Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30

| felt when speaking and action are due.
1 Formidable events may make II a duty not
| to equivocGte but to speak out with reso-
| luton and dignity BETTING people sensi-
BILE of their rectitude and conscious OF their
| power, and then to suit the action to the
wCrd. For example. when 1T becomes the
clear and manifest duty of this republic on
grounds of national honor. interest and
right to curb the will of Spain in Cuba, let
us declare our purpose in unmlstakable
| terms. and send to the struggling people
| Of that queen of the southern seas the JOY
Gus message, Cuba, thou art free But
meanwhile let us not indulge in rodomon-
| tade, mounting defiance to Spain, and with
breggart tongue make the United States
ridiculous in the eyes of the world
| 1t is the duty of a nation to be ready for
war when war must come. but IT is brutal
anc Vlrbaric to precipitate armed collision
between nations except as last resort
| Let American citizens have the heroism TO
avoid war as long as possible, TO hold out
| the olive branch to all the world, and APP
pc al to the sword only when commanded
by everything necessity, necessity when
can only exist WREN cur honor, our liberty
or our possessions are assailed Let US
adopt the sentiment of Sir Philip sydney
as an American doctrine that shall hold
equal rank with the Monroe doctrine,
That when offered by the hand of neces-
sity not otherwise. must war be accepted
The Evils of Jingoism.
In this expression Of my own i am sure
l voice the views Of the Grand Army of the
Republic, despite the adverse criticism OF
them from the President of Harvard Col
lege in a recent interview, which in its i'm
| plications was as unkind as it was untrue.
The surviving soldiers of this republic.
north and south, with life and fortune will
| uphold the flag, the honor and integrity of
this ration whenever assailed. but know
inc Uh
blood of man and the tears of women and
| the anguish of both, they regard with dis
favor If not adherence, the tingoism that
would precipitate the horrors of unneceS-
| sary war for wanton glory waged.
In the same direction another glory ra-
diant with light from heaven waits upon
the heroism that will keep the American
people in the vanguard of the nations In
the agitation of the grandest undertaking
now engaging the thought Of the Christian
world, the establishment OF an information
al tribunal of arbitration. On this realiZa-
ton civilization builds a great hope. Sol
der and sage, philosopher and statesman
ioin hands in pushing forward the splen-
did conSummatlon. The millennium Will
visbly advance on earth when by common
consent the sword shall rust in Its Sheath
and the canron's brazen tongue be dumb.
and the nations of light and leading en-
gage with each other to keep the peace or
the world by providing the means of COM
posing all international differences by ar
bitration.
The enlightened sentiment of mankind
| deprecates war and surely the American
people who have tasted of Its bitterness,
Instructed by experience, bathed in the
memory of its inhumanty, its CHASTITY nor
| rors, it's terrible compensa tons, will not
| lag in the movement which is marShaling
| the conscience of Christendom In aggressive
opposition to its continuance. Humane,
Christian sentiments are being exchanged
among civilized peoples; flying to and fro
| like mighty shuttles weaving a web of con-
| cord among the nations Let the United
States keep the lead in this great crusade
| for the worlds peace. The honor of Ameri-
| ca and her greatest service to the human
race lie in that achievement. 1t is the gate
of mercy and blessing. Let us be heroic
| and persevere until we open it to mankind
| and usher in the glorious day by poets fore
| told:
when the war drums beat no longer and
the battle flags are furled,
| In the parliament of man, the federation of
the world"
Then, too, in another direction civic hero
| ism is necessary to protect the institutions
| of our country. We must guard the gates
of Ellis Island, through which a gulf
stream Of humanity pours perennial food
upon our shores. Let the torch of liberty
| light up the composition and character of
| the incoming hosts and a wise diFsrentia-
| ton admit, to divide with our opportuni-
| ties and share those conditions of intelli-
gence. prosperity and moral worth which
are the stalks on which bud and bloom man
kinds greatest blessings, all who come with
an honest purpose to rerounce their allie
glance to the land of their birth, and to
assimilate with us, and become in soul and
substance. aim and aspiration, members of
this splendid composite nationality, made
UP Of the mingled bloods of the best races
and refuse all beside. Our gates must be
closed and barred to those who can give no
promise Of higher destiny than to fill our
| jails and almshouses. to waste the gifts of
freedom, defile the affairs of liberty and law
| fan the fame of discomfort and aid the Ia W.
| less to mar the success of our free institu-
TONS and tear the clustered stars of glory
from Coumbia's brow.
The limits of this occasion will not admit
| OF further illustrations. Your own minds
| will supply what / must omit 1t is most
| suitable, however, on this occasion and in
| this presence to allude to two illustrious
examples of heroism which will shine down
| the ages with supernal splendor. One of
| them l have already Northumberland
Lees memorable speech to his army. coun-
selling them Ito go home and be good citI-
zens. The other is the no less memora bile
utterance of the Unions silent chieftain,
Let US have peace" l bring these splendid
utteraEces into conjunction because in the
life of the nation one is the fruit of the
other. From the heart of the republic, and
doubly so from Arlingtons hallowed
grounds and from this assemblage bathed
In the memory of our martyred dead is
lifted the prayer, Let US have peace; let
US be good citizens From the hearts of
pa io'S ever ywhefe dltuHed 10 the same
melody is lifted the glad refrain: celestial
choirs prolong the joyful chorus, until the
spirits of heroic dead send back the
swelling anthem, Let us have peace; let as
be good citizens"
A Nation of Men Builders
This is the radiant hope that gilds the
dawn of our second century. Its realiza-
ton will come the achievement and con-
quest Of the human mind and heart, of
capacity ard courage, of heroism and hon
esty, of the highest and best over the
| lowest and worst. Our need then is to
| realize the thought Of Lowell and become
q nation of men builders. We must not
nourish demagogues and starve statesmen
We must rear civic heroes. citizens who
shall be wise to guide. heroic to defend
and strong to save; great citizens built