The news & observer., 1901-01-15

and integrity of purpose. He may
never reach The Presidency, by / hazard
nothing in predicting that SO long as
he shall live. and choose to take an ac-
tive part in political affairs, he will be
an important factor in American poll
ties and must be taken into account
by any member of his party who aspires
to party leadership. Like a fallen star,
he still glitters in the dust of defeat;
like the wounded gladiator, even in
the agony of death, lying upon the
bloody sands of the arena, there is
danger in him to his victorious compe-
titors.
Mr. Chairman, We stand today upon
the very threshold of tic twentieth
century. We have before us for cur
information ard our own guidance the
lessons of all past human history, both
sacred an plofane, with the truism
handed down to us through the CEN
turies, that "historY is continually re-
peating ITSELF" and political power is.
continually passing from the many to
the few" Political revolutions, wheth-
er peaceful CT otherwise, scatter power.
and put the sceptre into new hands. 1t
is useless for us to repine over defeat,
and we shorld look to past history and
learn the lessons of wisdom from expe-
rience. SO far as administrations of
our government. both National as well
as State, snail be conducted in harmony
with the true principles of Republican
liberty, let ;.Tery good citizen give them
hearty support, but let any departure
from such principles receive every
good mans unqualified condemnation
That our State Government is now, or
soon will be. in good hands, we have
no reason 20 doubt, For this we should
be extremely thankful and rejoiceL
May God grant that our fears as to the
National Administration be never real
lied; that ii they should be, let US re-
solve to acquit ourselves like men
worthy of orr birthright of American
freedom. Standing today at the very
dawn of the twentieth century and
mental vision looking forward
down the dim vista Of the coming years,
the political conditions by
which we are now surrounded, for my
own part, | take hopeful view of the
future. The basis and ground work Of
my hope, in addition to the sacred influ-
ences of the church, is the school house
(bOth industrial and educationaD and
the unpurcnaseable public press, which
combined can, and will, give the Ameri-
can people healthy public sentiment,
which after all, is the great bulwark
of public liberty. In the fight between
capital AMI labor of which we have
heard and read so much lately which
is still on and threatens to destroy the
old constitutional landmarks of Ameri-
can liberty, we have seen with our own
eyes that capital is proverbially tinid
and sensitive, While age-earners are
not always wise. The school house and
the press can create an enlightened pub
lie sentiment which can, and will even
tually reconcile differences and adjust
these things Upon a satisfactory and
basis, if orly the law
makers ana the courts will faithfully
perform their respective duties. That
courts ana lawmakers will be required
sooner or 'lter to come up to the full
Of their duties, an enlightened
public opin. on will sooner or later de-
mand. Standing today in this hall sur
rounded by representative men of the
people now gather at the capitol of our
grand old State-one of the original