The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1919-03-14
MEMORIAL DAY ADDRESS
nv MR. A. L. TAYLOR

on this 9th day Of March We assem-
hle AT a place such as this 10 com
memorate the heroic dead who.
three years ago today. gave here 80
freely Of their all in the defense not
Of themselves alone hut Of this COM
munity as a whole. We are per-
mitted the luxury OF moralizing at
this time as when gathered about
the bier Of one just departed this
life from among Us. In memory we
again surround our defenders, re-
moved though We be- by months and
years. Again we recount the cir
cumslanccs still 50 vivid in the
minds Of many here, circumstances
that put 10 the test the full measure
Of heroism and devotion TO principle
Of which the youth Of America Is
capable.
In memory We cling TO them. In
memory we retracc the past. IN
memory we review their perform
ance In the light Of other days. The
centuries that have passed into his
tory are crowded with much that Is
dark and terrible and selfish. The
burdens of injustice and pain that
has weighed upon humanity is tod
tragic for human language To COM
pass. Dark as is the past IL Is still
aglow with records ~ unselnsh de-
yotion. The story Of humanity would
be terrible indeed were II not soft
cncd and redeemed by those who
could forget self. who could lose
their all In a wild intense demand
and sacrifice for a larger measure
Of industrial. civil, religious and in
tcllcctual liberty. Here and there
are outstanding movements that
mark the crest of moral grandeur
and sacrifice 10 which men will go
Tor the bettcrment of their kind. n
Is these periods Of moral grandeur,
Of unselnsh sacrifice, that have won
larger privileges for mankind. that
make history readable, aud present
human happiness possible. We to-
day are the heirs of the accrued
benefits of the unselnsh devotion NJ
other men and other days. n Is the
men and women who can losr their
all and who have freely yielded
their all that has benignly influenced
the course Of events.
Herein lies the genius Of memorial
institutions. Herein lies our debt Ia
those who have gone before us. u Il.
for the refreshing NJ both the minds
and hearts ~ the living that days
are set apart dedicated 10 the
memory of our bcncfactors Of other
days. II there be- aught that lifts
! MS beyond the miserable pale a. our
I selfish selves. II there be- anything
I that gives us -spaciousness of out
! look. that hroadens our horizon. II
Is the SOLDERING and character-mak-
{ ins hours devoted 10 reflection such
I a. this.
! That We may the more clearly
I vision the service rendered rs who
I survive the tragedy of three years
ago, let ~ review briefly the events
Of that day:
I How Vividly those days again live
. before the mind! How clearly We
! recall all who We're then here. all
I who moved IN and out Of their
I homes and the streets. How we'll VI
remember with whom We discussed
the possible danger when word was
I brought that certain Of the cm-
ployes Of the palomas Land and
Cattle Company were tortured and
killed.
The then Commanding Officer of
the Thirteenth Cavalry had sent all
hut a few Of his command Ia patrol
the border, which was thus covered
for upward Of thirty miles. villa
and his command were stationed at
Boca Grande. some miles southwest
, Of this place. But for days the town
- NNh hf'h ' W. WIN MNNafI
= unfamiliar faces from Mexico. In
der y of darkness the conspirn-
tors had entered the town In great
numbers. Al their leisure they sur
yeyed the town they were Ia attack
and pillage, and the citizens and
soldiers they were expecting a.
X murder. On the night Of March 3
after the moon which had reigned
in her silent majesty for most of
the night had sank 10 rest behind
yonder hills, the armed bandits In
small groups stale stealthily across
the International line and Joined
their comrades already within Ia,
town. The bandits, already familiar
with the village that now Ia,
wrapped In sleep. placed themselves
] armed TO the teeth, In every part OF
town. The silence NJ the night wa,