The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-18
CLEVELAND VERY SERIOUS
PESSIMISM MARKS HIS ADDRESS
BEFORE HOLLAND SOCIETY.


Says the Country VIII Never be the
Same Again Have IrrevOcabIy Passed
Beyond the Old Lines.
New York, Jan. 17.-The Holland So
ciety held it's sixteenth annual dinner
at the Waldorf-Astoria tonight The
Rev. DR.. Henry Van Dyke, president of
the society, presided. On his right sat
ex-President Cleveland and Tunis G.
Bergen at his left. Covers were laid
for three hundred and all the places
were taken. Among the speakers were
Grover Cleveland, DR.. Andrew Heer-
nance Smith and Charles w. Dayton.
Mr.. Cleveland said:
"It has been my lot to be much on the
sober side of life and to feel the pres
sure of great responsibilities. Besides,
/ believe that it sometimes happens that
an excess of light-hearted gayety Gre
ates condition of popular thought and
Impulse that may profitabily be steadied
by sedate suggestions and the express
sion of conservative sentiment, even
though it may be called sermonizing.
L
an humble place among the sermonizers
in this time of headlong national heed
lessness and to invoke the cultivating
and saving grace of the Dutch conserv-
atism. This is the kind of conservatism
that counts the cost, but for the sake
of principle and freedom will disregard
the cost; that lays out voyage by
chart and compass and follows chart
and compass to the end; that loves the
liberty and national happiness which
rest upon tried and sure foundations;
that teaches reverence for national ira
ditions and encourages the peoples sat
isfaction with their country's mission.
It is the kind of conservatism in which
our constitution had it's birth and which
has thus far been the source of our ma
tipns safety and strength-the conserv-
atism of justice, Of honor of honesty,
of industry, of frugality and of content
ed homes.
'In this assemblage of those who
know so we'll the meaning of these
things the question is suggested wheth-
er in present conditions this conserva-
tism characterizes the conduct or guides
the sentiment Of our people. There can
be but one answer to this question.
Conservatism has in a great degree
been jauntily cast aside or condemned
as opposed to our country's welfare and
glory. A strange voyage has been en-
tered upon without count of cost and
without chart or compass The tried
and sure foundations of our liberty and
national traditions have been relaxed,
and satisfaction with our country's
mission has been undermined. The re-
straints and limitations Of our constitu-
fion have become calling and irksome
under the temptations of national greed
and aggrandizement. Our old love of
peace, honor and justice has been weak
ened, and frugality and contentment are
not now traits inseparable from Ameri-
can character.
"War, even with the worlds advanc-
ed civilization, may still be sometimes
necessary and justifiable; but whether
necessary and justifable or not, the de-
moralization that follows in its train
can never be evaded. 1t teaches bloody
instructions, which, in country whose
citizens do the fighting, cannot fail to
leave their impress for time at least,
upon public and private life in time Of
peace.
''Thirty years ago, after the close of
the war for the preservation of the
Union, treaty of arbitration was form
ulated between the United States and
Great Britain which, if completed,
would have gone far towards removing
every pretext of war between the two
countries. Thus these two great Eng
disappearing nations then assumed
leadership in the path of peace and in
advocacy of the abolition of war, with
the hope and expectation that the ex-
ample would be followed by other ma
tions, and that more general adoption
of arbitration as a means of settling in
ternational disputes would result in a |
great advance towards the abandon |
ment of war throughout the world This |
treaty failed of confirmatio in the SEN
ate of the United States. Less than
five years passed, and these English
speaking champions of peace and arbit-
ration are still operating in parallel
1ines-one in the Philippines and the
other In South Africa--but no longer for
peace and arbitration. Both are killing
natives in an effort to possess their
lands.
"Th1s indicates sad relapse; and in
our case it is a most serious one If
succeeds in her attempt in
South Africa she will but add another
to her list of similar acquisitions; a
brave people will be subjugated: and
because of our engagement in a similar
venture in another quarter they will
miss the expressions of American sym
pathy which we are accustomed to ex-
tend to those who struggle for national
life and independence. On the other
hand with success in our subjugating
effort, a new, untried and exceedingly L
perilous situation will be forced upon
us. We can conquer the Philippines
and after conquering them can proba-
bly, govern them. 1t is in the strain
upon our institutions, the demoraliza-
ton of our people, the evasion of our
limitations and the per
version Of our national mission that
our danger lies. AS a distinguished
bishop has said, the question is not
what we shall do with the Philippines,
out what the Philippines will do to u.s.
"Our country will never be the same
again. For veal or woe, we have al
'eady irrevocably passed beyond the old
ines. The rAaublic will in some sort be
saved. Shall it be only in name and
,emblance with fair external appear-