The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-06-09
Veterans Of The Sunny South Are
Foresathered AT Ardmore Today In
Re-Union; Daughters Of Confederacy
And Maids Of Honor Join With City
In Entertainment OF Heroes Of Dark
And Bloody Days Of l86l-lS65

ngIeI Things. we llltu alSO tildl we
Eay rise on our dead ancestors. and
our dead patriots to the higher things
Of civil life. Out Of the troubled
times Of the past, came the Aneri
can Nation. God has breathed into
the dreams Of some liberty larger
than could find expression in Eu-
rope, and they turned With their
dream to the new land revealed to
the Genoa sailor.
Deeply do l feel that no words
Of mine could add dignity to this oc-
casion. This occasion is more elo'
quent than words. In q crisis day
IN history, no one could move the
people. Orator followed rcator in
vain. Then an old veteran came
forward and held up the stump Of an
arm that had been lost in battle. He
spoke no word but the common heart
was fired and the day won Thus
must the heart of this audience be
moved Not l, who speaks, but you
who suffered, must warm the heart
and fire the soul We are not in the
business Of seeking milk ard honey.
Milk and honey is not that which
fattens the souls Of men. 1t is hon
csty, bravery and patriotism. Around
lifes lost causes cling the sweetest
melodies and the tenderest memor
les
At he siege Of Carthage the wo
men cut Off their flowing tresses
20 make bow strings, saying: Now
drive the arrow into the heart of
the foe. This day calls US to hold
fast the mighty principles for which
these have suffered Veterans, your
and of our soldiers from the South,
from the North. from the East and
| from the West sleep in France. |
heard General John B. Gordon say
that while he followed the Stars and
Bars four years that there was no
man living VINO was truer TO the
! stars and Stripes than he. You
must consider yourselves still on
guard. You must challenge everyone
who seeks admission into places Of
| trust ard admit no one VINO cannot
| give the counter sign which virtue
exauts and character crowns. Long
ago you learned to obey orders. Our
country is still in a crisis. We are
| still to fight for those lofty ideals
and for liberty that our country has
stood for in the past. We are in
danger today Of bastardiZing our
democracy and debauchins the public
virtue. The popular heart today is
| N danger Of becoming corroded with
the lust Of gain This spirit pos
sessed Judea and the spirit Of lib.
erty took her flight forever from
,he hills that surrounded her. The
splendid civilization which once adorn-
Mediterranean seas is gone. Athens,
the eye of Greece and the school
of the world has passed Liberty
lowered over that classic peninsular
Of southern Europe like the angel
Ct creation lowering over night in
chaos and from the fostering warmth
came forth an immortal world Of
letters, of art, Of science and of
law Rene, the eternal city, passed
dark as her light faded away and
ten centuries Of gloom succeeded her
downfall And why passed Rome
away? Not because the vandal raw
aged her borders not because the
Gaul burned to avenge the victims
Of Caesar not because the Goth beat
her gate to pieces; but because she
at last awakened to find that she
had forged her own chains. Ther
IT,, ~ hn
defendants OF Brutus and their
clanking may yet be heard in the
forum where Cato thundered and
warned his countrymen,'
so your work, / say, is not yet
done. The same home fires of lib
erty must be kept burning. AZ
,ienry " Grady said the South OF
slavery secession is dead; but he
thanks God that the South Of union
and freedom is living and breathing
every hour We bring to this hour
no bitterness nor ill-will. We dc
not love our country on the install
ment plan but all of our country; the
North, the South, the West and the
East. One of the most beautiful
sights | ever witnessed was an Ole
Confederate soldier friend of mine
when passed 80 years OF age would
take his bouquet Of flowers OF
Memorial Day and put them upon q
Federal grave. He was true, manly
and as brave as any Frenchmai
that ever followed Napoleon. but ir
his big hoart. hatred had long age
died. Let US stand unfalterinsly truS
20 our trust 10 the end. BY and by
the clouds win gather and the shad
ows deepen and the evening come 'ane
tho sun set. When you come Il
that hour. the hour to be mustered
out, may there bo light IN tho even
Ing as the clouds are homing for this
night. And may II bo yours ther
to receive tho palm of victory ant
the crown OF life. ana 10 bivouno OF
= tho banks OF tho rivers OF Godi
. pleasure"