The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-19

wooden collar, and our own fathers, at
Cowpens and Kings Mountain. looked
upon the celestial picture, and with a
smile of joy gave up their lives.
Why need a true democracy hunt for
issues in our relations with foreign
countries? 1t is upon domestic problems,
the rights OF man and man, the relation
of labor and capital and its stand upon
these home issues that has endeared 1t
to the people in the past and upon which
1t must finally stand or fall
| II is folly to attempt to dwarf great
national and international issues into
mere questions OF party policy; it failed
in the last campaign, and will fail every
| time II is tried.
Every member of the American Con-
gress when it comes to foreign policy,
| a foreign war, navy, q. merchant ma
! rine, or any other question affecting our
honor as a nation, or our prosperity as a
people, should be free and .untrammeled
| to vote as his judgment and conscience
| dictates For myself. l would not, under
| existing conditions, be willing to mold a
| seat in the United States Senate upon
any other terms. To allow others TO think
| Tor me upon these great questions is a
| cowardly evasion of my responsibilities,
and criminal neglect of the true inter-
| ests of those who elected me.
| I am rejoiced tonight to be In the
presence of so many OF the great cap
tains of Southern industry. You are the
! men whose energy and enterprise are de-
veloping our natural resources and thus
laying the foundation for the full enjoy
ment by our section of all that must fol-
low in the wake of the expanding glory
of our republic; and this in spite of the
fact that it has become the fashion in
some quarters to sheer at what is termed
the "sordid commercial argument in
favor of expansion and other national is
sues.
Our political leaders should not forget
the fact that modern democracy had its
origin in this same commercial instinct
Two hundred and fifty years ago 1t had
its birth in those cities along the River
Rhine, where. through trade and manu-
featuring, the people had become
so rich and powerful that they
could compel the feudal lords 10 grant
them civil rights. The free institutions
of which we boast grew up under the
fostering care of commerce. The rights
of the individual expanded into rights
for his city, and these for the state, so
that modern Democracy owes all that it
is to commercial expansion. True Dem
ocracy does not teach that there is an
absolute rule for government, and that
any particular theory of government is
of permanent value and adapted under all
circumstances for the welfare Of man.
The fathers of this republic never in
tended to lay a foundation which was to
he always of the same circumscribed
proportions with a superstructure of
nicely measured parts, all to exist perm
anently just as constructed
They aimed to create giant not a
pigmy.
For a century the nation has been con
tent to grapple with Questions of inter-
raj development. but suddenly in the evo-
luton of our national destiny we have
become one OF the great powers of the
world, and can no longer move in a cir
cumscribed continental orbit. II we would
maintain our supremacy or even equality
among the nations OF the world, the
shackles forged by narrow, sectional pre-
JUDGES must be broken.
The Question of the Hour.
The question Of the hour is not whether
this Republic is what its founders with
the lights before them intended TO make
II; not whether this is theoretically an
ideal Democratic government, at all times
in exact conformity to the technical re-
qurements Of a written constitution but
whether with the spirit rather than the
letter OF that constitution, we are making
and meeting the political and economic
conditions growing out of the constantly
changing needs OF the people No form
OF government was ever chosen out OF
hond. and II is historically true that no
form OF government ever did result from
deliberate choice: IT has always been the
logical result Of conditions.
The nation II nothing but the type OF
individual life. and as from childhood 10
manhood we outgrow garments and du-
ties they are put aside, 20 II Is In the
evolutionary development OF a nation; 80
cial, political, and industrial systems that
have had their day are thrust aside for
new methods and new systems 70 meet
a changed and higher state OF existence
We have reached O stage IN tho South
where II II Improbable 70 rake the dead
ashes and chsrred etnbers OF the past ana
where we must look forward rather than
backward. True statesmanship. while Wig
liant a. 70 the present, looks with pro-
phetlc eye 20 the future,
The people have a right 70 expect their
leaders 10 be IN advance 81 The thought
u the age. ana not tsmely drift with the
current Hn an era Of transition ana
change Ike this, without some such fore.
cast. political parties VIII cling 10 dead
issues ana finally founder IN the maei-
sirom ~ isciional divisions and greed for
once
when LopisiaGa Fiorda. Texas ana
callfsfria we're efqaire1 tHe great issd-
efn ~ The Drmoefsey acfs1 unon ans
eeeifirfi 9n1 ~ Nhfn flis Nap Nifl