The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-31

you have taken such an honorable, such
distinguished and such an imeprishable
part, you, can rest assured that that
country with whose history and whose
fame your names will forever remain so
closely interviewer shall be loved and pro-
tected and perpetuated by the valor and
the patriotism of this generation into
whose care you assign it.
A GLANCE AHEAD.
The memories called forth by this day,
l am aware, cluster largely around
events that have passed into history.
the sad though inspiring memories of
the past, with a brief view of present
conditions and brief contemplation Of
what under the guiding hand OF a bene-
ficent providence the great future may
have in store for US. Dreamefs, indeed,
we should be if in the contemplation of
surroundings. Frivolous and unworthy
we would be OF the proud position we al
ready hold in the worlds history if in the
midst of our present enjoyment, in the
the noble heritage of freedom we shou
be indifferent to their preservation and
their perpetuation in the future.
AS the world grows older and perhaps,
as its children grow wiser, the same end
Is accomplished by different methods and
processes. The vaulting ambition that
heretofore found its chief excitement on
the military field has now betaken itself
to the great realm of commerce. The
ambition to triumph over all competitors
to the point of extinction and extermina-
ton enters into private life, into publ
life, and into national life. Eh s ambition
while restrained within reasonable and
proper limits is undoubtedly one of. the
noblest and effective landmarks of an
advancing and an improving civilization,
but when permitted to overflow lis prop
er banks and limitations, when permitted
to become the master of a civilization 10
which it should be an incident, when it
attains to such imperial power as to force
nations and constitutions to violate the
spirit in order to it's advancement 1t
ceases to be the servant of humanity and
becomes an enemy of no mean porpor
tionS.
We came into the history of the word
at comparatively late period of it's CIV
fl1zation and II our footsteps, are guided
by reason, the pathway 10 a perfect gold
en- age is clearly Illuminated by the
worlds experiences in the past We ale
traversing at the present moment the
dangerous va.e of unexampled prosL Gritty
and power. On every hand the flowers
of temptation lure us from the rugged
honesty and Spartan principles of the
early founders of this nation, and it is to
be hoped that there will never grow up
miration for the policies of those imperial
neighbors of ours who today and at every
point for a thousand years where they
come into contact with the children of
an alien race and a cruder civilization
sowed the seeds Of total extinction and
ruin under the perfumed titles OF liberty
and freedom.
NATIONS SUPERIORITY.
The United States resting on the high
pedestal of conscious superiority, needs
none Of the tranSitory prestige derived
from conquest in any field to maintain
her position i'll the vanguard of an adj
vancing civilization. We cannot consist
emily hold in one hand the statue Of
with the other hand we accept the poll
cies of those from whom that liberty was
Wrested. With the prov of our great ship
OF state set toward the distant shores CT
time, let US carefully and patriotica ly
scan our course when it receives the I'M
qualified approval, the enthusiastic fiat
of those who have been beaten in tne
race AS the greatest producing and the
greatest consuming nation of The world
we are undoubtedly entitled to mag
merce, but under the legitimate operation
OF that universal law that prompts us 10
what 1t needs, in consideration of receiv-
ing from it what it has and what we
need, that commerce will enlarge to the
noblest proportion our necessities or the
needs of a state require without under
taking the dangerous policy of conquest
to secure it. The laudable desire to stand
first among the commercial nations of the
world is consistent with the best interests
Of a free people, and in that respect high
ly commendable, but the ambition to mo-
nopolize the commerce of the world is
the ideas of people who believe in
equality, justice and fraternity. The de-
sire to secure the profits of my neigh
boris farm is but the incipient stage of
the desire to have the farm itself and
the unqualified ambition to acquire an
others property and the magnanimous
determination to treat him justly during
the progress of acquisition seldom holds
an equal place in the same bosom.
GREAT WITHOUT CONQUESTS.
To complete the consistent and humane
history of the American people, however,
1t may be justly said that in the sense
in which l have spoken we. have never
made any conquests; we have been great,
enlightened, progressive, powerful In ali
things and yet not conquerors, except in
this sense that we have conquered all
those obstacles and disadvantages that
intrude themselves between small be-
ginnings and great endings
The war Of 1776 was not waged for con-
quest on our part, because we became in
its prosecution conformity the champions
of liberty and humanity and the defend
ers Of our existence as a people. The
war of 1872 was not waged for conquest
or territory, but in defense of the only
land where liberty lived as the chief end
and aim of the government, and the law.
The war Of 1852 was not carried on for
conquest or territory, but to settle for
ever an unfortunate internal dissension,
and it became a case of a Roman by
Roman valiantly vanquished. And the
war of 1898, wherein victory has been SO
gloriously achieved, was not begun for
of empire.
The American people are noted for their
veneration and loyalty and respect for
those justly placed in power and re-
sponsibility difference of opinion on some
questions must occur, and, indeed, are
essential to keep awake that eternal vigi-
lence that initiates to the advantage of
all. In the ordeal through which we have
just passed no voice from the Atlantic to
the Pacific has uttered aught against the
exalted patriotism the unsullfed integ-
rity Of him who, amid the war of fac
tons and clash of reports, maintains his
SENATOR DAVIS REMEMBERED.