Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-12-30
HONEST AND PATRIOTIC.
Wolcott Thus Refers to Western Peo.'
pie Before an Eastern Audience.
Hs Says the East Ii IntOlerant and That
Wealth Ia Not Test OF wisdom
An Eloquent Plea for SEQ
tlonAl Unity


NEW York, Dec 9S.-The 99d an
nual festival of the New England
society in the city of New York
was held at Delmonico's last night.
Four hundred members of the society
and their friends, including many dis
tinguished men, were present The
feature of the banquet was the address
of Senator Wolcott, of Colorado. He
began with humorous reference to
the political resignation with which
the exiles from New England bore
their Punishment; then spoke of an al
legged desire of the Canadian govern
ment to acquire the state of Maine and
portions of New Hampshire and YER
mont in exchange for territory in
western Canada. Serious thought ON
the subject of possible cessiOn of a
part of New England, Mr.. Wolcott
said, brought "a realization of what
it would mean to this people to face
the possibility of changing by the
shadow of hair the contour of these
states or the sacrifice of chip of it's
native granite, however barren" He
continued:
Not only does this sentiment pervade the
land but we seem at times to be developing an
inclination to invite some other country to diff
fer with us In order that we may demonstrate
our united aggressiveness. In certain direc-
lions our domestic differences are crystallizing
and not disintegratlng. For more than gem
GRAFTON we have waited for the day when par
ties would divide solely on national questions,
and when the old sectional issues growing out
Of the war and the race problem would be
buried. The time came. The parties met on
broad economic question, and lol we emerge
from the contest threatened with another bit
ter sectional division
The far west, largely the child Of the east
and pulsing with It's blood, joins hands with the
| south The new alignment Is not only debtor
against creditor, class against class, but In o
land pervaded with equal devotion to what Its
people believed is the truest welfare OF the
country, great majorites in one section face
equally great majorities in another The
west is not decadent; its views are Of men
vlrile industrious and genuine, and their
beliefs are honest They would scorn any
sort Of evasion OF an obligation. They are
patriotic men, There is in the whole
|
was old enough to so to the war whom you
will not see on Decoration day wearing proudly
the badge OF his old corps They are Amerl-
| cans; to o preparation greater, far greater,
than in the east native born American citizens
The views they cherish are held with practical
unanimity
So universal feeling as that which pervades
the great west cannot be wrong. You cannot
dispose of conviction held by millions Of in
telligent people by calling it craze, and
some day you may find 1t worth your while to
look for the truth where 1t is usually hidden
somewhere between extremes.
Somehow 1t is not really recognized In the
west that ability to reorganlze western rail-
road and swell its stock and securities several
millions every time 1t is forecosed, necessarily
indicates an equal ability to determine the
wisest economic policy for the farmer who lives
along the right-of-way, And men who would
no more dream Of intrustng their banker with
the duty Of formulating their financial views
than they would of intrusting the man from
whom they bought shotgun with the COM
mand of the armies Of their country, are natu-
rally inclined to fear that in this part OF the
moral vinegar d there is u tendency to assume
that the possession of great wealth means
necessarily the possession Of great wisdom.
1t was only few years ago that New En-
\ gland was uncommon proud" of that west
which her sons had so largely peopled and her
resources lavishly ventured, had done so much
to develop Perhaps they are only supcrsensi-
tive westerners, who fancy they see in certain
quarters subtle change, an inclination to
criticise, an inability to find much to commend
and tendency to look still further to the east
ward for methods and ideas fit to follow
hope it is all mistake. Contentment cannot
come to this land by sections, and it can never
come except under conditions which bear
equally to the whole people.
The century now ending has been full of
growth and glory. 1t has witnessed the repub-
lie rise from insignifcance and poverty to
wealth and greatness. Most of us here to-
night can recall the dark days of doubt, and
from them have seen the people emerge trium-
plant, a nation Of freedom-all free, con-
tinent's width may divide u.s. but the same flag
greets us ut the dawn, the % stars all blaz-
oned alike on its azure field all yours and all
ours. In days Of peace, us in time OF war, the
altar of patriotism is an altar Of sacrifice, and,
please God we will start the new century on
its journey to the stars laden with the hopes
and aspirations OF happy and q united people.