The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-23

upon MIN by influential journals and publ
canons, beside which the fulmnations that
nave been directed at recent presidents are
mild and tame. Our own generation accus-
toned as 1t is to the heat and bitterness OF
poitcal controversy, can only with difficulty
understand the public sentiment Of a century
ago, which IN all parts of the country counte-
nanced the duello as the final forum of op-
posing statesmen, exhausted in argument or
lnvectlve. The harshness of the procedure
governing the prosecution of persons ac-
cused OF crime, the appalling severity of the
penalty inflicted for trivial offenses against
property, the almost total absence of public
care for the insane and the defective condi-
lions natural to the close OF the eighteenth
century, may well startle the minds of chill
dren or today, reared and instructed in this
commonwealth of Minnesota. The men who
won American independence were pioneers in
the struggle for civil and religious liberty
Tor all men, but it has remained for this day
ana generation to behold the concrete realiza-
tlon OF the PATRIOTS dream and to exhibit to
lne world mig hty nation Of seventy millions
draWn from all the countries and processing
ali the Deliefs, who have put behind them for
ever all the heart-burnings Of old world iutol-
erance, and in the holy brotherhood of Ameri-
can ca citizenship worship their God and love
tnelr country, building a thousand different
AFFAIRS saluting one and only one flag the
emblem or their country's power and glory
IN IN all that pertains to the temporal happiness
Oh man the people Of the United States of
today have immeasurably progressed beyond
the conditions Of their predecessors.
LIFE IS BETTER
and brighter, the race is stronger, cleaner and
kesncr than in any other generation of its
history
Nor has the public conscience of this people
degenerated. Recent events have amply
shown that the great heart of America beats
true 10 the best teachings of the fathers Of
the republic. Prosperity has not corrupted
or weakened its moral sense. Only few
months ago in response to the call of a pa
trlotlc president, worthy successor of a long
line of men, among whom no unworthy name
appears the voice of partisan strife was
hushed on the floors Of the congress and the
representatives of united America marshaled
the undivided resources Of this nation in
war of humanity and justice The heart of
america responded to the call; from field and
farm and counting house, from palatial homes
OF the Western plain trooped the flower of the
nation ready to die for the honor of the flag
ana and the salvation OF people. Death in a
hundred shapes yainly barred their path, fe-
yer and pestilence. hostile steel and bullet
Dut they stayed not the rush and swing of
their assault until the flag of freedom waved
IN triumph over the pearl of the Antilles
and the baffied enemy crouched before the
victorious guns of Dewey's fleet On other
subjects connected with the Spanish war men
nave differed and men will differ STILL but
the united nation attested to the world that
the peoples motive was pure and holy as
ever fired the heart of knight of old to
charge the heather for the deliverance of the
sepulchre and the honor Of the Christ
Fear not, my fellow countrymen that dis
aster or disgrace can come to this fair land
because its people heard the cry for help and
answered to the call
Fear not the problems of the future they
Will be solved in their own good time, ia
frmness, in honor and in Justice. And what
ever else may happen, be assured of this. ter
r1tory may be acquired territory may be
relfnqufshed, but the American people will
never withdraw the protecting shelter of the
American flag from a single human being
who once has stood beneath its folds until it
secures TO him by charter or by cannon that
right to life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
p1ness which God has given and which man
can never take away. If this be imperialism
it is the Imperialism of Constantine. who saw
and followed the resplendent symbol in the
heavens that pointed out to him the way of
duty and of honor, and it is not the imperial
ism Of Nero, who sat secure in pride and COM
fort and gazed with selfish heart and careless
mind upon the agonies CT men.
CLOSE OF THE EXERCISES.
Master Morris Jeffries sang The
Flag Without a Stain" and the au-
dience then sang America" and the
exercises closed with a benediction by
the Rev Maurice D. Edwards, chap
lain of the Sons of the American Rev
olution.
During the ceremonies Judge Tor
rance introduced John W. Crary, son
Of a Revolutionary soldier, and Mrs
Jerusha Brown, Of Hamline, a daugh-
ter of a Revolutionary soldier. Be-
sides Mrs. Brown, there were on the
platform Mrs. James B. Beals, regent
st. Paul chapter, D. A. R.; Mrs Ed
ward R. Sanborn, vice regent st. Paul
chapter. D. A. R.; Mrs. Walter H. San
born, vice regent Nathan Hale chap
ter, D. a. r.
The arrangements were In charge Of
a joint committee consisting of Maj.
Charles Whipple, chairman; Edward c.
Stringer, Edward r. Sanford Jr., Ed
win Chittenden, of the Sons of the
American Revolution, and Robert L
harrington Thomas McDavitt, NJ. D.,
James H. Skinner and William Trow-
bridge, of the Sons of the Revolution