Evening star., 1898-12-16
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH
Remarks Made in the Auditorium at Atlanta
Yesterday.
What the Nation Has Proved in the
War-Our One Course of
Duty.

In his speech at the Auditorium in Attain
ia yesterday afternoon the President said
This government has proved itself in
vincible in the recent war, and out of It
has come a nation which will remain ind-
visible for evermore. No worthier contri-
buttons have been made in patriotism and
IN men than by the psopie. of the south
ern states. When at last the opportunity
came they were eager to meet it, and wi h
prOmptnesS responded TO the call of the
country. Intrusted with the able leadership
or men dear TO them, who had marched
with their fathers under another flag now
fighting under the old flag again, they have
gioriously helped to defend its spotiess folds
That flag has been planted in two hemi-
spheres, and there 1t remains the symbol
Of liberty and law, of peace and progress.
Who will withdraw from the people over
whom 1t floats its protecting folds? Who
will haul it down?
THE victory celehra te is not that of
a ruler, President or a Congress. but
of the people. The army whose valor we
admire, and the navy, whose achievements
we applaud, were not assembled by draft or
conscription, but from voluntary enlistment.
The heroes came from civil as well as mill
tary life. Trained and unframed soldiers
wrought our triumphs
The peace we have won is not a selfish
truce of arms, but one whose conditions
presage good to humanity. The domains
secured under the treaty yet to be acted
result of a crusade of conquest, but as the
reward of temperate, faithful and fearless
response to the call of conscience which
,a could rot be disregarded by liberty-lov-
ing and Christian people. We have so
borne ourselves in the conflict and in our
intercourse with the powers of the world
as to escape complaint of complication and
give universal confidence of our high pur-
pose ana unSelhsh sacrifices for struggling
peoples
New 0ccasions New Dnties
THE task is not fulfilled Indeed. it is
only just begun. The most serious work is
still bsfore US, and every energy of heart
and mind must be bent, and the impulses of
parttsanshtp suhordtnated to its faithful
execution This is the time for earnest. not
faint hearts.
New occasions teach new duties To
this nation and every nation there come
formative periods In its life and history
New conditions can be met only by new
methods Meeting these conditions hone
iuily' and facing them bravey and wisely
is to be the mightiest test of American vir-
Tue and capacity. Without abandoning past
limitations, I'M , traditions and principles, but
by meeting present opportunities and obli-
saions, We shall show ourselves worthy Of
the great trust which civilization has i'm
posed upon US
Al Bunker Hill liberty was at stake; at
gettysburg the Union was the issue: before
Manila and Santiago our armies fought not
IOr gam or revenge, but for human rights.
They contended for the freedom of the op-
pressed for whose welfare the United
states has never failed to lend helping
hand TO establish and uphold. and, / believe
never will. The giories of the war cannot
De dlmmed, but the result will be incom-
piete and unworthy OF US unless supple
mented by civil victories. harder possibly to
win. In their way no less Indispensable.
We will have our difficulties and our
embarrassments. They follow all victories
NV III ,,-fl,
They are inseparable from every great
movement or reform. But American ca
pacity has triumphed over all in the past.
DOUBTS nave in the end vanished. ADpar-
ent dangers have been averted or avoided,
and our own history shows that progress
has come so naturally and steadily on the
heels of new and grave responsibilities
that as we look back upon the acquisition
OF territory by our fathers We are filled
with wonder that any doubt could have
existed or any apprehension could have
| been felt of the wisdom of their action or
thelr capacity to grapple with the then
untried and mighty problems.
The republic is today larger, stronger,
| and better prepared than ever before for
wise and profitable Developments in new
| directions and along new lines. Even If
| the minds of some of our own people are
! stu disturbed by perp'exing and anxious
| doubts. in which all of us have shared
and still share, the genius Of American
| civilization will. l believe, be found both
| original and creative and capable of sub
serving all the great Interests which shall
| be confided to our keeping.
Forever in the right, following the best
impulses and clinging to high purposes,
| using properly and within right limit4 our
power and opportunities, honorable reward
| must inevitably follow. The outcome cam
| not be in doubt. O.
| Our Course One of Duty.
I'VE could have avoided all the difficulties
that lie across the pathway of the nation If
| few months ago we had coldly ignored
! the piteous appeals of the starving and
! opp essed inhabitants of Cuba. If We had
blinded ourselves to the conditions SO near
| our shores and turned q deaf ear to our
suffering neighbors the issue of territorial
| expansion in the Antilles and the East
| Indies woud ID not have been raised
! But could We have justified such q
| course? Is there any one who would now
| declare another to have been the better
! course? With less humanity and less cour-
! age on our part. the Spanish flag. instead
| or the stars and stripes. would still be float
| Ing at Cavite, at Ponce and at Santiago
| and chance in the race of life would be
wanting to millions of human beings who
today call this nation noble, and who.
/ trust, VIII live to call 1t blessed. -
THUS far we have done our supreme