Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-30
Great Crowd. OF War Vet
eran. And Others Gather
To Pay Tribute; Grand
Army Men Are Foremost
Among Those Attending
Ceremony.

ceremony.
Washington. May 3o.-A nations
tribute to its glorious dead reached its
climax today at the dedication Of the
memorial erected beside the Potomac
to Abraham Lincoln by his grateful
countrymen. A former president
headed the commission which has
lavished endless thought ON making
this stone emblem of American grati-
tide worthy or the man whose mem
ory it will perpetuate for Americans.
The president in person accepted the
work in the nations name. IS
Thousands Present.
Spread across the wide terraces the
lawns and the circling driveways that
have been made to give the memorial
building a setting, were thousands OF
Americans and distinguished men
from foreign lands also came to pay
homage at this shrine of democratic
liberty. Close in about the rising tiers
of marble steps were gathered the
men who today hold, in their hand
the destinies of that government "of
the people, for thespeople, and by the
people, which Lincoln gave his life
to maintain. but behind these owe.
. mile wide sweep Of the mall an<
monument mile distant from the
memorial were the common folk
from whom Lincoln came and for
whom he toiled endlessly until he was
cut down by an assassin's bullet. 2,
G. A. II. Mon Gather.
Foremost among the men who
gathered at this eliminating cere-
mony Decoration day, were the aged
veterans of the Grand Army of the
Republic, men who at L.ncoln's call
put aside their citizenship for a little
while for the blue of the army uni
forms and fought out the question q
pie under one government. To these
old soldiers who knew him and obey
ed him in life was given the place OF
honor%in paying this lastsand greatest
tribute to the leader under whom the
had served. But with them, as though
TO give silent evidence of the grea:-
ness Of his vision. stood other old- and
feeble men in the gray ofsthe south
xo son psyhsm4ss yisy &c 'ineyIns II % fests' @ ss
& & ,.:*- Guards ii unifo ,sss 1:
The uniforms Of, the veterans anGs
of the military attaches and the ma.
. EkuCS WuO X uAIOCN 0Au U0kIOlACO CAAV
pathways through the great throng
were the only signs of military life
today except that the officers and men
OF the British, flagship Raleigh, now.
1t Washington navy yard, were min
gled with the thousands oftAmericans
who stood to hear what former Presi-
dent Taft. and President Harding had
to say. ~
The speakers rostrum was at the
head Of the wide stairwav that leat
to ,the square. marble bulk of the
memorial where the statue. Of Lincoln
Is the only occupant of the stately
chamber that houses it. Below
stretched the great crowd and the
mplffiers from erroof Of the mem
orial carried the words of the speak
ers far across to the wooded sweeps
OF lawn on either hand that reach
toward the monument to Washington
and towards the capitol in the far
distance beyond. =
Ont From Solid Rock.
The statue shows Lincoln in the
pose and with the expression that
have long been endeared to American
hearts. It is cut from solid block
of Georgia marble and from the base
Of the statue itself to the head of the
seated figure is nearly twenty feet.
Above the statue of the back wall OF
The memorial runs the simple legend
that tells of the greatness Of this man
and of the love his countrymen,
North and South alike, have come to
bear his memory. t.&
II Others Participate.
i There are others who participated
In the ceremonies besides Chief JUS
tice Taft and President Harding.
There was a little handful of veterans
who solemnly and with full ritual ded-
icated the colors in honor of this dead
leader. There was also Doctor Rob-
ert Notion to speak for the negroes
Of America toe whom Lincoln gave
freedom and there was Edwin Marks
ham. who read poem Of his own,
written to commemorate this day. 4,
But aside from these the tribute to
Lincoln, was rendered by the great
mass Of simple Americans who had
toiled early in the day TO places to
vantage about the memorial. to take
i their silent part in the solemn trans
Z fer. Of the marble temple from the
Keeping of these who built for Amer
lea to those who.will guard and pre-
/. serve 1t for America and pass It on to
Americans to come. 5 5iff9sj
Honor Dead Heroes.
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