Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-05-02
Celebrated By a Banquet At The Wal
dOrf Astoria Hotel.
GEN. WHEELER AMONG THE GUESTS.
He Speaks of Achievements and ReSpOn-
SibilitieS of the United States.

of the birth of General L. S. Grant was
celebrated by a banquet given by the
trustees of the Grant Monument Assocla-
ton tonight at the Waldorf Astoria. The
banquet hall, where many prominent men
sat at the dinner, was handsomely decor
ated, portrait of General Grant having
the post of honor above the dals where
the guests of honor sat. Many women
sat in the galleries.
Several speeches were made, prominent
among them being that delivered by Gen
eral Joseph Wheeler, who spoke as fol-
lows
"The rarable of the talents was an ad-
monition that the responsibility which
rests upon man is measured by the power
each possesses in accomplishing good, and
this ap lies to nations with the same or
possibly greater force than to individuals.
"The contemplation Of this truth must
deeply impress every thoughtful Amerl
can, when he considers this problem in the
ugUI Ol lD6 IeSpOlSiDilltt hhAOA iSH'S NP
on this mighty nation.
"The wonderful progress Of our country
during the last half century has caused
the world to stand aghast and gaze upon
us with wonder and astonishment. 1t is
not extravagant to say that its percentage
of growth during that period is greater
than that experienced by the rest of the
world durin any ten centuries and our
domain has expanded so that when 1t is
midday in New York it is midnight in
that part of our country lying in the far'otf
Eastern hemisphere. Our wealth, which
was 81, 1856, ,4SO, ,22S in 1850, now far ex-
ceeds 500. .OOO, 100000 and the greater
part of this marvellous increase been Gre
ated by this wonderful development OF
the last few years, the estimates Of the in
crease during the single year just closed
exceeding in amount the total wealth OF
our country fifty years ago.
'In other words, the added wealth
during the single year is greater than the
amount accumulated by the brain and
labor of the ten generations of Americans
who peopled this country and controlled
its destiny prior to 1850.
'Those great hand.maids of civilization,
steel, iron and coal were produced by us
fifty Years ago in such small quantities
that we were hardly considered in sta
tistical reports of the worlds production
of those articles. We now lead all nations
in all of those industries, our output last
year in each of those commodities being
almost one-half the production OF the en-
tire production of the world. The copper
produced by US at that time could have
been transported upon one train OF cars,
now twothrIs of the worlds product
comes from our mines. In 1857, we pro-
duced so gallons of petroleum and last
year our wells yielded 5000, 100000
gallons
The Coinage value of the gold and 81 yer
Welded by cur mines was $50, 100000 in
1850; it is now $3.50, GOO, 900.
"The products from our factories has
increased from Sl,O19, ,lO6,616 in 1850 to
about Sl2,OOO,O0O, an increase OF
twelve.fold in value, while the increase in
quantity has been more than twenty-fold,
and during the same period our agrcultu'
raj industries have increased in marvellous
proportions, our cotton productions alone
increasing six.fold, and our fields now
Welding three.fourths Of the cotton used
by civilization, and now we practically
give to humanity one.half of the worlds
staple products.
"The exports Of the fruit of American
toll in the factory and upon the farm was
Sl44, ,375, ,726 IN 1896. Last year these ex-
ports reache the enormous sum of 81 1894, :
4S9, ,OSO, and the exports this year have
still further increased, so that they now
exceed by more than ten fold what they
were fifty years ago. At that time our
exports were almost Insignificant compared
with those of other great nations, and now
we are the largest exporting nation in the
world.
"Our increased intelligence and enlarged
business is illustrated in measure by the
increase in orr postal revenue since 1850
from 5,OOO,OOO to SlOO, 100000, while the
bulk in weight of our mail matter has in
creased more than sixty.fold.
tfI... ooIo bovo crrOgn from q O(ll
miles to 200, 900, and the bulk of the busi'
ness has already increased nearly hun
dred fold.
81 must not be understood as even init
mating that n tional wealth is by itself
measure of power for the good of man
kind, but can rightfuly assert that wher
its force is exercised in the support OF
and in extending, the influence Of Amerl
can apirit, determined courage and higt
civilization, it will become power which
will 90 far TO shape the future of man an(
the destiny of nations. The history of th'
past two years clearly sustains this posi-
tions.
"tlfty years ago tne natlons WnlCi
prided themselves upon being the grea
powers of the world negotiated and mad
diplomatic arrangements with each othe
with scarcely thought of the new repub
lie then budding into real life upon tn
western shores of the Atlantic. Now w
stand the triumphant power of the world
we are triumphant in culture, justice, free
dom and Christian civilization. We trl
umph in manufactures and arts, and th'
products of American toll find their wal
into every Inhabited spot on the globe.
"The continuation Of our progress dur
ing the next one hundred years if at al
commensurate with the last deceLnun
will owe this country a pYedomlnaDce II