ern boundaries of the nation have
been extended until they have been
been dipped in the sunset seas of the
Pacific.
The almighty moves in mysterious
ways his wonders to perform The
fiery demon of the Civil war was not
aroused until these western states
were developed and were able to pour
out their flood of men and money to
save the national fabric from de-
structiOn.
Wisconsin Foremost.
In the development of the great
northwest the Yankees were not to
have undisputed possession of the
land for any length of time. From
across the seas other peoples came
to share the hardships of the new
settlements with you and to enjoy the
fruits of a prosperous country. From
Germany, Ireland, Norway, Scotland
and other countries there came the
best blood of those nations to inter-
mingle with that of the pioneers to
from the best people on the face of
the earth. For example, in Wisconsin
there is a larger percentage of for
eign born than in almost any other
state in the Union and where can you
find nobler race of men?
In spite of reputation for disloy-
atty which is not deserved Wisconsin
has been foremost on every battle
field and has never failed to respond
to every call of the nation when it
came.
I say this to show what the mixture
that from whatever land he came the
naturaliZed American citizen allows
no one to exceed him in loyalty to the
stars and stripes and in devotion to
his country.
Born in lands across the sea, never
theless they are American citizens
loyal to the flag of their adopted IA
therland. Their patriotism is not con-
fined to the boundaries of any one
state but goes out to one great nation
where a government of the people is
the supreme law of the land.
Today when we walk through the
cemeteries of the nations dead we
PAUSE UclOIo Lu0 ulOuuul0uL OI CQ6
German American soldier and find
inscribed there the words 81 fought
with Schurz" or II fought with ST.
GEL" Or we picture in minds eye the
heroic charge of Meagher's Irish Bri-
ade up st. Mary's Heights at Freder-
icksburg, or we read in history's page
of Col. Heg and his Fifteenth Wiscon-
sin Scandinavian regiment whose
Viking blood was shed for the stars
and stripes at Stone River and Chick
amauga
1t is not my purpose today to recite
to you the battlefields of our great
Civil war. Every scholar in our
schools has committed them and ev-
cry American citizens heart has
thrilled with the herOism and gallant
deeds of the soldiers of the Union. We
all know of the billions Of money
poured out and the millions of lives
sacrificed that this nation might en-
dure. The money, that was nothing.
The nation could work and repay her
debt of dollars But the gallant boys in
blue who went forth from their homes
in the nOrthland never to return, can
we ever repay them? They nave gone
to their last reward and leave behind
them the monument of forty-eight
states united in prosperity and pro-
gress. But the greatest monument