The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-23


of the Principal Address Before
the Union League Club, Assembled
to Do Honor to the Memory of
WasIiington-GoOd Citizenship.
CHICAGO, Feb. 22.-Once President
Harrison spoke today at the Audi
torium at the annual celebration of
the Union League club, in honor of
Washington. All the historical and
civic societies of the city were fully
represented. Among the distinguished
guests of the Union League club pres
emit at the meeting were DR.. John H.
Firlay. president of Knox college; Gen.
John M Palmer, Maj. Gen. John X.
Brooke. once Gov. Richard j. Oglesby,
and Charles Emory Smith, of Phlla-
dephia.
The Apollo club of 400 voices furnish
ed the music for the programme. EX-
President Harrison took for his sub
ject: "Obligations of Wealth. lie
said:
HarrisOn's Address.
Monuments and birthday anniversaries
should be commemorative, not creative
commemorative of deeds that evoke wide
gratitude and Of virtues that are still imitable.
Scientists have reproduced some of the gil
gigantic animals and reptiles of the world
early history. We look at them with fear,
and wonder, and congratulate ourselves that
that they could supply. They could not live
in our environments nor we in theirs. So
there have been among men monsters OF
power and violence. We cannot forget them,
but glad they lived in another epoch
The almanac maker notes their birthdays,
but there are no aSsemblages of the people.
II monuments have been builded to them,
they are liable to be overturned when the
dynasty changes or the commune supplants
the state.
But there are men who have won our
hearts that we would recall them if we
could. We feel the need of them. No
change of dynasties, no outbreak of the mob
threatens their monuments. One can hardly
conceive of any civil revolution or any rio
tous outbreak in our country that would not
respect the monuments of Washington and
of Lincoln. While they lived they were
at times hated by men and by communities;
but, when the full stories of their lives were
unfolded. when motives aud purposes were
explored, when the universal benefcence of
their public services was seen. in the estab-
Hshment by one and the rescue by the other,
of free constitutional government, all their
countrymen rendered them homage.
We assemble on this anniversary of the
birth of Washington, not much, if at all, TO
bring tribute to him. as TO learn at his
feet the lessons of a conscientious citizenship.
The qualities of Washington's character and
life; those that did not exhaust themselves
on locality or a period; that are instructive
not only to military commanders and chief
magistrates, but to the unofficial citizen; the
lessons that he taught, not for the march
and battle, but for quiet days when no drum
beat calls to duty-these are the qualities and
lessons that should engage our thought today.
In choosing for my theme The Obligations
of Wealth. l am not wrestling this an
niversary from it's legitimate use. We do
not need to forget-indeed we cannot for
get Washington when we reflect upon our
obligations to the state. His life teaches
lesson more strongly than that the citizen
is under obligation to serve the state; never
to shirk his full share of burden and labor
and sacrifice, but rather to do more.
The word wealth in its modern use has
suffered a limitation, If not a perversion.
Originally and strictly it means veal or
welfare external happiness. When Paul ad-
monished the Corinthian Christians, Let no
man seek his own but every man another's
wealth" he was not anticipating the modern
law of the wheat-pit and the stock exchange
Wealth is comparative term; and my
address is not for that very limited body of