Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-24
DUTY TOEDUCATE THE PEOPLE
Ohauncey NJ Depew Talks to Sons of the
American Revolution,
COUNTRY ENTERING IT'S FOURTH PERIOD
Vast strides Forward, He Says, HaV'
Led Up TOT Time of Discomfort
from Which the Nation
VIII safely Emerge.

MONTPELIER, Vt, Nov. 23-The Yer
mont Society. Sons of the American Revolu-
tion, assembled at the state house this after
noon and escorted Chauncey NJ. Depew OF
New York to Armory hall, where he de-
livered lengthy address. a military band
headed the line. which contained about a
thousand members and guests OF the society,
including many ladies and members OF the
legislature. Mr.. Depew said:
Now more than at any time during the
present generation. 1t is important to teach
the principles upon which our government
was founded and the policies which have
made II great. The patriotic societies have
before them most important work. Their
first duty is to educate the people. Both
those who have landed on our shores from
foreign countries and those OF later gener-
ations who have forgotten the revolution
must be taught the dangers of moving the
republic from the safe moorings of the
past.
The lO7 years since Washington's inau-
guration may be divided into three periods.
We are now entering upon the fourth. 1t
Is remarkable that each of these began
with threat against the republic as
created by the fathers. The nation has
come safely out of each trial. The first
period was one of construction and hero
worship. our forefathers believed that they
should avoid European entanglements. At
the same time, in the jay treaty with
Great Britain they laid the principles upon
which. with skill, dignity and patriotism,
Secretary Olney has ended the Venezuelan
dispute. The second act began with the
nuliiication of the federal revenue laws by
South Carolina. The hero worship of the
time gave tremendous authority to living
leaders who possessed the peoples love,
and no man more conspcuously met this
requirement than Andrew Jackson. The
generation which came upon the stage be-
tween 1850 and 1850 knew little or nothing
OF the revolutionary war. Slavery more as
an investment and q business than as a
sentiment held the republic by the throat
and constantly threatened its dissolution
Thus this period which had forgotten the
revolution, which had become sordid and
surrendered everything to profit in its rude
awakening, sacrificed millions of lives and
millions OF treasure TO maintain the union
upon the foundations where the revolu-
tionary fathers had placed II.
We then entered upon a third. 1t was that
OF reconstruction, OF invention and of eX-
traordinary accumulation of national and
individual wealth.
Mr. Depew referred briefly to the vast
strides forward that had been made in that
time. He asserted that in the general up
lifting the people, the whole people, were
better educated. better clothed. better fed,
had fewer hours for labor and had larger
wages than ever In the history of the world.
But almost without our knowing. and Ger
tainly not recognizing Its extent and the
possibility OF concentrating 1t as a political
force, discomfort had seized upon the people
as never before. 1t assumed again the form
OF an Assault upon the time-honored and
revolutionary principles of American liberty.
In this connection. Mr.. Depew declared the
shifting standard OF value is not American
a paternal government is not American and
any effort 10 carry the people into classes.
when employees and employers are constantly
changing places, is not American and an
assault upon the independence of the Judi
ciary is not American. He spoke of what
he said the country owed to the supreme
court and to It's interpretations of the law
and closed with a patriotic appeal to learn
and teach the principles upon which our gov
ernment has grown.