The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-31

IctSIODfuCAtS, III nA n0dICoo OCAOAS WIZ
Graduates club Of Harvard college last
evening. expressed sentiments which are
likely to arouse as much discussion
among Harvard men and others, as fol-
lowed many of Prof Nerton's rscent ut
terances. The speakers subject was
1.-THE New America In the course of
his remarks he reviewed the conditions
which made this republic in many ways
an experiment in the history OF demo-
cracies, outlined the fundamental ideas
which underlie its body politic and sum-
married. the dangerous conditions and
tendencies of the nation in the last 30
years. He then said:
''In spite of all that is wrong there has
never been any real reason to give up
hope in the ideals of America; and we
may still feel that in the long run
hundreds of years psrhaps-a betterance
it Is far certain"
Prof. Norton then pointed out the steps
which led to Calamity" in the form OF
an aggressive war, into which we have
reached as boys into game of football y
Contin uipg, he said: "No one would have
thought the a merican nation so devoid of
sense as to go to war in the beginning OF
the hot season in tropical climate, and
without any adequate preparations to
carry that war to successful issue. No
one year ago would have thought that
the great mass of Americans would SO
heartily have greeted war. One would
have thought they had q more exact con-
ception of it, War involves all that is
horrible and that violates all rules of hui
mainly. 1t goes against all thu basic
principles of the American government
and all the ideals which underlie the
appiness Of its people 1t has at times
promoted virtues Of certain kind, but
it is and must remain the evidence of
that barbarism which is still the basis of
all civilized society.
stThis war was a revolution. 1t was,
in fact, the practical and efficient denial
OF all of the underlying principles of the
nation. In the beginning S, me persons
all over the country were deluded by the
cry of humanity and that this was to
be war for humanity's sake, as though
humanity could possibly be aided by any
war. The old America came to an end
with the declaration of the war. The
now America threw over many of the
old ideals which had been maintained
by this old America, and substituted for
them those of the other nations of the
world. 10 men who have loved the old
America no greater calamity could have
occurred, for we had hoped for the def
mite progress of mankind through its
fundamentally, and now this hope was
suddenly dashed to pieces and we are left
with no further hops.
"But we must make up our minds to
the new conditions We are to be a mill
tary nation, that Is. q considerable part
of the wages of labor is to 60 to unpro-
duotiye militar, labor. Moreover, oil
the recognition of force a. the last ap-
peal, by the central government itself
And, too, entanglements with other ma
tions must arise. Our connections with
other nations have hitherto been wholly
commercial. and in these we have exer-
cised the greatest influence throughout
the world. But we must now look to
seeing our power manifested In new and
different ways, and our connections with
other POWERS thrown on to a political
rather than q commercial basis. The
results of the war are, first, the posses
sion of conquered territory remote to our
land. We have nullif1ed the constitu-
ton, or at the very least have put 1t In
allegiance. We have nullided the Decla-
rAUlOu Oh 1Huoponu6uC0, anu our pIVAcs
sions are totally falsitied by our practice.
We have received Porto Rico. without
any expression of the popular will, to
shall say, to the UnionP hardly know
what. daughter. This action was
done as an arbitrary act Of military
occupation and was as absolute as II We
had been ruled by an emperor. Mean
while, President Mckinley holds his ear
to the ground listening for sort of mis-
oellaneous medley of opinion, but there
has been no direct appeal to the people.
He says: The currents of destiny run
through the peoples hearts, but they
surely. do not msterialize themselves
while, we have no leaders, and hence we
find ourselves with great responsibilities,
and no guidance for the ignorant. unin-
formed, infammable populace; and we
are allowing events to carry us into the
most dangerous situations. We are told
that it is the current OF destiny; but this
is run by men and by military force 1t
is proposed and poliMlesi.a,ns desire that n
we should hold the Philippines for this
reason. Such fatalism is very mislead-
ing. and the public mind is in wrong