The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-23

| the toast. The Democratic Party: il
Cannot Die While the Republic Lives
The speaker made one OF his character.
| istic speeches which was heartily re-
ccived and when he concluded the Pres.
ident introduced Hon. w. ]. Bryan who
responded 10 the toast, Americas Mis-.
sion.
when the advocates of Imperialism
find IL impossible TO reconcile n colonial
policy with the principles of our govern-
ment or with the cannons of morality
when they are unable 20 defend II upon
the ground OF religious duty or pccuniary
profit, they fall back in helpless despair
upon the assertion that IL is destiny.
| Suppose il does violate the Constitu-
ton. they say: suppose il does break all
the Commandments; suppose il does en-
tail upon the nation an incalculable eN-
penditure of blood and money. il IL dies.
| tiny and we must submit.
THE people have not voted for inn.
pcrialism; no national convention has
| declared for it: no Congress has passed
upon it. To whom. then, has the future
been revealed? Whence this voice of
authority? We can all prophesy. but our
prophesies are merely guesses, colored
by our hopes and our surroundings.
Mans opinion of what is to he is half
| wish and half environment. Avarce
paints destiny with a dollar mark be-
fore it, militarism equips it with II
sword.
He is the best prophet who, recogniz-
ing the omnpotence of truth, compre-
hends most clearly the great forces
which are working out the progress. not
of one party. not of one nation, but
of the human race.
History is replete with predictions
which once wore the hue of destiny, but
which failed of fulfllment because those
who uttered them saw too small an arc
of the circle of events When Pharaoh
pursued the fleeing lsraelites to the edge
of the Red Sea he was confident that
their bondage would be renewed and
that they would again make bricks
without straw, but destiny was not re-
vealed until Moses and his followers
reached the further shore dry shod and
the waves rolled over the horses and
chariots of the Egyptians. When Bel
shazzar, on the last night of his reign,
led his thousand lords into the Babylo-
MAN banquet hall and sat down to a
table glittering with vessels of silver
for many years to come. but destiny
was not revealed until the hand wrote
upon the wall those awe-inspiring words,
Meme, Meme, Tekel Upharsin.' When
Abderrahman swept northward with his
conquering hosts his imagination saw the
Crescent triumphant throughout the
world, but destiny was not revealed I'M
til Charles Martel raised the Cross above
the battlefield of Tours and saved Eu-
rope from the sword of Mohammedan-
ism. When Napoleon emerged victorious
from Marengo, from Ulm and from
Austerlitz he thought himself the child
of destiny, but destiny was not reveal
ed until Blucher's forces joined the army
of Wellington and the yanquished Cor
sican began his melancholy march to st.
Helena. When the red-coats of George
the Third routed the New Englanders
ut Lexington and Bunker Hill there rose
before the British sovereign visions of
colonies taxed without representation
and drained of their wealth by foreign
made laws. but destiny was not revealed
until the surrender of CORVALLIS COM
pleted the work begun at Independence
Hall and ushered into existence a gov
eminent deriving its just powers from
the consent of the governed.
1--WE have reached another crisis. The
ancient doctrine of Imperialism, Danish
ed from our land more than century
ago, has re-crossed the Atlantic and
challenged democracy to mortal combat
upon American SOIL Whether the Span
ish war shall be known in history as "A
war for liberty or as war of conquest:
whether the principles of self-government
shall be strengthened or Abandoned:
whether this nation shah remain a
homogeneous republic or become Il heter-
ogeneous empire-these questions must
be answered by the American people
when they speak, and not until then, viii
destiny be revealed.
Destiny is not matter of chance.
il is a matter of choice: it is not a thing
achieved.
mo one can see the end from the be-
ginning but everyone can make his
course an honorable one from beginning
TO end, by adhering to the right under
all circumstances. Whether Il man
steals much or little may depend upon his
own yolition.
$50 with our nation. If we embark
upon career Vi CUlluutSt. uo oHe Van
tell how many islands we may be able
to seize or how many races we may be
able to subjugate; neither can any one
estimate the cost, immediate and remote.
to the nations purse and to the nations
character. but whether we shall enter
upon such career is a question which
the people have a right to decide for
themselves.
Unexpected events may retard or adj
vance the nations growth. but the ma
tons purpose determines its destiny.
What is the nations purpose? That
purpose is set forth clearly and unmis-
takably in the first sentence of the Con-
stitution:
1--WE the people of the United States,
in order to form more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tram
guilty. provide for the common Defense
promote the general welfare. and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and
to our prosperity, do ordain and estab-
lish this Constitution for the United