The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1896-06-11
AN GRAFTON BIZ Gro. n. FoRD.

An GRAFTON Is ono. u. FoRD.
Apologies are irksome and Yet 4 feel
that one i due this audience this eve
ming I have had neither the time.
the opportunity nor the brains 70 pre-
pare D suitable Grafton for this occa-
sion, but such as r have / give.
In considering this matter II struck
me that the same discussion Of the
subject which has been agftating the
minds u our chief legislative body
for some weeks past might pc interest
ing. it's the ACCESSIBILITY of appro-
priating some millions Of dollars for
the lettering Of our navy and onr
coast defenses. The bin has received
considerable opposition ii both
branches1of congress and the people ut
large are somewhat divided as TO the
adyisfbIlity or the appropriation.
Whatever touches the American pocl-
4 et-booi viii Invariably find d consid-
cradle amount of opposition developed.
So with this appropriation bill The
inevitable question Of the American
people comes up for IN answer How
will it benefit nss How win we be
better Off with several millions more
dollars invested in those floating ar
senalsl and a consequent necessity for
i large additional annual outlay for
manning and arnling them. We will
endeavor to present some few obserYa-
lions upon this subject.
It has been nearly a third Of CEN
fury since the thunder Of a hostile
gun has walked discordant echoes with
in our wide borders, Or a hostile array
OF armed men have looked upon the
fair features Of our land. During that
time civilization has advanced with
rapid strides. Men have taken up the
arts Of peace and the grim dogs Of war
have been chained in sllenceIso far as
we are CONCERNED The idea seems To
be prevalent with some that war has
passed away and that arbitration has
come to take IFS place. Others assert
that. the world stands in such awe Of
us that it's only necessary for the
American Eagle to scream to cause all
TO flee in terror. Every one seems to
discount the lighting qualities of all
the world beside.
Never was there a greater mistake.
The veneer of civilization Isl. after all
only skin deep. Insthe drawing rooms
of our capital to-day we meet the
highest and best exponents of ciyiliza-
Non thAt theYOrh Ia an its wAhder-
ings through Gods illimftabie Uni
verse ever saw, and yet we may ven
ture the assertion that these same
men and Women, in the presence of
danger Of fafcied wrong could become
the most implacable and reyengeful
enemies.
The sinlplelfact that our younger
generation never saw the life light
fade from the blazing eye at the bid
ding Of the speeding bullet ii no argu-
ment that they never may. The fact
that we are 4 nation Of merchants is
NO reason that we may not Be robbed
and despoiled.
The popular idea that every body is
afraid Of us, Is absurd. Why should
they be afraids True, we as d nation
have done some good lighting in the
past. Every Fourth OF July orator in
the land can tell You how We chained
old England's lion AT Yorktown and
how we licked The British ID 1872,
with just as much enthusiasm as il he
had done III ailllimself. But that was
over eefourths of i century ago.
And ! beg leave To submit the propo-
sition, that the lighting qualities Of
our ancestors is but poor defense
against the 10 inch cannon ball.
We have done some good lighting
since then, but we are not the only
people il the world that know how to
fight. There are other nations be-
sides our own that can sing the pains
Of hero's hard won fields and tell how
brayely 4 fight was won. A halo Of
immortal glory hangs over the field OF
Waterloo and 50 long as France re-
mains nation Or french tongue can
sing its glories, the old Guard Of Ma
poleon will have shrine and a wor-
shipper. So long as civilization exists
Of the English language is spoken, the
true mans eye will brighten and the
brave mans heart will throb ali an
sWer to the strains of the six hundred.
All honor to our American troops.
heros Of many a well fought battle
field, yictors in many 4 desperate
charge, conqnerors IN many ]; forloFn
hope, but this will not, this can not
supply the place nf the dread engines
Of war.
America stands To-day the richest
nationof earth IN an her varied wealth.
and resources but She stands the ILL.,
est equipped to back her assertions III