Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-05-03
CUMMINs On CONGEh.
~. address It the Banquet Teadefed ~
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L Hln A00f4k1 ~ INV ASSutssOs
L Council Bluna.
Council Bluffs, May 2.--In response
"a the toast, "Westward the Star OF
Empire Takes Its Way at the ban
ouet to Minister Conger, Hon. A. Is,
Cummins said in part:
"Our star of empire glows In inc
skies of the Orient. 1t is brilliant
with promise and it flashes with
hone. We hailed it as it rose from
the waters of the Atlantic. We fol-
lowed it with halting, timid and
weary feet to the crest of the Allie
ghanies. 1t led us with swift ana
victorious marches over the plains
and through the mountains until we
stood upon the shores OF the "a
citic; and between the two oceans
there were more monuments to the
patriotism of the people, more 10
the genius of man, more to the wei
fare of humanity than ever before
marked the progress of mankind
But still the star halted not, nor
did we; and presently the nag OF
our sovereignty was flying IN the
islands two thousand miles from the
Golden Gates. Our destiny was YET
unfultilled. The star rushed on anu
under the stern decree OF war;
Dewey planted the stars and stripes
in the Philippines; and so the re-
public circled half the globe.
"A retrospect of the nation
Journey makes every fibre OF a pa
triotic heart ring with pride. Never
before was so much done in so lit
tie time; indeed, never was so much
unparalleled mark every mile OF the
vast expansion. Our government IS
the strongest and freest OF the
world. Our material development is
uneuualed, our wealth unsurPassed'
our men more capable. more just,
more aggressive and energetic, than
the men of any other country, and
our women more intelligent, more
progressive, truer and fairer than
the women of any other land upon
which the sun shines. Our civiiza-
ton has more justice and more good
for humanity in it than any other
civilization.
$50 here we are with the best
ideas of how society should be gov
erned. with the purest sympathy for
the weak and the helpless, with the
noblest instincts for right and the
deepest hatred for wrong, with the
greatest capacity to furnish what
man wants and the most command
ing power to enforce our laws. How
shall we expend all these treasures
of morals. ethics and strength: l
know not how: but, do know that
wherever there is work to be done
that calls for conscience, for brains
or for Drawn. there the American
will be to bear a hand in it. But
the star fingered not over the Phil
lnDjnes. and we see it now shining
steadily into the very heart of China.
And here its identity is challenged,
and we must shortly answer the
question, Is it the star that America
has followed toward the west, or
the star that has beckoned Europe
toward the east? For the first time,
we have met something more than
the obduracy of nature. Two forces
of Europe and America are face to
face in China, and we must measure
strength. not with one, but with all
the civilized nations of the earth. 7
am far from advocating the dsmem-
berment by force of this most VEN
cradle nation Of history. 1 am not
permitting to even predict the out
come of the next quarter of CEN
fury. I do fell, however. that the
slumbering millions of China are
about to awake. I believe that they
will leap upward to new place in
the worlds economy. and I do know
that the benign influence of the
worlds greatest republic should be
felt in the quickening pulse Of the
better life that is just beginning, and
that our people must have their full
share of the commerce which will
flow in mighty streams upon the
Chinese shores. And so our star Of
empire will shine with new luster
among the consultations of the
east.
GAS citizen of the United States.
I experience an intense qualification
in the knowledge that the natal
days of the new era for China, our
country. was represented by man
not only skilled in the art Of diplo-
macy, but whose mind grasped the
portentious events and who without
hesitation established America in her
true place in the great drama of de-
velopment. AS citizen of Iowa it
fills me with pleasure to welcome
him home and to see him surround
ed by friends who not only honor
him for the distinguished service he
has rendered to the world as well
as to the government, but who re-
membered with the deepest apprccia-
tion and sympathy the perils that
he and those who are dear to him
have suffered"
CREATED CONDITION OF ANARCHY.