The Holly chieftain., 1901-03-08
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY'S
INAUGURAL ADDRESS

undertake to believe that all those who
voluntarily committed to me the trust
imposed upon the chief executive of the
republic will give me generous support
in my duties to preserve peace and de-
fend the constitution of the United
States" and Ito care that the laws be
faithfully executed" The national pur-
pose is indicated through national
election. 1t is the constitutional meth.
cd Of ascertaining the public will.
When once 1t is registered 1t is a law
to us all, and faithful observance
should follow its DEGREES.
Strong hearts and helpful hands are
needed. and fortunately, We have them
in every part Of our beloved country.
We are reunited. SectiOnalism has dis
appeared. Division on public questions
can no longer be traced by the war
maps of 1861. These old differences
less and less disturb the judgment. Ex-
isting problems demand the thought
and quicken the conscience Of the coun-
presence as well as for their righteous
upon me than upon you. There are
of which patriotism should exclude
partisanship. Magnifying their diff
culties will not take them off our hands
nor facilitate their adjustment. Dis
trust of the capacity, integrity and
high purpose Of the American people
will not be an inspiring theme for fu-
ture political contests.
Dark Pictures Useless
Dark pictures and gloomy forebod-
ings are worse than useless. These
only becloud, they do not help to
point the way to safety and honor.
Hope maketh not ashamed" The
prophets of evil were rot the builders
cf the Republic. nor iu Its crises since
have they saved or served 1t. The faith
of the fathers was mighty force in
its creation and the faith of their de-
scendants has wrought its progress
and furnished Its defenders. They are
obstructiOnists who despair and who
would destroy confidence In the ability
of our people to solve wisely and for
civilization the mighty problems rest
ing upon them. The American people
tntrenched in freedom at home, take
their love for 1t with them wherever
they go, and they reject MS mistaken
and unworthy the doctrine that we
lose our own liberties by securing the
enduring foundations of liberty to
others. Our institutions will not de-
teriorate by extension and our sense of
justice will not abate under tropic
suns In distant seas. AS heretofore, SO
hereafter will the nation demonstrate
Its fitness to administer any new es-
tate which events develop upon 1t, and
in the fear Of God will take occasion
by the hand and make the bounds of
freedom wider yet" If there are those
among US who would make our way
more difficult we must not be disheart-
ened. but the more earnestly dedicate
ourselves to the task which we have
rightly entered. The path of progress
is seldom smooth. New things are Of
ten found hard to do. Our fathers
found them 80. We find them So
They are inconvenient. They cost us
something. But are we not made bet
ter for the effort and sacrifice, and are
not those we serve lifted up and
blessed?
Always Opposition.
We will be consoled, too, with the
fact that opposition has confronted
every onward movement of the Repub-
lie from Its opening hour until now.
but without success. The Republic
has marched on and on and it's every
step has exalted freedom and hnmani-
ty. We are undergoing the same or
deal as did our predecessors nearly n
century ago. We are following the
course they blazed. They triumphed.
VIII their successors ~falter and plead
organic impOtency in the nation?
Surely after 125 years Of achievement
for mankind we will not now surren-
der our equality with other powers on
matters fundamental and essential to
nationality. With no such purpose was
the nation created. In no such spirit
has it developed Its full and inde pend
ent sovereignty. We adhere tn the
principle Of equality among ourselves
and by no act of ours Will we assign
to ourselves a subordinate rank in the
family Of nations.
My fellow citizens, the public events
of the past four years have gone into
history. They are too near to justify
recital. Some Of them were unforeseen;
many Of them momentous and far
reaching in their consequence to our
selves and our relations with the rest
of the world. The part which the
United States bore so honorablykp the
thrilling scenes in China, while zw 10
American life, has been in harmony
with Its true spirit and best traditions
and in dealing with the results its Dol-
icy will be that of moderation and fair
ness.
IL An -AA IT.