The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-22
PERIL N WAR POLICY.
Cleveland Sounds a Note Of
Warning.
ACCRESSIVENESS ALARMING
Acquisition Of Territory Not Favor
ed in the Past.

should Re InduIged in Only After the
Deepest study and DeIiberatiOn.
A Tendency to Link Patriotism
With Something BeIlicOsc and De-
finnt-True Patriotism Very DiHer-
ent-Our Victories should he These
OF Peace and Immunity From
Armed Conflict.
Princeton. N. j., June 21.-Grover Cleve-
land delivered the annual Founders Day
address Of the commencement exercises OF
the Lawrenceville school, held to-day. His
subject was Good Citizenship"
Mr. Cleveland said, In part: ",rhe Ameri-
can people are tempted every day and
every hour to abandon their accustomed
way and enter upon a course of new ana
strange adventure. Never before in our
history have we been beset with tempta-
tlons so dangerous as those which now
whisper in our ears allurlng words of con-
quest and expansion, and point out to us
fields bright with the glory OF the war
II once saw very useful book entitled
Don't
1T contained a statement of numerous
II am inclined to adopt the plan of this
book to the extent of cautionng you
against imperfect ideas of civic duties and
warn you against certain dangers which
threaten the soundness and safety of true
American citizenship and which especially
at this particular time, seem to lie In watt
for us on every side.
1T Is absolutely certain that we are in
need OF relnforcements In the ranks OF
good citizenship. 1t Is no less certain that
our schools and colleges can, IN a large
measure, supply the necessary help. Since
patriotism underlies good citizenship you
should avoid a misconception of the mean
ing of this word.
II believe there Is sometimes a tendency
10 think patriotism is something belIicose
and defiant. OF course. true patriotism
Is a very different thing.
"As an illustration of our past methods.
u may occur TO you that, though this ma
tion IS young, we have, within its short
existence, by close adherence 10 our orig
inal designs and purposes, astonshed the
world by our progress and the develop
ment of our vast possessions.
with our frst century's tremendous
growth and advancement before our eyes
as proof Of the strength and efficiency OF
consistent Amerlcanlsm, you will find in
the beginning OF our second century proof
of the abundance of our present domain i'm
millions of acres of government territory
still unoccupled while hundreds of gov
ernment officials wait to bestow It upon
settlers.
you viii also see other large areas OF
American soil yet untrodden by the feet
of man, while our gates are still standing,
open 70 receive those who shall come from
other countries to share our homes and
privileges.
I'm view of these things and considering
our achievements in the past, and our
promise for the future, recalling what we
have done, and what we have been and
what yet remains for us TO do under the
guidance Of the rules and motives which
have thus far governed our national life,
you surely are entitled to demand the best
Of reasons for a change in our policy and
conduct, and to expect a conclusive ex-
PLANTATION Of the conditions which make
our acquisition OF new and distant terri
tory either justifiable, prudent or neces-
sary.
Perhaps you should be satisfied with
the excuse that such acquisition is neces-
sary by way Of warlike preparation or pre-
caution. This, however, viii Immediately
suggest to you that we have found here
tofore a constant source of congratulatlon
In the fact that the contemplation of war
and it's contingencies is not and should
not be familiar to our ordinary national
life that It has also been our boast that
a large standing military establishments
and wariike precautions are not among
the needs of the people, whose victories
are those OF peace and whose immunity
from armed conflict is found in their free
dom from the foreign relationships that
give birth to war, and though il has been
abundanuy demonstrated that the cour-
age and splendid lighting qualities of our
countrymen will never fail in time of need,
IL IS sull grave question whether the
cheapening of our estimate OF the value
of peace, by dwelling upon war and war
like preparations, iS calculated TO improve
the quality Of our national character.
s'rhese considerations naturally leads me
20 counsel you against the danger OF allow
ing the bright dress and gay trappings
which war puts on to divert your attention
from the ugly features that belong to IL
as seen ia the light Of true American citi-
zenshiy.
"rhe danger of such diversion may
arise in restless enthusiasm which Is by
no means unattractive or from our admi-
ration for deeds of valor. which Is ma
tional characteristics, or from the fascina-
ton of dangerous adventure, ever found
with bravery, or from the love Of glory Of
successful battle, which Is almost un inn
pulse Of humanity, or from tendency TO
comba tiveness, which is not altogether
lovely and amiable, is regarded by gem
uine Americans with benevolent liberation.
1t Is dihicult TO deal with the question