Delaware gazette and state journal., 1900-01-18

tIHNeleu way " tno paeb mayy W 9u'
imaginations, be projected short DIS
tanoe into the future. Standing as we
now do close beside one Of the great
milestones along that travelled way,
what do we imagine the conscience Of
the twentieth century is to ber Will
it lie the strict but narrow conscience
of our forefathers who landed upon and
settled these shores, that they might
live and worship separate and apart
from those from whom they differed, or
will 1t be the easy going conscience
turning aside from its responsibilities
and laughing away Its duties until it
almost fades from public view?
| believe the conscience of the |
twentieth century will be neither of
these, or more correctly speaking. as
the adult was once the child, SO ] be-
lieye the conscience Of the twentieth
century will be that of its predecessors,
broadened, strengthened. liberalized by
the intervening years. do not under
estimate the worth to the world of the
dence isolated in earlier days upon these
shores where this great continent
seemed place reserved for its especial
growth, untrammelled and unmolested.
Having, through the various vicissi-
| tudes Of youth reached mature years,
our guardrails are removed and by
| destiny mapped out for us the end of
| the nineteenth century will see US
assuming the responsibilities of a world
| pervading influence.
In the centuries that have PASSED
since our forefathers landed here, this
country and its people, 60 dear to the
heart of each OF us, have never failed at
| the crucial tests and | trust and be-
lieve, never will. | do not say that in
matters of internal moment personal
to ourselves as nation we have not
been in error, but what youth, or
aggregation Of youths has ever escaped,
but say that whenever this nation hns
been called upon to face great RESPONSE
bility, it has been found upon the right
work of solving those problems 1t was
many times wrong in its details, but its
principles were ever right.
When on the 4th of July, 1776, our
forefathers placed as keystone in the
arch of civilization, and supported
through the succeeding years of war
and bloodshsd the declaration that "ali
men are created equal" they started
anew upon it's journey of conquest
throughout the world the thought
which recognizes the brotherhood Of
, man, the fatherhood of God; they
published to the world that power and
force of manhood d,d not rest in the
accident OF birth, but In that beauty
and strength of character wherein
| divinity dwells, and to this day the
cole star of this nations course has
been the equality Of man secured by
! extending to each the equality of oppor-
D tunity. This thought guided us through
t the hot debates and controversies which
' eliminated in 1860, and SO again in oui
q however, trail back through centuries
! and present in marked contrast anc
: with startling effect what this nation
o stands for as compared with older ones
they for the divinity of kings, We fo
o the divinity of all men. The oonfiic
represented by this difference o.
/. thought was on with relentless fur.
l. four centuries ago when the manhood
d of the Lowlands faced the might.
o Philip of Spain, and In less san
s culinary way when the Monroe Doctrip
q was evolved as counterpoise to tn
I Holy Alliance, and shattered by th,
d false principle it had long battled TO
/ again crept forth at the close of th
4 nineteenth century. How reversed tn
n conditions since the days of William @
l. Orange when handful of men weI
Is arrayed against the greatest power c
e earth for this great principle; now W
|. see the true principle has prevailed ant
D in 1893 it went forth, full of tn
IT vitality of living faith to meet th
(. fast-ebbing life of q wrong principle
"a and tho veil was rent and the eanalit
At which this naticn had been standin
j. for since its enunciation in l776 wa
Is recognized by the nations as gres
RS world rower to he reckoned with in th
a future. We cannot bear In too gratefl
ST remembrance the attitude Of our mouht
,e country, when, forgetting our litt
I'd depression in '76 she stood, half n Gel
a. tury later with us against the Ho
~ Alliance, or again, at the outbreak
,e our recent conflict with Spain, 81
sd warned the nations of Europe thi
q their hands must be withheld or he
IN would be found in our support.
be This country having thus become Il
ng home CT the great principle, the equali
a of man, will start forward into Il
ar twentieth century with enlarging pow
re and unlimited opportunities VIII
o, will it stand for? / believe for CO
ne science and character equal to the
d. great powers and opportunities, tn
to will bring with them increased abili
'ui | TO meet tu6Iu. we bnuil 800 Jul hati'
is standing among the other nations
st the earth convincing example of Il
truth of its declaration that "all m
be are created equal;' we shall see
ire taking vast strides towards the brothe
N, hood which follows equality. Wheth
he we shall be in the foreground Of tt
on movement, / know not, but the sig
lie are propitious; when great natl
ID, contemplates the enactment Of laws
d: which the aged who need help shall
sre peneioned and their remaining yes
see made independent and comfortable,
lat long step in the right direction
he been taken. When great railro
;he whose system touches all parts of O
is country voluntarily says to those "
in have served it we'll and faithful
ors .'ster aside from the arduous dut
you have performed SO long and rest
the the sunset of your lives without auxit
,n- for your daily needs and accept in pee
ill and quietness the rest you ha
md earned" the milestone marking maj
the equality has been Fassed and a stro
let step taken toward that brotherhood
all man, in the light of which will
md appear the fierce battlo between N
to for more than o fair share of mater
the wealth. 1t will take more than anotl
on, century for the competitive struggle
for the accumulation of wealth to
of eliminated by the new conscience q
her civilization, but the brighter day