The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-01-05
THE NATIONS SrRENGH.
It Lies in the Young Men Of the
Land To-Day.
LET THE SHIP OF STATE BE
MANNED WITH HONOR,
Saturday Evening Post.


America is spoken of as the New
World, and our nation is called young.
We may accept the qualifying word
with all that 1t implies, knowing that
to be youthful is to be as near happi-
ness as person or people can ever
approach. Montaigne, the cleverest
intellect of his time, writing three GEN.
turtles ago about young people, said ::
cit is nature that speaks first her
voice is then purer and simpler :" and
two thousand years before that Plato
had declared genuine happiness to be ga
sudden and wise going back to Nature"
Youth is strength, as the science OF
athletics is every day demonstrating.
Between the ages of eighteen and
thirty the man is most powerful from
head to foot. Doubtless nation that
is young, trimming with the lustiness
of early vigor, is to be admired, rather
than be made light ct, even to be
feared by older ones, when it begins to
put forth its power for behind every
move of youth there is an enthusiasm
which Is apt to be irresistible. History
everywhere projects the fact that sud-
den and Notwithstanding conquests have
usually been the work of early national
prime rarely of Government old
enough to be considered venerably an
Gent.
We have just surprised the world by
destroying Spain, as it were, by a sim
gle buffet. Turn to what our wisest
editors were saying in the early months
of the year just ended, and you Will see
that they thought that SPANS fleet
probably little more than a match
Tor ours; and Spain really had in
Cuba an army four times as large as
our regular FORCES. But what happened?
1t was scarcely war. Whatever we
struck went down. 1t was adolescence
against senillty; we surprised ourselves
as much as we startled the world. Ma
ture spoke at Manila, at Santiago, on
sea and on land, and her voice had the
invinclble courage, the imperious su-
periority and momentum OF youth, by
which all great national achievements |
have been performed since the dkys of |
Alexander.
This superb quality of youth lays
upon its possessors the gravest respon-
s'bily, as well as the richest Joy OF life.
know that muscle once
made is made to the end of a mans
days; the octogenarian who was an
athlete at twenty is powerful still !; for
be would have died early had he abus-
ed his physique. The young and
masterful nation, once trained to full
vigor, will be vigorous always, provided
It does not abuse its strength. It can
not abuse its strength II Its young man
are true to themselves and to the op-
offered by an lncomparably
splendid age like ours. Emerson said
knowledge Is the antidote of fear"
We must know ourselves We must
rust ourselves, our Government, our
iestiny; anything short of this is not
+; 1t is cowardice.
The only safety for man or a ma
ION is courage in conscientious action
Town the whole line Of duty, and there
IAN be no sense of national duty with
'ut enthusiastic patriotism and perfect
confidence in national integrity. We
crow like what we contemplate; our
political, social, moral and physical
will be the result OF aspira-
ion realized through that chemistry
which supremely refines or hopelessly
lebases IL and its significance in the
or in the people. The mo-
nent we begin to doubtthe suficiency
IF the integrity OF our form of Gov
Or the Righteousness OF its
SEPARATIONS, we should feel our pulse
nd count its beats; for youth never
doubts; health meyer suggests failure. Z
keep the blood pure, the nerves
lealthy, the muscles vitalized, then
'ou are perfect unit OF power; then Z
ou are always young; then you rely
lpon yourself, trust your country, and s
'elleye in the honor and efficacy of its
Virlle men make and
maintain virile civilization.
There is no hope for the nation 7
those young men are not consclen-
fous, working citizens and active pa {
riots. The Young men in time of
'eace set the pace for a generation in
'me OF war they bear the banners,
low the trumpets, fire the guns, storm s
be heights, go to death as to a sump-
nous banquet. Age is wise and
God when it is sound, but even in its ! !