OCR Text |
Show PIUTE COUNTY NEWS, JUNCTION, UTAH A Complex Problem By c. E. McCORMACK aloraki (Copyright.) night was cold, bleak, and "Ugh I what a beastly night to start on a long Journey, said a traveler, but It cannot be post- THE N THE spring of 18G7, only two years after the war between the states was ended, there was published In a New York newspaper a short paragraph which reported that the women of Columbus, Miss., have shown themselves Impartial In their offerings made to the memory of the dead. They strewed flowers alike on the graves of the Confederate and of the National soldiers. The heart of the whole country thrilled to this brief announcement, says the New York Times. For, as far as we can ascertain now, It was probably the first unselfish effort of the kind toward healing the wounds of a nation which for four years had been fiercely engaged In one of the most terrible conflicts known to his- ) tory. While little has been written or published regarding the origin and development of Memorial Day, this small newspaper item, reporting the action of this group of Southern women, at least should have some mention In any history of this holiday. For a year It had no dirpct results, but In Slay, 1S08, Adjt. Gen. N. P. Chipman took up the matter with Gen. John A. Logan, then national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, suggesting that this organization should undertake as a body to have flowers strewn on the graves of soldiers at some definite date. Immediately the value of this suggestion was appreciated. Through their legislatures a large number of states set aside May 80 as a legal holiday. So great was the response of the North to the unselfish action of the women of Columbus, Miss., that It struck fire in the heart of a young Ithaca (N. Y.) lawyer named Francis M. Finch, who wrote a poem entitled "The Blue and the Gray, which since has become closely Identified with the day. Not long afterward Chauncey Mi Depew, In one of bis famous addresses, said: "When the war was over In the South, where with warmer skies and more poetic temperaments symbols and emblems are better understood than Id the practical North, the widows, mothers and children of the Confederate dead went out and strewed their graves with flowers; at many places the women scattered them Impartially, also, over the unknown and unmarked resting places of the Union soldiers. As the news of this touching tribute flashed over the North it roused, as nothing else could have dohe, national amity and love and allayed sectional animosity and passion. Thus out of sorrows common alike to North and South came this beautiful custom. At the first formal exercises, held at Arlington, Va., May 80, 1868, following General Logans order to the G. A. R., the principal address was delivered by James A. Garfield, 12 years later elected President of the United States. As yet the term Memorial Day, or Decoration Day, had not been linked with the observance, and his address, afterward printed In pamphlet form In Cleveland, Ohio, was simply entitled: "Oration of Hon. James A. Garfield, Delivered at Arlington, Va., May SO, 1868, on the Occasion of Strewing Flowers on the Graves of Union Sol- diers. But year by year the Idea spread, and at Memorial Day ceremonies held at Monument cemetery, Philadelphia, May 29, 1875, under auspices of Post 2, Department of Pennsylvania, Q. A. R., It was recorded that "the of the Annual Floral Decoration Graves of Our Dead Soldiers has be- - come a national custom. Even In a short ten years after Appomatox, time was doing much to heal old And wounds, assuage old enmities. on the eve of Decoration Day, May 80, 1S77, a throng assembled in the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, to greet as chief speaker Judge Roger A. Iryor, formerly brigadier general in the Confederate Then nnd army. there this learned jurist declared to the American people that war, with all the horrors it entails, Is made not by soldiers but by politicians. In soliciting the participation of Confederate soldiers In the solemnities of this day, he began, "you mean to tender them an overture of reconciliation, to avow your goodwill toward your recent adversaries, and to proclaim your desire for the prevalence of peace and fraternal feeling between the belligerent sections. "By no token more touching and impressive could you make manifest those liberal and patriotic sentiments. To proffer your former foes a share In the simple but pathetic ceremonial by which, on this hallowed anniversary, you symbolize the perennial bloom and fragrance associated with the memory of your departed comrades, and allow us to unite in the homage you render to the fallen heroes of the Union, is Indeed so affecting a' testimonial of your kindness and magnanimity that we unreservedly yield ourselves to Its benign influences and reciprocate, with all the warmth of our ardent Southern natures, the Inarticulate but heartfelt aspiration for the reign of over our agitated peace and good-wil- l and afflicted land. The great audience listened Intently as General Pryor continued: "The bloody business of secession, with all Its disastrous consequences, was wholly the act of the professed men of peace the politicians. They nullified the Constitution, they obtruded into the presence of the Supreme court with their factious clamor, they lashed the