The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-11-08
TO vIRGINIANS.
ATTRIBUTE TO rAEln GREArMEN
The President Referred to the Old
Dominion in War and Peace The
GreaU Historical Events at York;
town and Appomattux


The launching OF tho torpedo boa
Shubrick, built In Richmond, Va, anC
named in honor OF Commodore Shu
brick, a Southern man, was a notable
event in the history OF Virginia, and
the occasion was honored by the atten.
dance of President Mckinley and mem.
bers of his cabinet. The launching OF
the boat was great success, and the
boat was duly christeued by little Miss
Carrie Shubrick, of Rocky Mount, N.
c., great-granu niece OF Commodore
Shubrick, with the usual formalities.
The President was introduced by the
mayor OF Richmond, and responded as
follows:
"Mr. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen:
l am glad to meet my fellow citizens
OF Richmond and Join with them In
this interesting ceiebration in honor
OF the launching Of the torpedo boat
Shubrick, built in this city OF Ameri-
can material, bv the labor Of American
workingmen for the use Of the Ameri-
can navy. l congratulate the builders
and workmen upon this evidence of
their skill and industry, so creditable
to the manufacturing company and so
highly commended by the officers OF
the government
"This Is not the first contribution
which Richmond has made to our
splendid navy. She equipped the war.
ship Texas with all her machinery,
boilers and engines, which were tried
and tested with entire satisfaction in
the brilliant naval engagement In the
harbor of Santiago, when that gallant
vessel so gloriously assisted in the de-
struction OF Cervera's fleet, winning q
memorable victory and fastening an
honorable and enduring peace. |
heartily rejoice with the people of this
great city upon its Industrial revival
and upon the notable prosperity it Is
feeling in all of it's business enterprises.
You are taking advantage of the com.
mel cial opportunities OF the hour. You
are advancing in manufactures, extend.
ing your markets and receiving de
served share of the worlds trade.
What can be more gratifying to us
than the present condition of the coun-
try? a universal love of country and
q noble national spirit animate all the
people. We are on the best of terms
with each other and on most cord ial
relations with every power on earth.
We have ample revenues with which
to conduct the government. No deficit
menaces our credit. Money is abhn-
dant in volume and unquestionable in
value. Confidence in the present and
faith in the future are firm and strong.
The people are doing business on busi-
ness principles and should be let alone
encouraged rather than hindered in
their efforts to increase the trade Of the
country and find new and profitable
markets for their products. Manufac-
turing was never so active and so uni
versally enjoyed throughout all the
States. Work was never so abundant.
The transportation companies were
never SO taxed to handle the freight
offered by the people for distribution.
The home and foreign markets contri-
butte to our prosperity. Your locomo-
tives go 70 Russia; the watch cases
Geneva; the bridges OF Philadelphia
span the Nile, and the products OF the
American farm and factory are carried
upon every sea and are found in most of
the ports of the world.
In what respect would we change
these happy conditions with the prom
ises they give of the future The
business activity in every part of the
country; the better rewards to labor,
the wider markets for the yield of the
soil and the shop; the increase OF our
shipbuildiug not only for our govern
ment but for purposes of commences; the
enormous increase OF our export trade
in manufactures and agriculture the
greater comforts of the home and the
happiness of the people f; the wonderful
uplifting OF the business conditions of
Virginia and the South, and OF the
whole country, mark this not only an
era of good will, but ar era of good
times. 1t Ia a great pleasure to me to
stand in THE historic capital and to
look into the faces of my countrymen
here assembled and to feel and know
that we are all Americans standing as
me9n to uphold, united for the honor
Of the American name and for the
faithful fulfillmept Of every obligation
which national duty requires. I can
not forget in this presence to make my
acknow edgement to the men OF Vir.
ginia for their hearty and patriotic
support of the government in the war
with Spain and for he continued and
unfiinching loyalty In the suppression
of the insur rection in Luzon against
the authority Of the United States.
call OF countryside best blood OF the
State, the sons OF noble sires, asking
for service at the battle front where
the fighting was hardest and the dan
ger the greatest. The rolls OF the Vir-
ginia volunteers contain the names of
the braves. end best, some OF them the
descendants Of the most illustrious
Virginians Of Its earliest and latest
times. They have shed their blood for
the flag of their faith and are now de-
Tending 1t with their lives In the dis
tant islands OF the sea. All honor to
the American army and navy. All
honor has been shown the men return.
ing from the field of hostilities and all
, honor attends those who have gone to
take their places.
",My fellow citizens, two great his
torical events, separated by period of
64 years, affecting the life of the re-
public and of awful import to man
kind, took place on the soil OF Virgin
Ia. Both were participated in by Vir-
ginians and both marked mighty
epochs In the history OF the nation.
The one was at Yorktown in 1871 when
CORVALLIS surrendered to Washington,
which was the beginning OF the end of
the war with Great Britain and the
dawning OF independence and union.
The great Virginian, sage and patriot,
illustrious commander and wise states.
man, installed the republic in the fam
lily of nations. 1t has withstood every
shock in war or peace from without or
within, experiencing It's gravest crisjs 8
In the civil war. The other, at Appo-
mattox was tho conclusion of that crisis,
and the beginning of q unificstion now