Evening star., 1901-06-20

thing and everybody except himself until
he doubts truth to be a liar. might cheer
up if he looked into these faces. radiant
with the luminous hopes of well-trained
youth. 1t is a pity that even Convention
Hall is too small to hold all the people who
ought to get the inspiration of this scene.
1t would be a revelation. doubtless. to many
men and women who have lived for years
in Washington without knowing anything
about the city beyond their own restricted
spheres 1t would show them the real life
of the national capital and in it. an in
dex, the real life of the nation, still in it's
prime, still buoyant with confidence, vi
brant with ambition. ready to go from
strength to strength-yes, and from fight
to fight, rejoicing.
We who are passing across the stage
and who will so soon be gone, look upon
you who are to be our successors with an
interest, sympathy that you cannot ap-
preclate or recfprOcate For you remind
US of our own youth, while you cannot Inn
ag1ne adequately your period of maturity
yet to come. We are moved by our remem-
brance of what We wish we had had when
we were young to try to give you the cost
iy earnings of our experience. II we could
only start you off with the advantages of
your years and the acquisitions Of our
years. But to learn that We cannot; we
have only to try.
Every generation has In books the wis
doT of all the generations that have gone
before, but every generation wants to go
through the old experiences for itself and
erai and rather indefinite ways by the ad-
vice of those who have gone before Still
We cannot help Offering you our counsel
since II may be in some measure helpful
ana you are courteous enough to listen to
IT, And suppose the best of it is 20 re-
mind you of those great laws of God for man
which we all know to be the immlt BILE
DEGREES for successful living You woI,l,1 he
Justly surprised and shocked if we sho,:ld
oner you instead the sordid maxims of tne
market place or the cynical epigrams of
society. You know as we'll as we DO that
to live seltishfy, idly, inpureIy dishonestJv
is to live ignobly and wretchedly, to- make
sh1pWreck and eternal failure Because we
pelleVe that you have the ideals and the
purposes which the children of a Christian
nation ought to have, we can look forward
% your aIter careers with smiles instead of
tears tonight" o
Received With Applause.
A selection by the Marine Band inter-
vened between Mr.. Macfarland's remarks
and his introduction of Mr. Sanger. In
presenting the assistant secretary Of war
MI Macfarland said the occasion in this
respect was to serve a double purpose
washington had never had an opportunity
to welcome Mr.. Sanger since his official
career In this city began. This welcome,
he urged, should now be given Mr. San.
ger was received with the greatest an
piause AS soon as he was allowed to pro-
ceed he told of the feelings which welled
up IN his heart as he had witnessed the
entrance of the graduates He wished
that the whole population of the city might
have beheid the same sight. Mr.. Sanger
said:
Tonight your relatives and friends and
the officials OF the District and Of the gov
ernment have gathered here to testify by
greetings and congratulations their pride
IN the work which you have done and
their confidence in your future This great
gathering. proving by its numbers and it's
enthusiasm the intense interest which Is
felt In you. has called to my mind the
events OF three years ago when, at their
eountrys call, the soldiers from Wash
ington marched away from home, ready,
IL necessary, to lay down their lives in de-
tense of their country. They were leaving
behind them their accustomed work In or
der to take UP the new duties imposed
upon them by their countrys needs You
like them, are about to enter upon new
duties and new responsibilities. 1t is true
that you are not called upon to risk your
lives on the field of battle; possibly some
of you young men may regret that the
opportunity to thus win honor and glory
Is not accorded to you, but no true Ameri
can should ever forget that the battles
which are fought out in times of profound
peace more potentiy affect the destinies
of humanity than the struggle on the field
of battle. Rome might send her conquer
ing iegions all over the world, but the VIC
tories they won in every cline did not de-
lay the nations doom when once cor
ruption and decay destroyed it's men and
women.
May Haze to Fight.
"The most peaceful nation may at any
time be compelled to fight, and we have
| reason to be proud that whenever this aw-
full situation has confronted us our SOL
diers and sailors have done their work
bravely, but in doing full honor to our
heroes of the army and navy we must
never permit ourselves to lose sight Of the
great truth that Americas greatness rests
no. upon its victories. but upon the char
acter of the men and women who make up
the nation.
"a recent writer has truly said that 1t is
not by giving votes to a people, but by
strengthening the soul of people, that
you make it truly great. Honesty, truth
fulness and goodness manifesting them
selves in the individual nfen and women of
a country are the foundations upon which
national greatness must rest. You young
men and young women, with thousands Of