Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-17
RoOsEvELTs HOPEFUL SPEECH.
Voice of the New Generation Heard
mt Charleston.

Voice of the New Generation Heard
nj Charleston.
Portland oregonian.
The ringing, hopeful speech delivered by
President Roosevelt at Charleston on
Wednesday was the voice Of the new gen.
GRAFTON. President Roosevelt Is in his 44th
year; he was barely 8 years of age when
the first shot Of the civil war was nred; he
was not 7 years old when Lee surrendered
The thirty-seven years that have elapsed
since the civil war have. as President
Roosevelt truthfully said, made a substan-
tial end Of sectionalism. There is nobody
left today in the United States on either
side whose death would cause either sec
ton to waste any time in large funeral
honors or heartfelt mourning Of sny sort.
The statesmen and the great captains vino
came out OF the great war for the union
holding the hearts OF the people are all
now dead and with their death both the
realistic din and the romantic memory OF
the great conflict is extinct. Henceforth
both sections are sure to satisfy their
passion for trade and present politics undis-
turbed by the venerable shapes or the
warning voices of the great soldiers and
statesmen OF 1876. We stand on the
threshold Of a new departure and we feel
II just as all men felt It when Washington
was borne to the tomb. whose living voice
and influence. because Of his great patri-
otto services served something to break the
point Of bitter partisanship.
The patriotic military fetch was poten-
tial in both sections for about twenty
years. Its failing powers Of invocation
were manifest when the country elected
Cleveland president, who not only was
a democrat, but a democrat who had never
concealed his lack of sympathy with Lin
coins war policy. Since 1884 the battle
cries OF the civil war have not been Of any
serious political consequence. Harrison
defeated Cleveland because Of the tariff
issue. and Cleveland defeated Harrison be-
cause the labor vote was cast for the
democratic candidate. Mckinley defeated
Bryan because OF the adoption of free
silver at 16 to 1 by the National democracy
as part Of their creed. During all these
years the work of erecting soldiers monu-
ments, Of founding national cemeteries has
been steadily proceeding all over the coun-
try, but as a political inspiration the
sentiment OF the war between the sections
Is exhausted. The monument OF conse-
quence are all erected; the cemeteries
completed. The great military and civic
HRuT6S OF the CIVIL war arc Ill gone TO the
dark house and the long sleep. The war
drums and 1fes are no longer part OF our
political field music. Military and patriotic
records are no longer influential in secur-
ing nominations to once. The veterans are
not all of them too old, but they have
passed their prime OF influence and cannot
hope to be leaders OF the new generation
to which President Roosevelt belongs and
whose glowing hope and courage he voices
SO vigorously today. The pension Nst has
become so burdensome that war eagle elo-
quence Is no longer equal to withdrawing
extortion and vitalizing extravaganza.
The memory and Influence OF the terrible
struggle between the sections is gone or
swiftly going with the disappearance OF the
heroic generation that fought II out val
iantly on both sides to the end. It's
genuine romance. It's inspiring realism, its
sorrow. it's Joy, its glory and Its doom. are
practically dead as a potential popular
force in politics. President Roosevelt sees
all this clearly, and rightly considers It a
subject for present congratulation. He
congratulates both sections upon the great
civilization that the victorious issue OF the
war for the union preserved for us. fash
toned and cemented into its present i'm
POSING shape. A man OF fighting blood,
who has proved himself a stout soldier ON
the firing line. he nevertheless expects
peace. and predicts for the south and the
whole country an increased Industrial
development whose victories are greater