The Forrest City times., 1901-12-27
THE NEW WORLD POWER.
address of Associate Justice Brewer at the New England Society's An
 nual Banquet

Philadelphia, Dee. 24.-Ihe twenty first annual banquet of the New En- gland Society of Pennsylvania was held last night in Horticultural hall covers being laid for nearly four hum dred members and guests. Guests were present from New York, Balti. more, Washington, Boston and other cities. Assistant United States At torney-General James A. Beck, presi' dent of the society, opened the speechmaking with a brief address In coming down the line of the illus trious New Englanders President Beck mentioned the name of "Georga Dewey" This was the signal for an repeated during the remainder of the evening The chairman then intro dueed as the first speaker Associate Justice David J. Brewer, of the Uni- ted States supreme court, who re- sponded to the toast. The United States: World Power"
 Justice Brewers address, which fol lows, was freely punctuated by ap- plause:
 The twentieth century brings us ace to face with new condi- tions, and We are conscious that the United States of America have become a more important factor in the worlds thought. Some fancy that the Spanish war brought the great change. That is hardly so. It may have cleared the air and brought us face to face with the conscious ness of the change. but silent forces of commerce and religion have been at work for years bringing about that result.
 Again and again it is stated that the United States have now become world power. Sc they have, but what is meant by the term, world power, and how are we to justify our right to that title? Not by the mani. festation of military or naval strength:
 While wars will be as wars have been, and while there is within the resources of our country an undis- played military and naval strength that makes her the most dangerous enemy on land and sea, yet the dawn of the twentieth century unveils a greater national glory than can be won on any field of strife. While the events of the last two or three years have compelled an increase in our military and naval force; while the amount of money which is called for by the secretaries of war and navy seem to many too large. and while the roll of the drum and the blare of the bugle are more often heard vet the sons of the Pilgrims will nev- er turn our country over to the man on horseback, nor will our dearest laurels be crimsoned with the blood of the dying soldier. We shall de serve to be called world-powcr, be cause our relations with all nations will be carried upon the highest prn- ciples of truth and justice. We stand in the council of notions strong enough to fear no attempt to wrong us; sc strong that we can not afford tC wrong any, even the weakest nation; strong enough to be firmly just tC the most powerful of nations, and SC strong that we must be kindly just with the weakest. We must be frank as we'll as honest. Henceforth, di- plomatic language must be some. thing to reveal and not something to conceal thought and purpose. The honesty we must practice is not the honesty of Shylock, measured only by that which is enumerated in the bond but that of the golden rule, an honesty which compels us to see the other party to the transaction"
 The justice, in noting some of the signs and needs of the times, touched on civil service reform. In regard tc this he said;
 Into all the avenues of our official life is entering civil service reform promotion by merit has ceased to be the joke of the politician. and is coming to be the controlling rule oi all official life-not merely in the army and navy (and we have had ot late some Very positive occurranccs respect to rhem), but in all the de partments of official life, national state and municipal. Whatever may be the present defects in the machin cry designed osecure the desired re. suit, and very likely the defects ar, many, it is one of the bright assur ances of the future that the thought and purpose of the people are turned in this direction and they will not be thwalted.