The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-11
LAYING OF CAPITOL
CORNER STONE
concluded from Page 81

ly ueHneu, every uuly Oh tne Stdtt Coh-
cisoly presented, and the final judgment |
of the American people given in faultless |
prophecy. From the time that the Issue |
of war was forced upon US until Appo- |
mattox ended the crimson story, there |
was not a material departure from the |
attitude assumed by Pennsylvania.
And here is our historic Gettysburg, |
where more than 10000 men in blue and |
gray fell In defense of their faith. and !
the names of Meade, of Hancock and OF
Reynolds and of many others OF lesser |
magnitude, but of equal courage and pa
triotism, tell how grandly Pennsylvania
bore her part in the decisive battle OF the
war. Their were other bloody struggles,
but Appomattox was only the echo of
Gettysburg.
When 1t is remembered that our state
furnished 33S 900 men who were mustered
into the military service at various tir9es
during our civil war and that when
peace came over $4,000 were numbered
with the dead who had fallen clad in their
country's blue, it must be conceded that
we'stand in the front of all in our heroism
and sacrifice to preserve the Union.
HEROIC IN PEACE.
Heroic and grand as Pennsylvania was
in war, her veterans have been heroic in
peace. 1t was the Philadelphia Brigade
that stood the shock of PCketts charge
in the Bloody Angle at Gettysburg, and
the survivors of that brigade were the
first to invite and welcome the survivors
of Pickett's division on their old battle
field to meet in fraternal brotherhood.
That was the first demonstration of the
brave men who wore the blue and the
gray to teach the country and the world
that not only had the war ended, but that
peace had come and given the people of
the North and South common country,
a common brotherhood and common
flag; and the bloody battle of Santiago,
in which the Confederate trooper LED the
front line as major general, with Lee ana
Butler and Oates and Rosser ready to
offer their lives in defense of the stars
and Stripes. tells how completely the Bit
terness of war has perished; how we are
again one people from Eastern TO west
ern sea, from Northern Lake to Southern
Gulf.
We must not dstrust free institutions
because they are rot faultless. The sun
with all its benficent offices is not un-
spotted. The rose with its matchless
beauty and fragrance has its thorns, and
there is not in all animate creation and
action an eXamplar of perfection. l
have faith in the American people.
have faith in the sovereign citizenship or
Pennsylvania, and l know that her peo-
pie, tolerant and foreboaring as they may
be, will in the fullness of duty correct the
of parties.
Here in the structure whose corner
stone we have laid must be the lllustra-
tion of the courage and tidelity or our
sovereign citizenship, or of it's forSettul-
ness of it's highest duties. There cannot
be a bad law eracted in this temple
without rejecting its disgrace back upon
every citizen of the state. There cannot
be a Drofigate measure successful here
that will not be a reproach to every voter.
There cannot be dishonor in any depart
mCnt of our state government that does
not cast it's baleful shadows upon the
home of every citizen; and in erecting
this new sanctuary for the duties of our
| LEGISLATORS It is fitting that we should i'm
| press on the sovereign citizenship of this
| unrivaled commonwealth the sacred duty
of maintaining free government in its
purity and legislatirg wisely in faithful
reflex of the integrity and patriotism of
our people.
NEW EPOCH HAS COME.
a new epoch has come upon us by our
war with Spain, and 1t brings a new de-
| parture as ineXorabe as the law of gravi-
| tation. Our Pennsylvania soldiers are
| with the army and navy in every for
| eiGn cline where a hostile flag is found.
| They are in the far East under the
| burning suns of the anarchy-ridden Phil
|
| gle that won the first victory in Cuba and
| a gallant Pennsylvania is leading the
| advance in Porto Rico, while other Penn
| sylvania regiments are equipped and i'm
patient to get to the front. They are, in
| common with their fellow-sodiers from
| North and South, working out the new
| destiny that no human agency has al
| lotted to us.
| Behind them they hear the cry of I'M
perialism from the halting conservative
! as it is heard in every stage of progress
| in the history of the republic. 1t as
| sailed Jefferson with bitterness when he
acquired louisiana, now the heart of
| this great nation with its family Of
states 1t assaiTed the purchase of Flori-
da with equal vehemence. 1t denounced
| the Gadsden treaty in unsparing terms
and today it takes up the cry of I'M
| perialism to halt this nation in its sub
| limest duty and clearest destiny.
| We did not make war. We pleaded
long with Spain to end her fendlsh bar
| barism in Cuba, and we fed her hungr =
when Spain herself was devastating the
homes of her people; but despotism al
| ways defeats itself in the end, and when
murderous treachery gave us the appall-
| ing tragedy of the Maine, in which 2G0
of our brave sailors were murdered with
| out note of warning, the cup of for
| bearance was filled to overflowing, and
VI
ship of the nation demanded it.
OUR IMPERIALISM.
The same supreme power that demand
| ed this war will demand the complete full
| fillment of its purpose. 1t Will demand
| in tones which none can misunderstood
| and which no power or party can he
| strong enough to disregard, that the
| United States flag shall never be furled in
any Spanish province where it has been
planted by the heroism of our army and
| navy.
Call 1t Imperialism If you will but It is
not the Imperialism that is inspired by
the lust of conquest. 1t is the higher and
| nobler Imperialism that voices the SOW
| creign power of this nation, and demands
| the extension of our flag and authority
over the provinces of Spain, solely that
government of the people, by the people,
and for the people shall not perish from
| the earth"
Such is the imperialism that has become
| interviewer with the destiny of our great
| free government, and IL will be welcomed
| by our people regardless of party lines,
and will command the ccmmendation of
| the enliGhtend powers of the old world, as
1t rears for the guidance of ALL the
| Grandest monuments of freedom as the
proclaimed policy and purpose of the
noblest government ever reared by a
man or blessed by Heaven.
CONTENTS OF THE STONE.
The receptacle in the corner stone
| was filled with articles found in the
corner stone after the destruction of
the building, including the programme
| of the first corner stone ceremonies,
the act authorizing the erection of the
first building, copies of the Declara-
tion of Independence and of the con-