Omaha daily bee., 1897-10-12

Gnln Day with Celebration in the
Massachusetts Town.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. Oct. 1l.-A salute
fred at sunrise by the United States steam
ship, Amphitrite, which is anchored in the
harbor, formally opened the celebration of
the semi-centennial anniversary of the city
of New Bedford today. The attendance was
large from all parts of New England. The
industrial exhibition was opened in the
morning. At 9;55 President Mckinley
pressed the button in Washington and with
message of congratulaton and good wishes
set the machinery of the hall in motion. The
literary exercises of the day were held this
afternoon in a large tent on Union street
George Fox Tucker delivered the historical
address. He said:
To Mr.. George Fox Tucker was assigned
The task of enumerating the events which
have occurred from the advent of the fore
fathers to the present time.
The chronicle is not of brilliant achieve
ment, but of successful commercial enter
prises, of the mastery of the season, not for
the mere purpose of conquest but for the
rewards of an industry prosecuted with a
passed; not the deeds of distinguished
cestors, but of the doings of simple folks. 1t
IS not designed to evoke poets strains, but
worthy the scrutiny of him who admires the
honored labors Of humble lives. In the sur
vey we find much to regret, but more 20
commend.
The speaker then gave brief recital of the
more important historical events in local
history and made few suggestions of a
general nature prompted by some of the Incl
dents of the past political struggles for su-
premacy in the city. He concluded as fol-
lows
1t is said to have been the conviction of
our last martyred president that the preser-
walton of our institutions was to depend, not
upon habitual Solicitude but upon habitual
effort He Is the patriot who cares not for
preferment, but attends with vigilance to
the duties of the moment and the day. If
each of us Should give 1.-THE of his time
TO SubSerye the true interests of the COM
munity in the selection of the best candi-
dates for office and in the scrutiny of the
means and the measures employed in public
affairs, in less than decade New Bedford
would be the model of the country and the
wonder OF the continent In this hour of
jubilee it is well to remember the depleted
treasures and the sorrowing homes. We
are summoned to new conservation, to a
time -honored task In the years TO come let
fairs, until in obedience to the teachings of
their fathers. they have received the train
Ing of long commercial apprentice; those
engaged in our various ventures be willing
TO listen to both sides of an argument, even
If they are apprehensive of the presentation
of obnoxious opinions; let the laboring man
receive the assurance that he Is not neg
lected, and let him in recognition thereof
be charitable In his estimate of those who
direct our institutions in safety through the
perpeNties of circumstances and the trials
and the hazards of trade let us all be slow
to champion novelties and innovations, un-
| less there Is certainty that their adoption
Will be the guarantee of benefit and bless
| ing; let us be more ready with tolerance
and sympathy to the end that we may give
color to our destiny and thus receive the re-
wards of harmony and fellowship; let us be
dazzled less by personal popularity and
| guided more by personal merit, and finally,
| let us not forget that the Deity to whom our
| fathers acknowledged Their Indebtedness Is
still worthy of invocation and homage. So
shall we have once more city of inde-
pendence which Is builded on self-sacrifice
and industry and sustained by the dignity
| of character and the nobility of worth.