The Republican journal., 1897-06-03

home, they will need them in their work
upon their farms" That act Of kindness to
| a fallen foe demonstrated that Ulysses S,
| Grant, excelled by none where courage and
| bravery were required, was also man who
| was possessed of those finer feelings which
entered into and rounded out character
| which to-day is admired by the whole world.
| That act of kindness was more potent than
| any act of oppression could have been to re-
| store that confidence and fellow feeling
| which we're to reunite the North and South
| by ties which we trust will never again be
| broken. We remember with gratitude the
| gallant services of Sherman, of Sheridan, of
! Thomas, of Hancock and OF Meade. Ali have
gone to their reward in the land where sor-
| row, strife and dlscord are unknown.
At this time, when every vestge of preju-
dice and passion should be banished from
| our thoughts, we feel that it would be but
justice to mention another; not one who
| Wore the blue but that great leader of the
| Confederacy, Gen. Robert E. Lee. 1t is due
to him to say that he upright Chris
| tan gentleman of noble qualities and ac-
| knowiedged ability. Ii the events of the
| late Civil War are to furnish the criterion
by which we may Judge of his ability, it
| might not be assuming too much to say that
as defensive general he had no superior
| upon either side of the conflict; but as an Of
| fensive general he was not so successful, as
| can be seen from the results of his two in
yaslons of the North.
1t was with such leaders as he with whom
our generals had to compete 1t was with
| men OF undaunted courage with whom our
| soldiers had to measure swords. To-day, as
you who are survivors of the struggle meet
around the camphres, your hearts sad
dened to remember that many youth who
went forth to battle for his country fell in
| the heat of the conflict, and though their
final resting places are unmarked upon the
sunny fields of the south, the services which
| they rendered to their country in the true
| OF It's peril will ever endear them to the
hearts Of their countrymen. To the .Ameri
| can soldier We owe debt of gratitude tn
magnitude of which we are likely to overlook.
| We have but to look about at the bless
lngs which we enjoy to comprehend it in its
| fullest significance. They have been the
winners, they have been the preservers, Of
our free institutions. The victories won by
our soldiers upon the field have given a
country of which we may feel justly proud.
They have made it possible for to enjoy
the liberties and blessing which fore
| fathers designed that we should enjoy; but
this heritage which comes to us brings with
it duties and responsibilities. 1t comes to
us laden with the duties of citizenship, and
the question of how to make the most of our
| opportunities is one which addresses itself
| to every thinking man and woman through
out the length and breadth of this entire
land.
The perpetuation of despotic form of
government is insured by keeping the
masses in ignorance of the progress which
the people of other countries of the world
are making, and of the privileg eswhich they
enjoy but in a country which recognizes
the equality of all men before the law in a
land where those from the humblest walks
of life may be called by the will of the peo-
pie to fill the most exalted stations, it be-
hooves us to lift high the beacon light of
education that its rays may illumine the
minds of all those within her borders.
America" it has been said, sis but an
other name for opportunity. 1t is the
duty of every American citizen to guard
with jealous eye the opportunities and privi-
leges which we now enjoy that no usurp-
er may take away the inherent opportun-
ties of American citizenship.
Our country has not yet been in existence
long enough to demonstrate to the world
that she is invincible against any and all in
t1uences which may be brought to bear
! against her. History records the rise and
tall of that mighty empire beyond the sea
which i'll the zenith of her glory bid fair to
circumscribe the then known world within
her borders. 1t was then that to be Roman
was greater than to be king, but by eX-
travagance, immortality and social corrup-
tion she reduced to a condition in
which she fell an easy prey to the harba-
rians.
Rapid increase in popuiation increase in
wealth, together with their cOncUntant in
tluences, have tendency to bear a people on
i'll the rapid current OF events until they are
swept from their feet by trying to Keep pace
with every new fad OF notion of society.
America has since the landing Of the colon
lists. been the refuge Of those who sought
J freed from religious and political oppres-
sion, Almost every nation upon the globe
has contrlb buted to our population. Ihe
gates of Castle Garden swing inward and TO-
day our population is yearly increased by
those from foreign shores who would avail
themselves of the privileges of American
citizenship Have we room to receive them :?
The country in which We live is vast in
wealth, vast in numbers, but have yet
millions upon millions of acres of land un-
improved where industrious men and women
may make homes for themselves and be-
come useful citizens. Our population may
be doubled and quadrupled and then we
shall not find ourselves i'll Ihe congested
condition i'll which we find some parts of the
old world.
If this growth comes by the multplica-
ton of good sturdy hberty-loving stock,
rearing up race of people in sympathy
with our institutions, we need not fear the
result. But it is to be feared that by rapid
increase in immigration We shall find our
selves in short time out numbered by peo-
pie from foreign shores who through the
laXty of our laws have been made our
equals so far as the privileges of citizenship
are concerned, but who have none of the
| qualifi cations of good American citizenship.
The question of immigration, though much
discussed, appeals to us with as much earn
estness to-day it ever has during our
national existence.
/ believe that a strict moral and ed
ucational test should be required of every
man who would take up his abode with us
and become one of our number We have
seen the evils of foreign immigration. We
have seen the pauper labor of Europe, in the
employ of American syndicates and corpora
tions, doing the work which belonged to our
own citizens, living in manner which
would not be fitting to an honest American
citizen They would work for mere pittance
and deprive our own mothers and children
of the bread which was justly theirs. Such
people can never become true American cit
liens. To all such we would say, be gone! I!
But those who can contribute to the skill, i,
to the learning and to the patriotism OF
America would bid welcome TO our
shores.
Do we need more territory? We now have
country which is capable of supporting
five hundred million OF souls within its
borders. A country situated in that zone
which embraces the highest types of civiliz-
alton in the world. A country which stands
without peer in the diversity of its pro
ducts. We have no need to reach out for more
territory while such vast amount of that
which we already have is yet undeveoped.
Our country is compact, easily governed,
and the annexation of countries or provinces
not familiar in sympathy with insti-
tutions, and with civilization inferior to
ours, might prove to be branches which