The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-24

Editor Clark Howell, OF the Atlanta Con-
stitution, was the guest of honor at the
monthly dinner of the Independent club of
Buffalo, N. Y, and delivered an address
on the MAN with his hat in his hand" Mr..
Howell spoke in part, as follows:
- There is the east; there Is India
$50 spoke Thomas H. Benton, in conclud-
Ing one of the most memorable and proph-
etic addresses ever delivered in the United
States senate, at a time, just half a century
ago, when a realization of the magnificent
opportunities of the great west had first
dawned upon the nation, riveting the atten-
tio of the whole country upon its possiblli-
ties and illumining the sphere of its COM
mercial hope with suggestions of resources
SURPRISING the wealth of Golconda, and or
riches beyond the dream of avarice.
Like the meteor which lights the heavens
for a moment and then fades into obscurity,
the words of the great commoner flashed
upon the public mind as an Inspiration; the
building of the transcontinental line which
would connect the Atlantic with the Pacific
was accepted as an assured undertaking by
the government, and what Benton described
as the elimination of 1.-THE grand design OF
Columbus to put Europe and ASIA INTO cohl-
munication through the heart OF our coun-
ment in the scheme of the westward eA-
tension of our commercial domain.
but stagnation and uncertainty succeed
ed the ferver of impulse; greater issues, an
volving the life of the republic itself, d.
yerted the public mind; inaction oppressed
and irresolution preyed upon the natlohai
commerce, and the most important ana
promising project in which our country mad
then engaged for the extension of Its COM
mercial facilities was delayed for more op-
portune consideration. Nor was it until
the scourge of war had bathed the union In
the blood of brothers that government
sanction of the under taking was born OF the
demand for better transportation facilities
for moving troops between the west and
east.
..In those days the pathway of CONNER
cal development was not freer from the op-
stacles of opposition an attack than 1t is
today Since the organization of the thir-
teen original states each generation mas
produced some misguided citizens who,
blind to the benefits offered by extension OF
national domain, Sought In vain to tnWart
the march of commercial progress and
check the current of nations destiny.
Even prior to the birth of our republic. the
great Frederick characterized as absurd the
tdea of maintaining an Independent form OF
government covering so vast domain as
that embraced between Maine and Georgia.
Every extension of our border line was met
by similar argument and when the oregon
country was under discussion in the forties,
a senator with becoming seriousness, de-
cared that no such remote land could ever
be incorporated and held as an integral part
of the United States, that it would require
ten months out of every twelve for It's rep
resentatives in congress to go to and from
the national capital, and that the contem-
plated annexation would prove top-heavy
construction, which would weaken and
crush the tender foundation of the national
fabric.
"But one by one new states were nodded
from new territory, and the republic, built
on the hearts of the people, strengthened
in proportion to its growth. When the last
link was riveted in the chain of states bind
ing the Atlantic and the Pacific, the once
struggling republic, fresh in the vigor of its
youth, and brave in the strength of all Its
members, stood before the nations of the
earth a model government founded on the
rights of ali dts people, secure in the bond
of their loyalty, and permanent in the
promise of their posterity.
The trans-continental lines we're con-
structed San Francisco was placed within
five days touch of the national capital; the
western states bossomed among the fairest
flowers of our national garden. and though
the Ideal picture which Benton painted or
the living statute at the Golden Gate en-
bodying the triumph of our countrys
progress is as yet unrealizsd, the lapse OF
h1fty years but emphasizes ms 6uBBeStlOI.
THE time has come when his burning
thought can find expression with still more
fitting application, in a single change OF It's
inscription ,
There is the east; there are the Philip
Mines the gateway to ASIA.
'tPermit me here, MI. Chairman, to intro
Huce at a somewhat advanced stage OF my
remarks. not the text, but the title OF my
theme. and to say, lest You have thought
that had strayed from it, that Its applica-
ton will not be so remote as might nave
heen inferred On the day received the
invita- ton to address this distinguished
gathering chance took me to the federal
military post in the suburbs of my city.
The Twenty ninth regiment OF United
States Volunteers, then quartered there,
and recently landed on the other side OF
the Pacific, had that day received orders
for their trip of 10000 miles The troops
were formed in full regimental parade In
the presence of thousands of spectators,
among whom were anxious and weeping
mothers, loving sisters and sweethearts.
and vast multitude of others who had
gone to look. possibly for the last time,
upon departing friends. OF the enlisted
men great percentage were from my own
state most of them from simple farm
houses and the quiet and unpretentfous
hearthstones which abound in the rural
communities of Georgia A few had seen
service in Cuba, but most of them had vol
unteered raw recruits from the farm.
There We're sturdy and rugged noun tain
GERS from the Blue Ridge countes-strong,
steady and intrepid, with the simplicity