Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 109, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1917 — MEMORIAL DAY. [ARTICLE]

MEMORIAL DAY.

A half century has erased much pf the memory bf the horrors of that mighty conflict fought by the Blue and the Gray. The loss of life and property and the suffering of both North and South cannot be realised by this generation. To us the 30th day of May is a time to revere the memory of those who offered and the many who their lives that a government of the people, by the*people_and for the people should not perish from the earth. '■ - - ■ We gather into the silent - city of the dead and look again into faces of the few who are still sirred to us and by words of mouth say to that we will ever remember their valor and that the great principles which they held so sacred snail ever be thvery foundation stones upon whicii the 4 great structure of national government shad ever stand. We holo so sacred this precious day and we are anxious that the comrades stu with us shall be assured that i| shall ever be so. With love and devotion we place the flowers upon the resting place of their dear comrades ' who nave preceded them to that great field into which all the hosts of right are

being mobilized. We cannot express the depth oi ougratitude to you, dear loving comrades, of that glorious conflict. Words are dumb, flowers cannot speak, song and martial music cannot express tne sentiment we would fain convey to you. But we pledge you that those institutions which you protected shall ever be kept sacred and at home, at school, at church and in the state. We shall so live that everything that we do and say and all that we Hfe7' may be a testimony of the righteousness of the cause in which you fought and won. . . of"thatmighty host no memorial day has been so significant as the 30th day of May, 1917. For at this time we are at war with the greatest force ever arrayed in battle. The cause of liberty has been challenged and the most tremendous conflict of all time is now on. Battle lines have been extended from a few miles to hundreds of miles, armies of a few hundred thousands have been augmented to millions. The conflict is no longer confined to the surface of the earth; deep- trenches have been dug, the air above is full of battles and beneath the waters of the sea ruthless war wages. Hell has turned loose and the devil is enjoying a holiday. Prussian autocracy threatens the liberty of the whole world. That this mighty hoard of savages may be beaten it is necessary that the great nation that has been baptized in the blood of liberty should join with the forces of right and again in the name of humanity go forth to do and if needs be die for the of freedom. And as God was on your side in those awful days from 1861 to 1865, lieve that freewill again smile on the Stars and Stripes 'aflt that the blessings enjoyed by this grea^flaUo ll will be extended to the people of the wliofe world.