The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-16

cause of our institutions we hold so dear
to our hearts,
1t has been wonderful privilege to
realize the memory of half century.
to live the period linking the foundation
of democracy of American with the
period of the beginning of the foundation
of democracy of the world.
What wonderful changes have taken
place within the space of these lives.
Railways have built their trails of
quick communication to all communities,
the lightning has been led to carry its
message held to the wires across the
land the voice is heard at the instant
although many days journey away, the
waves of air are made to carry sound
in instantaneous communication around
the world, men journey, on the land,
through the air and under the sea with
the speed of winged things.
Mar everywhere communicates with
ea.a with man everywhere, the world is
easily encompassed IN comparison with
the world of fifty years ago.
Our progress has been phenomenal in
material things; but have we progressed
in equal measure in moral spiritual,
ethical and sociological respects?
While as a people we have risen to
great heights in the progress of the war
program of the nation; yet have we
fully realized the duty we owe to the
state and nation in the progress of
peace when unaSSailed by any means
from without our country?
We know that those men of fifty years
ago were unf1inchingly devoted to the
cause of good government here at home;
we know that they constantly sought to
serve the common welfare of ali the
people; that they laid the foundation of
good government fair and firm and four
square with the principles of right equal
ity and Justice; that while they lived to
70 lah a mi
honored the trust reposed in them, and
served unselfshly the common good in
the upbuilding of the community, the
state and the country.
They were not tempted by the hope of
gain or advantage to themselves. nor
luled into a disregard of their serious
responsibilities by a desire for the ease,
convenience or conventionalities of life.
They lived to serve and to make the
world and their place in the world better
for their having lived here
They knew no task too great for their
adventure; no obstacle too large for Them
course of least resistance, but went the
way that sense of duty pointed out and
did the days work bravely, splendidly,
patiently and uncomplainingly in the
face of many obstacles, inconvenience
and lack of opportunity.
We'll might it be said of them:
"AlI are architects of Fate,
working in these walls of Time;
Some with ornaments of rhyme.
Standing together on the edge of the
Wilderness. striving together to build VI
homes and state and country they were
a band of brothers, hospitable, gener-
Gus, and chivalrous toward all.
How well they built they did not live
to know. but we who are the beneficiar-
les of their service and their aspira
tons may not express the full measure
of our respect for their brave undertake
ings.
And since their day has gone and we
have come upon the scene to receive
and to enjoy the heritage of their brave
endeavors, have we been always true tc
the trust at least implicitly imposed in
us and have we always kept faith with
the sense of duty left with us by their
example of the past?
They gave us new state, well found
cd and with all the resources bestowed
by lavish nature.
They left us united brotherhood OF
people, with all the institutions of g
progressive people well established
They left us at peace with the world
and at peace among the people.
We have played with our privileges as
If playing with pawns.
We have permitted the exploitation OF
cur resources and have played the games
of petty politics that have divided the
people among themselves, confused
them in their purposes and oftimes re.
suited in the sacrifice of their sub
False gods have arisen among US that
have lured and misled the people al
times with the promise of leading then
out Of the wilderness-often a wilder.
ness of the imagination.
And so confused with the clamor Of
untruth and of discord the people have
become divided among themselves ant
dissatisfied; when they have but to shu
that which is true, and moulding al
things to their common judgment pur.
sue the progress of their own power anC
prosperity.
Now, we who face the western sur
and realize that our season of service j.
shortening, who looking through tn,
lengthening shadows of the past have
seen the milestones of the progress o
the peoples and some places marked will
danger and disaster, may well resolve
to pledge our faith anew in the trus
of our ancestors and strive what day.
we linger for the restoration and tn,
perpetuation of the ancient principle!
of equality, justice and mercy among
man..
BY the grace of the arms of America
by the heroism, patriotism and devotion
Of America. by that spirit of America
implanted in our western world by ou
brave ancestry and casually nouriShet
by those of our times and the refugees
Of the oppressed places of the world
there is coming new awakening of tn,
spirit of the peoples of the world, whel
despotism shalt be dethroned, whel
liberty and equality, justice and mere,
shall be the aim and accomplishment o
all the peoples; and of all the nations
when war shall no more sound it's rud,
alarms, and all the highways of TIL
world shall come to be forevermore tn,
ways and paths of peace.
And then the emblem of liberty, risin,
above our eastern shores, the gift an,
token of the spirit of republica nism il
Europe, shall take on new and deepe
meaning to all the people of the earth
it's well-earned place before the world
as the creator and preserver of tn
rights of man. And when the boy
who went away come back as men fror
over there, bringing with them the ac
complishment of victory for the right
bringing with them the secret of tn
endurance of our institutions of libert
and equality, freedom of mankind an
justice under righteous law; how grea
and Unreasonable shall be, our gratitude
rs we shall welcome them as the pre-
serves of all those blessed rights an
privileges of freemen that were wo
and made for us by those ancestors Q
ours whose memory we rever today.
List of Those Who Died.
| Attorney Thomas Hughes read tn
| following memorial:
Gas we get older in. life two thing
particularly impress us, the swiftnes
| of time and the changeableness G
mundane affairs. Those that were i
the limelight of political, social an
business life of only twenty or thirt
years ago, have nearly all disappear
cd from their scenes of activity. For
;, mer business blocks and homes ar
| continually changing ownership an
occupancy and in a few years
whole neighborhod is gone and neN
one has taken it's place. How fore
! >;hlv thiS comes to aacb of nc who