popular mind Into To fury over imaginary wrongs. vindicate the abstract theory of potential secession they challenged an encounter which Issued in the Irreof federal sistible aggrandizement power. To preserve the Ideal existence of slavery In the territories they provoked a war which ended In the annihilation of slavery In the states. The crowds In Brooklyns Academy of Music could hardly believe their ears when Pryor, with commanding gesture, declared: Meanwhile the soldiers of the nation, no matter where their birth or what their political opinions, uniformly opposed themselves to every act and every word of which the aim or the tendency was to engender between the states or Impair the stability of the Union. Call the roll of fighting men, whether In the army or the navy, nnd mark one known to fame who was not the friend of peace, the advocate of conNo blame for that stuciliation! pendous folly, the war of secession, attaches to the men who bore Its brunt. The former Confederate general paused for an Instant, then took a step forward on the great stage of the academy, and with upraised hand placed full blame, as he saw It, for the four years of conflict, using these The politician began It words : The soldier ended It. dePryor lived for 42 years after March 14, livering this address, dying . He 1919, at the age of ninety-onehad seen much of men and of the world at homo and abroad. As time passed he became more than ever convinced that great wars are caused by politicians ; that the World war of g 1914-1- 8 was brought on by selfish and traders; politicians and that In this Instance, as In others, after such gentry had provoked conflict. It took the soldier and the naval man to end hostilities and reestablish peace. The Spanish war with Its loss of life caused on Increase In the numbers of those who observed Memorial Pay. And when May 80, 1918, rolled around, with the first harvest of American lives gathered by the Grim Reaper because of tbe World war, the observance again swung to Its full height ns a ceremonial of honor, persoual sorrow and national gratitude. In many of the older parts of the country are decorated not only the graves of those who fell In the war between the states, the Spanish war and the World war, but, owing to the Influence of patriotic societies, graves are decorated, and reverent mention Is made of those who died In other conflicts the Revolutionary war. In which about 310,000 Americans were engaged; the War of 1812, with 578,-22- 2 Americans on land and sea. It Is possible, also, that graves are decorated of some who were engaged In the naval war with France when 4,593 Americans manned warships In hostilities lasting from July 9, 1798, until September 30, 1800. In brief, one historian says, days particularly set apart for ceremonies In honor of the dead are common to as old as mankind and are well-nig- h history Itself. This present year, and probably for many years to come, Memorial Day In every part of the United States will be rededicated to the purposes which hallow It self-seekin- the time the licker was gone he was cabins about him the oil of the mighty driving the hosses so fast they .were lanterns that served to illumine the His Adventure mighty nigh running, and hed forgot sea. Every soul In Its sphere has snakes. But he says charge of a lighthouse, for which there "That feller, Sawney, over In Booger all about the 65 of em, anyhow, and Is more or less need. The humblest were there 65 rattlesnakes killed he Joller, says a thousand If mother who allows her whole life to vhile plowing tuther day, at the probly would be crushed, to be saddened, absorbed, llount Plzgy post office stated Tobe the team and the licker had held out Kansas City Star. by the less Important of her motherly 3agg of Sandy Mush. duties, Is giving her oil to the poor; rattlesnakes? exclaimed Sixty-fiv- e and her children will suffer, the whole somebody. Ruinous Giving of their life, from there not having Thats what he lows. He had a fur-'erLet us beware lest we act as he did been, in the soul of their mother, the 'ug of licker at each end of the and every time he reached the In the fable, who stood watch In the radiance It might have acquired. By lighthouse, and gave to the poor In the Maeterlinck. jncl of a row hed take a drink. s, poned. The business in hand will brook no delay. He shivered in his fur coat as the high wind sent him scudding along at a rapid pace to the railway station, a miserable little place, as cold and cheerless as the night. Due passenger, a pretty young woman, sat on a dilapidated bench and looked about her in fear and trepidation, as though she feared some monster would pounce upon her and devour her. Apparently she had never traveled alone before. In about ten minutes the train pulled Into the station and both travelers got on and went Into the same car. The woman sat In front of the man. lie gazed at her for a moment, then forgot all about her, so absorbed was he In thinking of the business In hand. Presently, however, he became painfully conscious that something was wrong when he heard a half stifled cry, and looking at the woman, saw that she was sobbing. What shall 1 do? he thought. She Is in great distress. 