The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-27
Ave hundred and forty-six millions
gross gold In the treasury.
TRADE DEVELOPMENTS.

TRADE DEVELOPMENTS.
But. coming TO the development OF our
trade In the -four Mckinley years. We
seem to be entering the realm OF fable. I'm
the last fiscal year our excess exports
over imports was SG6i 592, ,S26 In the last
four years IL was 81, ,354, ii2 213. These iig-
ures are go stupendous that they mean
little To a careless reader-but consider'
The excess OF exports over imports for
the whole preceding period from 1870 10
1SS7--from Washington to Mckinley-was
only S356. sos SOP.
The most extravagant promises made
by the sanguine Mckinley advocates five
years ago are left out Of sight by these
sober facts The debtor nation has be-
come the chief creditor nation. The n
nancisl centre of the world, which requir-
ed thousands of years 10 journey from
the Euphrat.S 10 the Thames and the
Seine. seems passing TO the Hudson be-
tween daybreak and dark.
After referring touchingty and lovingly
TO the closing hours OF President Mckin-
ley, Secretary Hay continued:
He was fortunate even i'm his untimely
death. for an event so tragical called
the world imperatively TO the immediate
study Of his life and character, and thus
anticipated the sure praises Of posterity.
Every young and growing people has to
meet a moments. the problems OF its des-
tiny Whether the question comes as in
Egypt, from a sphinx, symbol OF the hos
tile forces of omnipotent nature. who
punishes by instant death our failure TO
understand her meaning; or whether IL
comes. as I'm Jerusalem. from the Lord
OF Hosts. who commands the building OF
His temple, IL comes always with the
warning that the past Is past and ex-
perience vain. Your fathers. where are
they? and the prophets, do they live for
ever?" The fathers are dead the pro-
phets are silent; the questions are new.
and have no answer but I'm time.
NO CLUE TO THE FUTURE.
When the horny outside case which pro-
tects the infancy of a chrysalis nation
suddenly bursts. and. I'm a single abrupt
shock, IL finds itself floating on wings
which had not existed before, whose
strength he has never tested. among dan
gers it's cannot foresee and Is without ex-
perience TO measure. every motion is a
problem. and every hesitation may be an
error.
The past gives no clue to the future.
The fathers where are they? and the
prophets. do they live forever? We are
ourselves the fathers We are ourselves
the prophets, The questions that are put
TO us we must answer without delay,
without help--for the sphinx allows no
one To pass. +.
At such moments. which have already
occurred at least twice in the brief his
tory of our own lives we may be humbly
grateful TO have had leaders simple I'm
mind. clear In vfsion-as far as human
vision can safely extend-penetratinR I'm
knowledge OF men. supple and flexible
under the strains and pressures OF So
ciety. instinct with the energy OF new
life and untried strength. cautious. calm
and. above all. gifted I'm supreme degree
with the most surely victorious OF all
aaI tRta hA
The obvious elements which enter into
the fame of public man are few and
flls a great station In a period of change.
who leads his country successfully
through time of crisis: who,, by MS
power Of persuading and controlling 9TH
ers, has been able to command the best
thought OF his age. SO as to leave his
country In a moral or material condi-
such mans position in history is secure.
IN THE HEARTS OF MEN
II, In addition to this. his written or
spoken words possess the, subtle quality
which carry them far and lodge them In
mems hearts. and. more than all. III his
utterances and actions. while Informed
the glow Of human sympathy. the fame of
such a man Will shine like beacon
through the mists OF ages-an object OF
reverence. Of imitation and of love, II
should be TO us an occasion of solemn
pride that in the three great crises OF
our history such man was not de-
MED us.
The moral value 10 nation of re-
nown such as Washingtons and Lincon's
and McKinley's is beyond all computa-
tion. No loftier ideal can be held UP TO
the emulation OF ingenious youth. With
such examples We cannot be wholly ig-
noble. Grateful as we may be for what
they did. let us be still more gratful for
what they were. While our daily being
our public policies, still feel the influence
of their work. let us pray that In our
spirits their lives may be yoluble, calling
us upward and onward.
There Is not one of us but feels proud
err OF his native land because the august
figure Of Washington presided over It's
no one but vows II a tenderer
love because Lincoln coured out his blood
for It: no one but must feel his devotion
for his country renewed and kindled when
he remembers how Mckinley loved, re-
vered and served II: showed In his life
how a citizen should live and In his last
hour taught us how gentleman could
die. Isl