The Newtown bee., 1896-05-08

''Milli0ns for defence, but not one cent for tribute' was no more an ''American
 Tingoism" than ia the Americanism
 which bears the uama of Monroe, but vvaq a doctrine of 'sblood and bullets.'' May we hope that before the close of your life sir another stephen Decatur may be found to again sail the Mediterra- neau sea and carry to bleeding Armenia
 not only American sympathy but De- catur's ''American Jing0ism" for the un- speakable Turk. In your time sir you have witnessed the development of steam as 8 motive power in all sits progressi i've stages. In your early life steambOats and railroads were but the dreams of s0- called impractical visionaries, even long | CT has the Electric vision kept itself veil | ed. Electricity came only from the skies | it has rattled about the heads of the | stupid race for centuries, it tore up trees and tore down structures about the terri fled folk of past ages but to all it's de- mands for an entrance the frightened world said, begone. But you have lived
 to behold this mighty p0tentate, your slave and c0wed, ,humb!ed and harnessed, awaits your bidding, and obeys your com-
 mand. But the Genius of all our great
 ness under Christ has been universal
 education. Education has kept well in
 the head of all these progressive, marvel 0us developments. Some one has said,
 ''We must educate or perish" This was the inspiration that moved the souls of
 your fathers to build deep and strong,
 foundation of common schools.
 To the Puritans we are indebted for our system of common schools. Itstands z to-day an enduring monument of his love and devotion. h your early childhood r and before, it was the proud boast of
 New England, that from the Hudson to
 the PenobScot, every town and village ; furnished facilities for the requirement.
 of knowledge, and that, in all New Eng ;, land there was not one adult of Ameri- ! can birth who could not read or write, . Oh sir the nation as you sec it to-day in t all the potential splcnd0r of it's magniti
 cent institutions is largely so because
 you and your father outlawed ignorance
 and compelled instruction. You were quick to sec that nation, "of the people,
 by the people, and for the people" must
 seek it's inspiration for the maintenance
 of it very life in the education of the
 people. Aristotle said, All who have
 mcditated on the art of governing man.
 kind have been convinced that the fate of
 kmpires depends on the education of
 vouth" while Edward Everett, speak,
 ing far in advance of the old Athenian
 philosopher said, "Educati0n is better
 safeguard of liberty than standing
 army" 50 you, hon0red sir, have come
 down to us through all the generations
 of our best history keeping in touch with
 every progressive development. lou
 have culed the wisdom of the country
 and unlike the disappointed preacher oI , Scripture, who sums up the experience
 of life in those memorable words, Al
 is vanity and yexati0n sOf spirit" yol cry "Excelsor, All hail to progress
 educate the boys and girls and the nation
 is safe" Sir, this is none other than tn
 spirit which made the souls of Washing C. ton and Adams, Jefferson and Monroe Webster and Wendell Phillips great witt ed the greatness of intelligent patriOtism III as and so to-day in honoriog you, sir, W to pay just homage to the best sentiment ry of patriotism of all our noble history n- May the God of our fathers keep fo he many years to come, the spirit of aspiI of ing youth within you, fresh and glowin he with kindly sympathy, and untiring ze8 on to do your fellow beings good, and in th nt successful lives of the men and wome )n, who have gone out, and will continue t e2, go out from these halls of learning wi lat your memory be blessed, and your mos we enduring monument be reared.