1 may, or I may not be able to help her. lie hesitated to speak to her, thinking she might resent what she considered Impudent Interference. As he sat pondering the matter, wondering what to do, the train suddenly I stopped with a great Jolt nnd the woman, affrighted, Jumped up and screamed, There! I knew It would happen. Weve jumped the trnck ! And she continued to scream and scream. The few passengers In the car, mostly men, hiked at her and one of them laughed. commanded "Stop that laughing, another one, jumping up, "or Ill break every bone in your body. Oh, you will, will you? snarled the laughing one. Well, come on, Just you try. "I said If you did not stop It I would. During tills melee the woman kept screaming, Oh, 1 knew It would happen. I knew It. Why did they Insist upon my taking this Journey? The traveler, hoping to quell what promised to be a riot, cried out, Silence, gentlemen, 1 beg of you, until we find out what Is the matter with this lady. "Mind your own business," they the lady, doubtless. Is cashouted, pable of minding hers. And they continued to argue. The battle of words was distracting. This noise must be stopped, cried the traveler. At that moment the lights went out. fills had the contrary effect to what he expected. They lady stopped screaming and the meu stopped talk- As-- The Arch of Galerlus in Saloniki. (Prepared by the National Geographic Society. Washington, 1, C.) THE Fellow-passenger- greatest engineering undertaken In the Near during modern times is to be performed by Amerieau engineers near Saloniki, Greece. Much of tbe Great llain of Saloniki, (or l'lain of tbe Yurdar) lying to the west and to I lie north of the city. Is like the Roman eunipagna, a country of swamps and frequently overflowed land. For centuries this over-umlregion has been the souree of mularia due to tbe millions of mosquitoes which It breeds. Yet that portion of the plain which Is dry is of wonderful fertility, producing grain, cotton, and tobacco to perfection. The enterprise will consist ill draining the swampy regions and protecting the plain from overflows by controlling several rivers, tills work to cost between sixteen and seventeen million dollars. Ill addition the course of the Yurdar river will be bodily shifted at a cost of an additional ten million dollars, to protect Saloniki harbor from silting. By the undertaking, the Greek government will itself become possessed of approximately 180,000 acres of land now submerged which, It is estimated, will be worth $27,000,000; while other lnnds will be benefited by about $11,000, (XX) and will swell the taxes. The Sulonikl pluln has been famous through the ages. This level region was the heart of Macedonia, and there Alexander was born. The devastating Macedonian phalanx there learned Its At lhilippl, near by, evolutions. Caesar and Ponipey fought their Important battle. Xerxes crossed this plain with his huge army of Persians to strike at the Grecian city states; later Mithrldutes traveled the same road to meet the Romans. Saloniki city, then Thessalonlka, flourished during New Testament times, lnul labored there and had to flee for his life. The Byzantines, then the Venetians controlled the port; and finally It fell to the Turk and remained under his heel for four centuries. Salonikls Fine Situation. The city stands on rising ground at the head of a long gulf, shaped very much like what the classicists call a Phrygian cap, or what Is perhaps more familiar to us as the liberty cap of the French Revolution. This gulf, bending to the east In such a way that Its lDner recesses can never feel the disturbances of the open sea. Is formed by that peninsula of Cliaieldlee whose three long promontories of Longo and Athos are tbe most salient feature of the northern Aegean. The longer western shore of the gulf sweeps In a curve of over a hundred miles from Saloniki to the tip of the peninsula of Thessaly. For the greater part of their course these spreading coasts are both high and admirable to look upon. But the line of the Greek mainland Is In particular notable because above It tower the three classic peaks of Olympus (9,800 feet), Ossa or Kissavos, as it Is now known (6,400 feet), and Pelion or ing. After a few moments of Intense silence the lights flashed on again and the train started. The traveler looked at the lady. Now she was composed and tranquil. The men likewise. What a curious psychological problem has presented Itself for my observation tonight, was the thought that flashed through his mind. Why did that lady scream and take on so when there was no reason, apparently, and when there was, why was she composed? For the moment this problem drove all thought of his business out of his mind, and In trying to solve It he sat deep In thought. Then, "Eureka! I have It. The lady, no doubt, has been rending something that made so deep nn Impression on her mind that it became almost an obsession causing her much mental anxiety. The thought of the possible danger If the train did jump the track assumed such gigantic proportions In her mind that all other matter was releguted to second place. So, naturally, when she was obliged to set out alone on a Journey she immediately began to conjure up all sorts of dire happenings. That was why she cried. And when the train stopped suddenly with a Jolt, which Is a common occurrence when traveling, her mind was so overwrought she Immediately imagined the worst and began to scream. But when the light went out, which was an occurrence that might, Justifiably, have