The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-19
SPEER TO STUDENTS.
Continued from sixth Page.)

Times of May 50. If by any conceiva-
Bile infatuation any or all of the con-
tinental powers were to combine for sucn
an end the British Empire would leave
them to their fate and continue to trade
with their American kinsfolk. Our in
teresfs, traditions, ami inclinations all
dictate that course to us" Nor is the
American heart irresponsible to such cor
dial sentiments. This feeling has been
long growing, and in the hour OF our re-
cent need, when the proposition was made
to Great Britain to enter into a COM
biation to constrain us in our effort for
the redemption of Cuba. the reply of the
Mother, Country was not only positive
refusal to enter into such combination,
but the assurance OF her active resist
ance to it If it should be attempted. But
one danger threatens our international
amity. and that is what seems the I'M
wise resistance OF the British ministry
TO American completion and control of
the Isthmian canal and this we have
every reason to trust will be avoided
Not the navigation laws of pre-Reyoltl-
tionary times, not the stamp act not the
Boston port bill did so much embitter
the masses of the American people as
would any measure of Great Britain
which would defeat the completion of the
canal. Besides it is certainly true that
in the great conflicts for the control of
the Pacific which seem inevitable. the
canal under our control would he as
serviceable to Great Britain as to Amer
lea. That it will for "a time give an ad-
vantage to American over English, and
all commerce is indisputable. 1t is how
ever a national necessity. The COM
ptetlon of the canal will save
ten thousand mites in distance and fifty
DAYS time hu ct bet
and San Francisco. 1t will subtract the
entire width of the Pacific from a voyage
over the distance now to be traversed by
ships from one of our Atlantic ports. 1t
will project the Pacific into the heart of
the continent 1t will bring the western
seac0ast of South America in a straight
line with our Atlantic ports. OF course
the advantages to the Southern states will
be particularly great New Orleans in its
exports having recently surpassed Boston
and Philadelphia, is now second only to
New York and will be 7I3 miles nearer
to the canal than is the great metropolis.
The coal and iron of Alabama and Tenn
essee, the cotton product and manufac-
lures of all the Southland will thus md
cheap and swift access to the commerce
of the. Pacific But 1t is far better for
Great Britain TO lose part of the commerce
of that ocean than to lose it ALL and
with this she is threatened unless the
Anglo-Saxon peoples make common cause.
And l am one of those who believes that
the constitutions of England, of the Unit
ed States and of every American state in
the vital principles of government which
! they psrpetuate, make ia inevitable thai
! Great Britain and America must finally
stand and prevail together. or perish to-
getfIerefn the effort to preserve civil and
religious iberty on earth
And what part shall the trained men
| tality and genuine patriotism of these
Southern states play in this great drama
Of New America? The inquiry is more
important to ourselves than to the coun-
try at large. To my mind, of all others
the most disastrous result of our civil war
upon the Southern people is the indiffer-
| eiicv 10 national matters of the most vi
tai concern, to which the masses of our
white men have become habitua-
ted. The Folkniote of the Anglo
Saxon, the great gathering of the
masses to hear joint debates between
leaders of political thought once so COM
mon in the South have practically disap-
peared from our system. When great men
like Patrick Henry and John Randolph
in Virginia, like McDuffie, Calhoun, Petit
CRU and Yancey in South Carolina, like
William Mcpherson Berrien, John For
syth. Walter T. Colquitt, Alexander H.
Stephens, Herschel V. Johnson, Robert
Toombs and Benjamin II. Hill in Georgia,
met thousands of the people who assem-
bled to hear the joint discussion of pub
lie topics by those great leaders of men.
the whole plane of popular mentality was
elevated, the whole current of popular
thought quickened and clarified Con-
scous of the interest of their constituents
in the topics under discussion these re-
nowned Americans. by profound thought
upon the science of government, the his
tory of nations and of our own political
history, came to the hustings carefully
prepared and accurately instructed. In
| the presence of vast multitudes of the
people they made their supremest efforts.
| Their information thought and argu-
ments became the property of the peo-
| pie. Thus informed and guided, the fran
chise of the elector was exercised with
| intelligent patriotism. With each recur-
| ring debate the powers of the orators
| themselves were enhanced. The receptive
| and plastic soul of youth, thrilled with
the inspiration that fell from eloquent
| tongues found ambition kindled to like en-
deavor. Mothers. wives and maidens
caught the inspiration of thoughts that
breathe and words that burn" and added
the persuasive and Irresistible charm of
| feminine influence. to quicken the ambi-
ton Of sons, husbands and lovers. Thus
nurtured, strengthened and inspired
ern statesmen. Taught to feel every
| pulsation of the popular heart close to
the masses. the heartstrings OF the lead