The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-31
HEARD BY MANY.
Gov. Theodore ROOseveIt's Ad-
dress to the Y. NJ. C. A.
Audiences Listen Throughout
the Country.
READ BY SECRETARIES
Who Had Received Copies of 1t
in Advance.
Do Not Be Hard Hearted Nor
Soft Headed, He Said.

! New York. Dec 31-Governor Roose-
welt spoke yesterday afternoon at Car
negie hall before an audience of young
men that completely filed the house. It
was q mass meeting arranged by the
| Z. M. G. A. of the city, but it was some
what unique. in the fact that the chief
speaker was. in a way. addressing more
! than 100 other audiences throughout the
country. 1t has been arranged so that
| copies of Governor Roosevelt's address
mad been secured in advance and sent
70 secretaries OF associations throughout
the country. and it was said that the
addreSs was read aloud at more than
1o0 other meetings at the same hour.
william E. Dodge presided, and among
tnose on the platform We're Gen. Q. o.
Howard, Gen John r. Brooke, and vari-
GUS officers from the harbor forts and
tne navy yard There were also more
than 100 bluejacketS and soldiers pres
ent, most of whom are members of the
army and navy branch of the associa-
ton. The New York festival chorus had
elevated seats on the platform and con-
Quoted by Morgan. the director, rendered
musical selections
Mr.. Dodge spoke briefly on the history
OF the Y NJ c. A. and then eulogized
Colonel Roosevelt in the vario11s canaci-
ties in which he is known to the public.
The vice president elect was received
with prolonged applause. He spoke as
follows:
ROOSEvELTS ADDRESS.
1T is a peculiar pleasure to me to
come before you today to greet you and
to bear testimony to the great good
that has been done by these Young
Mems and Young Women's Christian
associations throughout the United
states and the Dominion Of Canada
More and more we are getting to recog-
nlze the law of combination. This is
true OF many phases in our Industrial
life, and it is equally true of the world
Of philanthropic effort. Nowhere is it.
or viii it ever be. possible to supplant
individual effort and individual inftia-
tive; but. in addition to this, there must
be work in combination. More and
more this is recognized as true not only
IN charitable work proper, but in that
pest form of philanthropic endeavor
where we do good to ourselves by all
joining together to do good to one an
other. This is exactly what is done in
your associations
1t seems to me that there are several
reasons why you are entitled to especial
recognition from all who are interested
in the betterment of our American So
ciaI system. First and foremost your
organization recognizes the vital need
OF brotherhood. the most vital of all our
needs here in this great continent. The
existence. of a Young Mems or. Young
w omen'S Christian association is Ger
tain proof that some people at least rec
ogniZe in practical shape the identity
of aspiration and interest both in things
material and in things higher. which
with US must be widespread through the
masses of the people, if the national life
is to attain fun development This
spirit of brotherhood recognizes of
necessity both the need of self-help and
also the need of helping others in the
only way which ever ultimately does
great good: that is, of helping them to
help themselves. Every man of US
needs such help at some time, and each
of US should be glad to stretch out his
hand to a brother who stumbles. But
while every man needs at times to be
lifted up when he stumbles, no man can
afford to let himself be carried, and it is
worth no mans while to try thus to
carry some one else. The man who lies
down, who will not try to walk has be-
come a mere cumberer of the earths
surface
MAKE MEN ISELF-HELPFIJI.
"These associations of yours try to
make men self-helpfuI and to help them
when they are self-helpful. They do
not try merely to carry them, to ben
eft them for the moment at the cost
OF their future undoing. This, means
that all in any way connected with
them, not merely retain. but increase,
their self-respect- Any man who takes
part in the work of such an organiza-
ton is benefited to some extent and ben
effts the community to some extent-of
course, always with the proviso that the
run on a business basis. as we'll as with
a philanthropic purpose
The feeling of brotherhood is neces-
sarily as remote from a patronizing
spirit on the one hand as from a spirit
of envy and malice on the other. The
best work for our uplifting must be done
by ourselves, and yet with brotherly
kindness for our neighbOr. In such
work, and therefore in the kind of
work done by the Young Mems Chris
tian associations. we all stand on the
self-respecting basis of mutual benefit
and common effort All of US who take
mart in anV such work in whatever
measure. both receive and confer ben
efits. This is true of the founder and
giver, and it is no less true of every
man who takes advantage of what the
founder and giver have done. This
brotherhood makes US all realize how
much we have in common and how
much we can do when we work in COM
mon I doubt il it is possible to over
estimate the good done by the mere
fact of association with a common in
terest and for a common end, and when
the common interest is high and the
common end peculiarly worthy, the
good done is OF course many times in
creased.
Besides developing this sense of
brotherhood. the feeling which breeds
respect both for ones self and for 9TH
ers, your associations have a peculiar
value in showing what can be done by
acting in combination without aid from
the state. While on the one hand 1t
has become evident that under the con-
ditions of modern life we cannot allow
an unlimited individualism which may
work harm to the community, it is no
less evident that the sphere of the states
ly, and so far as possible only where ii
viii not crush out healthy individual
initiative. Voluntary action by individ-
uals in the form of associations Of any
kind for mutual betterment or mutual
advantage often offer a. way to avoid
alike the danger Of state control and the