The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-22

Speech by MT. Cleveland at the
Holland Society Banquet.

a speech Dy ME-. Clev0louQ ot the
Holland Society Banquet.
New York, January 1.-THE Holland
Society held It's sixteenth annual din
ner at the waldorf-Astoria tonight.
The Rev. DR.. Henry van Dyke, presi-
dent OF the society. presided On his
right sat ex-President Cleveland. There
were six hundred persons present
Ex-Presidene Cleveland was the
| chief speaker.
Mr.. Cleveland prefaced his remarks
with an acknowledgment tina on such
occasions as this he was a sermonizer
n pleaded as an excuse the pressure
OF great responsibilities in the past and
the need OF Dutch conservatism TO
steady popular impulse. He referred to
this time of headlong national heed
lessness."
Nj. Cleveland said;
The question is suggested, whether
in present conditions this conservatism
characterizes h conduct or guides h
sentiment of people. There can be
but one answer to this question. Con-
servatiSm has in a great degree Eel
tauntily cast aside. or condemned as
opposed ito our country,s welfare and
glory. A strange voyage has been en-
tered upon without count of cost. and
without chart or The tried
and sure of our liberty
and national happiness rave been dis
credited. Reverence for our national
traditions has been relaxed. and salts
faction with our country's mission has
been undermined
saVh0 1.ocfro into nn| l;p,ifor;nnC Of
our constitution nave become CALLING
and irksome under the temptations of
national greed and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Our old love of peace. honor, and JUS
tice has been weakened. and frugality
and contentment r not now traits
inseparable from American character.
War, even with the worlds advanc-
ed civilization, may still, be sometimes
necessary and juStifiiable: but whether
necessary and justifiabie or not, the
generalization hat follows in it's train
can lever be evaded. 1t caches bloody
instructions, which. in a coontry whose
citizens do the fighting cannot fail to
leave their impress for time, at least.
upon public n private life in time of
peace
Thirty years after the close of the
WAL for the preservation of the union,
a treaty of arbitration was formulated
between the United States and Great
bTlldlH WHICH IL "COIIlDl6UeU WOuIU nave
gone a towards removing every pre-
text of var between the two countries.
This treaty failed of confirmation in
h senate of the United States. Less
than five a passed. and these Eng
lish speaking champions of peace and
arbitration are still operating in paral-
lei lines-one on the Philippines and
the other in South Africa-but no lon
ger for peace and arbitration. Both
are killing natives in an effort to pos
Sess their lands.
This indicates a sad relapse, and in
our case it is a most serious one. If
England succeeds i'm her attempt in
South Africa she will but add another
to her list of acquisitions: a brave peo-
pie will be subjugated. and because of
our cement in a similar venture
in another quarter thev will miss the
expressions of American sympathy
which are accustomed to extend to
those who struggle for national life
and independence. On the other hand,
with success in our ~subiugating effort
a new untried AND exceedingly perilous
situation will be forced upon us. We
cam conquer the Philippines, and after
conquering them can probably govern
them. 1t is in the strain upon u inSti-
tutions, the decentralization Of our peo-
pie, the vaSio of our constitutional
limitations, and the ~perversion of our
IDdIlOIHdi I1FSSIOIl lIBdC OUT OdIlSeT lies.
AS a distinguished bishop has said:
The question is not what we shall do
with the Philippines but what the
Philippines will do to u.s.
"Our country will never be the same
again For veal or for woe we have
already irrevocably passed beyond the
old lines.
1.-THE republic will in some sort be
saved. Shall it be Olny in name and
semblance. with fair external ppear
ance, but with the germs of decay fas-
tened upon it's vitals: or shall it,
though changed, still survive in such
vigor and strength as to remain the
hope and pride OF Americans?
1.-The problem is a momentous one.
In the midst Of reckless tumult and in
the confused rage of national greed and
bloodiness, let it be proclaimed that
American freedom and popular rule
cannot perish except through the mad
ness Of those who have them in their
keeping, and by the blood and secri-
fees of OUT fathers. by the lofty
achievements of the free institutions
they established. by our glorious vic
tories of "a n by reliance on
the promises OF God. the Dutch conser-
vatism enjoin upon people a faithful.
discharge OF their sacred trust"