The Washington bee., 1897-06-19
OUR AMERICAN
REPRESENTATIVE

In this beautiful month of sunnshin
and flow ers, when all nature blossom
in gladness and song and the stream
run Surging to the sea, We pause, ant
there rises before each of us that CRANE
character, the majestic form OF Fred
erick Douglass; his like We n'er shall
see again. Great as he waS,-consci
Gus as he was OF the depths out O
which he came, vet he died withou
knowing the height TO which he haC
climbed and the everlasting place b,
secured in the hearts of his fellowmen
His great fame as an orator and philo
sopher made his name household
word throughout the civilized world
Wherever liberty needed defender
he was found and wherever the chris
tian religion has shed It light his name
is reverned. His high character-his
great worth made him essentially our
American Representative. Trained as
he was in the turburlent school Of con-
, fict, he developed a strong and sturdy
character and was the best equipped
man of his time for the work TO which
he dedicated his whole life and for
which he died battling.
But under new and changed con-
dition it became necessary tor new
man, mantled in different mould
man who could handle affairs from
different standpoint.
Reconstructing the country after the
pattern of the new order, necessarily
brought forward men trained in the
school Of building up rather than tear
ing down Douglass work-the greater
portion was to undermine-to uproot
one of the fundamental principles
underlying this great government
the institution Of human slavery
property in man and later to correct
the wrongs growing out OF and kin
dred TO that peculiar institution, and
we'll did he do his work. The future
historian in recounting those times
will write that not only did he do his
lifes' work faithfully and well but bet
ter than all those who went forth to do
battle in that mighty conflict, because /
he had felt the sting and knew better .
how to throttle the monster.
This new order-thiS changed rela-
ton of master and slave made II neCeS-
sary for a new man, moulded in a diff
ferent mould, trained in new school;
a man who must shape himself-equip
himself to do battle along different
lines.
Did the times produce the man? The
master mechanic that he may become
eminent in his trade must euqip himself
in technical knowledge, SO was it nee
eSSary for this new man of the hour,
who was TO assist in the great work OF
reconstruction, to fully arm himself
with new weapons for the great and
difficult task. Great occasions, great
have always produced the
man fot the work in hand, SO did these
times; for as educators, legislator and
executive officers, il has been demon
strated that We have made no mistake
in our American Representative
man OF unerring judgment-a man who
never makes mistake; finished large
" in the school of practical politics
yet withal, diplomat, for without this
latter element he could never have
been SO eminent in the former, for IN
no field is competition so keen and
decisive-only the fittiest survive and
ne who can remain at the top for
quarter of a century has not only de-
his capacity, but that he Is a
giant of superior force and diplomat
as well.
Coming in closer touch and contact
with the best trained thought-men
who shape and mould the policy OF the
destiny of seventy millions of people,
he has enjoyed superior advantages.
That this man-our American Repre-
been able to cope and
arms successfully with these
trained giants, even those who have |
but superficial knowledge of the man
and his methods must admit.
Honored and respected for his sup
erior force and ability; filled with a
pride in his calling gifted by nature
to control man possessed to a high |
degree with sound judgment, admir-
able taste and infinite tact, have been
the commitantS of breaths of states
and high purpose TO not
only make the most of his OppOrtunI-
ties but TO do the most for the better
men tof mankind.
AS keen an observer as he, could
not fail to profit by his long and large
contact with public men and affairs.
N the true field of politics, in the
higher sense, this our American Rep
believes there is none
higher, none wider, none nobler, none
in which larger influence man may
be welded for good of country and
man, and well has he utelized this for
good, until he stands out today repres
enting not alone the possibilities, but
a splendid type of our American Rep
resentatlve. In such a life there is
much for earnest study for the young
men who are rapidly forging to the
front. While there is a destiny that
shapes our course, rough-hew it as we
may" yet none will deny that our
American Representative has largely
shaped his even course and has truly
been the architect of his own fortune.
AS it was the custom for the master,
before the war, to give to the slave
"pass" signed by himself that he
might "pass and repass, when Presi-
dent Mckinley shall designate the
man who shall sign the passes" and
"repaSSeS" for seventy millions OF
freemen that they may travel to the
fartherest ends of the earth with this
bit of given paper. He can make no
mistake if upon that pass shall appear
the name of our American Represen-
tative, ex-U. S. Senator and ex-Regis-
ter of the Treasury, B. K. Bruce.