The state herald., 1901-03-08
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY'S
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
Dark Pictures Useless.

Dark pictures and gloomy forebod-
inEs 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 not the builders
Of the Republic, nor In Its crises since
have they saved or served 1t. The faith
u of the fathers. was a mighty force in
Its creation and the faith of their de-
scendants has wrought Its progress
and furnished its defenders. They are
obstrhctionists 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
intrenched in freedom at home, take
their love for it with them wherever
they go, and they reject as mistakea
and unworthy the doctrine that we
lose our own liberties by securing the
enduring foundations of liberty to
others. Our institutions will not de-
tcrlornte 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-
'att SNchtS utNtlDp uloh II, anu
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 so. We find them so.
They are inconvenient. They cost us
something. But are we not made bet
ter forithe 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 its every
step has exalted freedom and humani-
y. We are undergoing the same or
deal rs 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 1t developed its full and independ-
ent sovereignty. We adhere to the
prinsipla nf arunlit, n,np,, nurSalvn.
and by no act of ours will we assign
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 honorably in the
thrilling scenes In China, while new to
American life, has been In harmony
with Its true spirit and best traditions
and In dealing with the results its pol
Icy will be that OF moderation and fair
ness.
We face at this moment most i'm.
portant question-that of the future re-
lations OF the United States and Cuba
With our near nelghbors we must re-
main close friends, The declaration
of the purposes OF this govern
ment In the resolution OF April
20. 1855, must be made good. Ever
since the evacuation OF the island by
the army OF Spain, the executive, with
all practicable speed, has been assist
Ing Its people In the successive steps
necessary TO the establishment of "A
free and independent government. pre-
pared TO assume and perform the oh.
legations OF international law, which
| now rest upon the United States un.
der the treaty of Paris. The conyen.
tion elected by the people to frame n
constitution Is approaching the CON.
pletion OF Its labors. The transfer of
American control 10 the new govern.
ment Is of such great Importance, In.
volring AN obligation resulting from
our Intervention aud the treaty of
peace that ! am glad 10 he advised by
the recent act of Congress OF the pol.
ley which the legislative branch OF the
government deems essential to the best
Interests OF Cuba and the United
States. The principles which led TO
our Intervention require that the fun.
dnmcntnl law upon which the new gov.
crnmcnt rests should be- adapted 10 Sc.
cure government capable OF perform.
Ing the duties and dlschnrglng the
functions OF separate nation. OF oh
serving Its international obligations, OF
protecting life and property, Insuring
order. safety and liberty aud conform.
| lnB N thu AEful1lsl.A.l 4. .
policy OF the United States In It's rcin.
tlons to Cuba.
Must u. Permanent P-a-.
The peace which we are pledged 10
leave TO the Cuban people must carry
with II the guarantees OF pcrmnn.ncc.
| We became sponsors for the pnclllcn
tlon OF the Island. nnd we remain ne.
countahle 10 the Cnbnns, no less than
to our own country aud people. FOR the
reconstruction OF cubn MS n free com.
monwonlth on abiding foundations OF
right. Justice. liberty and assured or.
der. Our cnfranchlsemcnt OF tho poo
pie VIII not bc completed until free
Cuba shall "hc n reality, not name;
n perfect entity. not hnsty expert.
mcnt bearing within itself the cle,
mcnts OF failure"
While the 'rcn'y Of pence with Spain
was ratified on the 9th OF February,
lSf' ana rntiiicn'lons were exchanged
nearly two years ngo, the Congress has
Indicated no form Of government Tot
tile Philippine Islands, II has. howcV,
ct, provided nm army 10 enable tho cNi
ecntltc to suppress inSurrcction. ~.
store peace. CIV" security to the inhnh
llnnl., aud establish the authority OF
the United States throughout, the nfrh,