caused fearful forebodings, she paid no attention to It. When the real cause for mental anxiety presented Itself, tbe unreal cause became apparent at once, and she saw how foolish she had been. At this moment the lady was making desperate efforts to control her mirth. But to no avail, after a short struggle It had Its way and a merry laugh rang out In which everybody joined. Whereupon she said, I owe you an apology for But I causing so much disturbance. wish to sound this note of warning. Dont ever read a book like this, nnd she held it up, before starting on a long journey. If you are sensitive It may have the same effect on you that It had on me. It is responsible for wliat might have been a great misfortune, but, happily, turned out all right. All the passengers crowded around her to see the book. It was entitled The Railroad Wreck. Again the car resounded with hearty laughter. And now comes the most interesting part of this story. As a result of that chance encounter the lady and the traveler, Matthew Blake, Esq., came to the wise conclusion that this world would be a dreary old place to live In If they did not share one another's Joys and sorrows. - Kas-sandr- a, s, Ilesslthl (5,300 feet). As regards approaches j ' i I j j from the land, Saloniki Is also happily placed. The city faces west and south, tow ard Macedonia and Thessaly, looking out at Olympus through the gate of the inner bay. The immediate edges of the bay are flat, having been gradually leveled by the three rivers that pour Into it. But at no great distance from the water the final spurs of the Itho-- ; dope mountains make an amphitheater which rises east of the city into three peaks of 3,000 feet each. On the north the hill of Daoml Baba reaches a height of 1,500 feet, whence Jhe ground drops away into the plain of the Vardar. It is not surprising that a city so admirably placed, whether for defense or for communication, enjoying the temperate climate of the not t hern Aegean, and amply provided with tho various resources of field, wood, and water, should long have been known to men, and that its possession should often have been disputed. Founded by Kassander of Macedon. Yet compared to Its two great neighbors, At liens and Constantinople, Saloniki Is relatively n modern town. Founded originally as an Ionian colony, the place was first known ns Thermo, or Therms, from the hot springs which still exist in that eastern district of the liny. The present town was founded about 315 B. ('. by King Kassander of Mace-doand named after his wife, half sister to Alexander the Great. The adjoining peninsula of Kassandra takes Its name from the king himself, who founded another city on Its shore. Under the Romans, Saloniki grew greatly In Importance. Made u free city, the capital of the surrounding region, it became the home of ninny Roman colonists, and not n few famous names associate themselves with the town. Cicero lived there for a time In exile. During the Byzantine period Snlonlkl became the second city of the empire. Its situation made It the commercial capital of the Balkan peninsula, and It rivaled Constantinople as a port of truffle between eastern Europe nnd Alexandria. Sulonikl has been compared to Genoa. But ones first Impression Is of a disappointing flatness, not In the least comparable to the lofty air the air piled, bastloned, heaven-sealinof the Italian city. Yet Sulonikl scales heaven, too, In her more discreet manner. And there Is even something faintly Italian about her. This Is most palpable on the broud quay of the water front, especially when a veritable row of fishermen front the Adriatic are drying nets or sails under the sea wall, just os they do In Venice. The crescent of white buildings facing the blue bay would not look foreign in any III mini or Spezzla. The White Tower, which Is the most conspicuous of them, might have been the work of an Italian prince. What the People Are Like. As for the people, a good many would pass without question. Just such slight and trim young men In Italy would sit at little tables on the sidewalk. Just such young women, rather pale and powdered as to complexion, rather dusky as to eyes and hair, would sit beside them. And you hear a good deal of Italian. But you hear more of other and less familiar languages. And those red fezzes are a new note. A more striking note Is afforded by numerous dignified old gentlemen taking their ease In bathrobes, as It were, slit a little up the side and tied about the waist with a gay silk girdle. Over the bathrobe they usually wear a long, open coat lined with yellow fur, which guards them from the cold In winter and in summer from the heat. And none of them is without a string of beads, preferably of amber, dangling from his hand and giving him something to play with. A dozen different estimates of the population will be given an enquirer, varying according to the race of the informant; but they all agree on the point that Saloniki contains not far from 150, (XM) people, and that more than half of them are Jews. There is also a considerable Moslem population of Hebrew origin, mainly descended from the followers of Sabntai Levi of Smyrna, a would-bMessiah of the Seventeenth century, who created a great stir in this part of the world, and who, being at last offered his choice between death and Islam, elected the latter. n, Tlies-salouik- e, g e |