The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-01
TOASTS THE new WORLD
General Harrison Before the Co.
lumbia Club. Indianapolis.
The Western Hemisphere the Repub-
1icnn Half of the Earth-NO Place
for the Pomp of RoynIty-Eyolu-
tlon of the Free Americsn-Decap-
ftation for Our Ex-Prcsidenfz.

INDIANAPOLIS Dec 31-The palatial
home of the Columbia Club. the swell Re-
publican club of this city and State. and
which comprises within its membership
nearly every Republican of prominence in
Indiana, was dedicated tonight with ap-
propriate ceremonies, the structure having
been recently remodeled at a cost OF $780,
600. The dedication was made the occasion
for banquet, with speeches by ex-Presi-
dent Harrison, United States Senator'S
Fairbanks and Beveridge. Representatives
Overstreet and others Mr.. Harrison re-
sponded to the toast Hail, Columbia
and said in part:
Columbia should have been the name
of the Western Hemisphere. the republi-
can half of the world-the hemisphere
without king on the ground-the re-
served world, where God sent the trodden
spirits of men to be revived. to frd. where
all things were primitive, mans primitive
rights.
Royal prerogatives are plants that re-
quire walled garden to defend them
from the wild, free growths that crowd
and climb upon them. Pomp and laced
Danger and hardship are commouers. The
man in front Is the captain-the royal
commission to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. The platoon and volley firing by the
word would not do-the open order, one
man to tree, firing at his own will and
at a particular savage, was better Out
of this and like calls to do things upon his
own initiative the free American was
born. He thought he might get along
with kings and imperial parliaments if
they were benevolent, and did and al
lowed what he wished. but they were for
ever doing their own pleasure, as the way
of absolutism always is. And so he found
it necessary. first, to demonstrate, and
then to resist"
The speaker then referred to the colo
NAL charters which he said were ire
vocable grants, but the kings and parlia-
ment held otherwise, and continued:
Il estimate the gift of the governing fac
ulty to be Gods greatest gift to the An
Saxon, and in the Constitution of the
United States, with it's diversions Of pow
ers. its limitations upon the governing
departments, and its sublime reservations
in the interests of individual liberty, 1 see
the highest achievement of that most rare
faculty.
Il have no argument to make here or
anywhere. against territorial expansion,
but 1 de-not, as some do. look to expan-
sion as the safest or most attractive ave-
nue. of national development By the ad-
vantages of abundant and cheap coal and
iron, of an enormous surplus of food prod
ucts, and of invention and economy in pro-
duction, We are now leading by a nose the
original and the greatest of the colonizing
nations Australia and New Zealand 10y
ally send their contingents to South AZ
rica, but Great Britain cannot hold the
trade of her colonies aga inst American
offerings of a better or cheaper product
The Central and South American States,
assured of our purpose not only to re-
spect, but to defend. their autonomy, and
finding the peace and social order which
a closer and larger commercial inter-
course with the world will bring. offer to
our commerce field the full development
Of which will realize the Eldorado. Hail
to Columbia, the home of the free and
from which only freedom can so out"
After paying tribute to the Columbia
Club. he concluded:
The decapitation of the ex-Presidents,
when the oath of office has been admin
istered to his successor would greatly
yivify somewhat tiresome ceremonial.
And we may some time solve the news
paper problem what to do with our ex-
Presidents in that conclusive way. Until
then l hope an ex-President may be per-
mitted to live somewhere midway between
the house of the gossip and the crypt of
the mummy. He will know, perhaps, in
an especial way. how TO show the highest
honor to the Presidential office and the
most courteous Difference to the Presi-
dent. Upon great questions. however, es-
pecially upon questions OF constitutional
law, you must give an exPresident his
freedom or the axe, and it is too late to
give me the axe.
Any Democratic friends who may share
your hos Jitality tonight will pardon ne
for saying 10 any of them who have cast
beguiling looks toward me that the Demo-
cratic party has never been less attractive
than now No plan of reorganiza tion sug-
gests itself to me excfpt that suggested
by waggish lieutenant of my regiment
to 4 captain whose platoons were invert-
ed. He said: Captain, If were in your
place. | would break ranks and have the
orderly call the roll Perhaps even this
hopeful programme may fail for an inabil-
ity to agree as 10 the roll and as to the
orderly.
Gentlemen of the Columbia Club. l
congratulate you upon the opening of this
magnificent clubhouse and thank you with