The Newtown bee., 1892-10-14


was the royal banner of Spain, the stand
ard of CASTLE and Leon. The land he
discovered ON this and three subsequent
voyages, he thought to be the eastern
edge of Asia. He died holding this error
with characteristic obstinacy. The is
land upon which he first set foot is now
British possession. And yet he may
fairly be called, under God, the maker
of 'the red, white and blue" The flag
stands for the country. For this nations
sake, for our sakes, he was impelled to
cross the Atlantic.
How do prove this? That he was
pioneer in the westward march of en-
pire, none will dare deny. Nor shall |
be contradicted when l assert that the
hopes of the world are centered to-day
upon this western continent. Now an
all wise Providence has evidently willed
that the problems Of civilization are to be
solved in the northern hemisphere. His
tory makes this manifest. With equal
certainty, we may hold that not in frigid
nor in torrid zones will be found the
muscle and the mind which can unlock
the tightly barred secret of the centuries.
Inheritors of the Monroe doctrine and
guarding the independence of our sister
republics with jealous care, we are yet
bold to affirm that Columbus discovered
America, not for the sake of diamond
strewn Brazil, nor turbulent Venezuela :;
not even for the sake of our nearest
neighbors, Mexico and Canada, did the
Santa Maria pillow her proud way through
the trackless sea. For US and ours, Co.
lumbus discovered America. We call
the people of Brazil, Brazilians; of Ven
ezuela, VeneZuelans; of Mexico, Mexi-
cans; of Canada, Canadians; for our
selves alone is reserved the prouder title
of Americans. Between the Lakes and
the Gulf, the Atlantic and the Pacific,
the problem of self government is to be
studied and solved once for all. To us
only have been given the temperate eli
mate, the arabic land and the means of
nter-communication which are necessary
for the successful trial of ''the last hope
of mankind" Columbus was the first
link in the long chain of causes which
has made it sure that government of the
people, by the people, for the people
shall not perish from the EARTH
Columbus was robbed of his right to
give his name to the land he had found.
But love centers at last in a person; and
when we personify our country, we call
her Columbia and in her hands we place
the glorious Stars and Stripes. When
Columbia rejoices, we run up the flag to
the mast head. When Columbia weeps,
the emblem of her sovereignty droops at
half mast. In the letter which brought
to me the wish of the association, | was
new project, that this pole replaces the
pole of 1861. All! those were the days
when Columbia wept. Misguided men
strove to tear from their fair armament
of blue some of her most brilliant stars.
Stalwart defenders sprang to Columbus
side and upheld the endangered flag. By
cruel war, the Union was kept whole
and slavery was destroyed. To-day, the
flag floats over nation of freemen and,
by the arbitraments of war, the right to
secede was forever denied to States, 9TH
erwise sovereign and independent. Every
American, North, South, East and West,
is now loyal to the flag, which boasts of
Al stars and fondly hopes for more.
In '02, as in 81, the pole is set up in
the school yard. All over the country,
the flag floats above the school. Whyt
Because under the flag shall go forth
through the school doors, the future
senators and representatives, governors
and presidents, citizens and defenders of
the Republic; and patriotism is enkind-
led by the sight of the flag. We are met
here to-day not as Democrats or Repub-
licans, Prohibitionists or adherents of the
Farmers Alliance. We are all patriots,
Americans. And / doubt not we are
agreed that the safety of this government
by the people rests upon the purity and
the perpetuity of our manhood suffrage.
The ignorant ballot, the inundated or
suppressed ballot, the purchased ballot,
these menace our liberties and threat
en- to confound our highest hopes. 1t
makes no difference whether the ignor-
ant voter be black or white, native or
foreign born. 1t matters not whether
the intimidator of the suffragist be north
ern plutocrat, or southern representative
of "the supreme Caucasian race; )" wheth-
err the instrument of Suppression be a
threatened discharge from lucrative en-
ployment, or the shot gun: 1t is imma-
terial which party brides the mercenary
voter. The direst result will surely fol-
low. We set the pole in the school yard,
we- unfurl the flag above the school
house, in the hope and expectation that
here ignorance will be supplanted by
knowledge; that in the schools of Amer
lea the future citizens of America will be
taught such principles and precepts that
they will become too brave to be robbed
of their bithright, too fair-minded to
menace the prerogatives of their fellows
and SO proud Of their country that they
will be ashamed either to buy or to sell
an American ballot. So shall the flag
float forever over the free, sovereign
people Of America, s'nota stripe erased or
polluted, nor single star obscured."
THE LECTURE COURSE.
Southport people have a treat in the
magnificent lecture course arranged by
the Christian Endeavor society of the
Congregational church. 1t is a better
and more expensive course than was Civ
en- by them, last year, which was great
ly enjoyed. All the money, above the