The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-06-24

pire there are $50, 900 900 of English
speaking people under free govern
ment. The same blood and the same
institutions bind together these two
great nations" The influence of Great
Britain in preventing a coercion by
the powers of the United States in its
treatment of the Spanish affair was
noted. Mention was also made of the
speech of the Hon. Joseph Chamber
lain in birmingham recently, and the
advocacy of an alliance by the former
American Minister, Hon. E. j. Phelps
who declared that anything that will
strengthen the brotherly feeling be-
tween the two nations should be fos-
tered" The speaker concluded by re-
citing in a very acceptable manner
the poem written by Alfred Austen,
poet laureate, which has for its theme
an Anglo-American alliance.
Mary c. Widdifield was next on the
program. She had for her subject,
Shakespeare, the Master. AS an in
PRODUCTION to her carefully prepared
essay Miss Widdifield drew parallel
between the countless books of the
day, the mass Of literature, little of
which is worthy to survive" as she
put it, and the countless blossoms
put forth each season and few mature
to take root and live" Miss Widdi-
field said in part: The young stud
ent, confused and amazed at the vast
wealth of libraries, may be treasured
by the comforting reminder that after
all there are few good books" After
mentioning many authors whose works
have delighted their readers she said:
''Other authors appear above the hori-
zon, some attain the zenith of popular
ity, only to sink at last into oblivion.
But Shakespeare, through the changes
of time, still lives and with ever in
creasing fame. 1t is now essential
that all who pretend to culture should
be familiar with the works of Shake
speare He alone of all writer's seems
TO have a universal sympathy, and
that is the secret of his influence over
mankind. Every phase of character,
every type of human being, are all
characterizations of a master
Miss Widdifield deplored the fact
that so little is known Of the authors
! life, but she said, that is of minor
Importance, for it is not the mans
surroundings that interest us, but the
man himself. OF his character even
less is known" She stated that his
epilogue to the Tempest is considered
to be Shakespeare's most personal re-
| ference. She named him "the great
est artist the modern world has
known"
II A. Kluegel was the next speaker.
| The subject of his carefully prepared
and well delivered discourse was The
VIII and The Way. He made a strong
appeal for concentration of thought or
the habit of study. Without that"
| he said, ''the young man is a failure,
| because he is unable to cope with the
problems of life. This habit of con-
centration logically leads one to a fix
ed purpose in life. When this purpose
is formed there is no longer any ques-
ton about the means" He deprecated
the acquiring of a superficial acquain
lance with more subjects than our
forefathers dreamed Of" The speaker
paid glowing tribute to the life and
| character of Gladstone, to whom he
said the title of the Great Commoner
belonged rather than to Lord Chat
ham. He said that Gladstone's "pur-
pose had always been to make the
most of his opportunities for no sell
fish ends, but for his country end for
humanity. This was as true at the
beginning as at the end of his career -
The last speaker of the evening was
w. B. Godfrey, Jr. His topic, The
Decedance of Spain was especially of
interest during the present war be-
tween that nation and the United
States. His was story comparing
the old days of SPANS magnifcence
and display, of the days of power and
victory, with the present history of
today. The age of Spanish chivalry
is gone; the days of old CASTELAR,
power and glory are no more" he said.
He told of the dawn of SPANS as
tendency, at the close of the Middle
Ages. In the time of Charles V and
Phillip II, Spain was the greatest
power in all Europe. Her governed
territory was not confined to the
Spanish peninsula, but included half
of Italy and France, provinces of the
Netherlands, the Islands of the East
and West Indies and dominions in
North and South America. He told
of the grandeur of the Court, the
great wealth and wonderful resources
of the Nation. From this eminence
she has fallen"
The secret of this failure to main
tain her high position was the infu-
ence of selfishness, cruelty and blind
bigotry upon the race. He said that
the failure of Spain in Cuba and the
Philippines is but a repetition of the
story of Spanish incompetency else
where. Cruelties were practiced at
the very doors of the United States
until the American people could stand
it no longer and interviewed in the
name of humanity He said that the
American people could do nothing
else than accept the great respon-
sibility.