Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-09-12

SS
Jfr. Chairman, Boys: daughter and applausel.
Certainly this is an inspiring scene. The man
whose heart would not pulSate with quickened
thrOb as he gazed in these ardent young faces is
fit only for treasons, strategems and the spoils OF
party. There is something inspiring in being
confronted with the ardor the strength and the
resolution of youth; and only wish that 1 felt
tonight in physical state commensurate with
this occasion. must beg your indulgence, as 1
appear before you tonight positively unit to
speak. happen to be one of the older "boys,
and l hope as long | live to carry in my
heart a tender recollection of my youth, though
it was passed way back forty years ago. upon a
sterile hill side in New York. Reared in poverty;
accustomed to all the privations of poor farmer
boys lot, yet l look back upon it to-day and
draw from ii thousand inspirations and en-
couragements for this hour. have always felt
tender side for the boys. Who among us to-day
realizes fully the strength of sentiment that the
boys carry in every household, and in every
avenue and condition of life. Why, during the
army, boys when the general or the command
ing officers desired to call men to the very
hlsnSSt P1'cn VI anu WHY id u b
address them by? What rallying cry did he
reach out towards them with? Did he say 'Old
men charger" No: What did he say? "Boys,
get there" Laughter and applause. Univers-
ally the term was Boys" Boys" everywhere.
h6 men ghiag for the their so SqgntTy
day responds to no appellation so gladly as that
of "boys." There is an intrinsic quality of
bered among the boys. The boys of 81; the
boys of IS; and hope when 1 become per-
meated with dry rot that am no longer good
for anything they will simply lay me away, and
consider me not as an old nan, but as played
out boy.
ELECTIONS AS EDUCATORS.
We are. my friends engaged to-day in one of
the recurring political contests of our national
lire 1t belongs to@1he order in which we live.
Every four years this country is assembled at
the feet of political ora tory, at the feet of polit
lcal interest, and taught the law under which we
live. 1t Is the great quadrenniel school TO which
we all 90: and it is essentially necessary in the
understand today what it is to govern
>lXly-ive millions OF people? Do we clearly
understand what it means to educate sixty
i've millions of people, and hold them squarely
All fairly in the line of American destiny and
American progress Without these recurring
schools 10 winch young men can come, to which
oid men can come, to which we all can come as
Il liens. and brus hing aside the dusty accumu-
latiuns of four years OF business, again seek to
0raW inspiration from the tount of our Ameri-
CaA thought, and become cOnyerSant with the
principles that underlie our American struct-
I}rcS-I say, without this we would soon drift
iato decay. 1t Is the blessing of our American
system, wisely devised by our forefathers, that
We should have frequent recurrence. to first
Therefore, when the young show by their
interest ii politics that they DESTROYS of be-
coming rooted and grounded inshe faith that
iaitn that has CALAMITY led to.is defense, the
faith that is so gTandly keeping it in line to-day,
CitlHtu WHO uOSS lOt Ill tIlS
m#Jer deserves not the priceless gift of citizen
snip. l believe that matter how family and
low fcebly one may respond, there is not a citi-
zen to-day in America that should not stand up
aud, as st. Paul says Give q reason for the hope
L It is within him." [Applausel
STAND Up AND STAND SQUARE.
have always liked the idea of political indie
pendcnee OF thought. [ have always admired
That man who can crystalline his own convic-
lions. don't care whether he agrees with me
or not Ii he feels that his citizenship compels
him TO an analysis of the faith that is within
him. and for its gallant defense, he is my brother
and he is my defender. Applause. Hence |
II this matter: and am glad of it, not from a
p 9..,tar sense but from from wider
american citizenship. I have always had
hearty admiration for the man that
dare stand up and be counted Applause
There lived once in the little city Of Williams
port, Pa, an old judge by the name of Williams.
This old judge noted for two things: For
getting mellow occasionally, and for being
3lucliy ana courageous under all circumstances,
9aney old man. 1t was peculiarly of the
old judge that whenever he got ''melloW'' he
crcw correspondingly religious. One night he
wandered into protracted revival meeting and
seated himself upon the front seat, full of 'spir
ual influence of some kind. Laughter The
clergyman. engaged in his preaching, rose to a
1cryid pitch of elequence, and in the midst of 1t
Exclaimed: ''Show me the drunkard! Show me
the drunkard! OF all men on eartn the
most unfortunate; show him to me-" To the
CONSERVATION of all present the old judge arose
and unsteadily maintaining himself, exclaimed,
We'll. sir. here | am" TLaughterl The clergy
man, having realized upon his investment much
sooner than he anticipated, didn't know what to
do with it. Laughter. They finally pulled the
old judge down. and the incident had passed out
of memor! almost when the clergyman again
struck an impassioned period, and
Of his heart .show me the hypo-
critic: show me the hypocrite; of all men on
Gods green earth the most despicable. Show me
the hypocrite." The old judge rose the second
time and reaching his TO certain
'1shaky" old deacon exclaimed, Deacon, why
The devil don't you get up when you are called
On" Laughter
Now of the two characters, boys I would
rather represent the old judge, with all his faults
and frailties than the deacon; not that would
for moment condone either but for the char
acteristic OF standing up when called on "
sanding up! evincing the old fashioned
whether called in one sense or another,
stand up. and stand square. 1t is a
quality Of American citizenship You are
elsaged to-day, my young friends, IN
the development of this same quality OF char
acter You are about to take upon yourselves
the duty of citizenship. You are about TO CONS come
of that highest honor of American citizenship,
the right to cast a ballot representing free
mans viii; representing a freemans thought;
representing freemans conscience; represent
ing d freeman's power for disposition OF him.
self, and for the choice of the man that
only that but you are coming to
the front 10 crystalline yourselves
about certain principles All. the great dill
Guilty with us in American life to-day is that we
have forgotten TOO much, forgotten too widely,
forgotten to extent that is sapping the foun-
dalons of American citizenship to-day, the
value of principle in politics We have too much
grown TO partisansh1p We have forgotten that
this government was founded on principle; that
it has been defended by principle: that oceans
OF blood and tears have been shed that 1t might
live; that it is principle that lies at the bottom
of coalition and crystallzation as a
nation; and it must be principle that must enter
the hearts Of the young men, or they can not
become citizens in the best and fullest sense OF
the word. [Applause.]
AS STUDENTS OF PRINCIPLE.
Therefore hail you. l hail YOU boys hail
YOU gladly tonight; not a partisans, but as
students of principle; and hope that you will
continue: that you will become grounded in the
possession of judgment in this matter; that you