The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-02-25
Is Discipline, Says Sem
ator Beverldge.
Washington SPEECH
Made Before Union League
Club at Chicago IL Full
Of Lofty Senti-
ment.

(News-Democrat Leased Wire Sorvico.)
Chicago. Feb. 22.--At the Washing
toms birthday celebration held in the
Auditorium this afternoon under the
auspices OF the Union League club,
Senator Beveridge was the principal
speaker. His address was upon the
subject, Conservatism: The Es-
sential in American Character and
Policy" The senator said in part:
"The meaning of Washington in
American history is discipline. The
message Of Washington's life to the
American people is discipline. The
need of American character is the cul-
tivation of discipline.
Washington did not give patriotism
to the American colonies. The peo-
pie had that as abundantly as he. He
did not give them courage. That quail
ity was and is in the American blood.
lie did not even give them resource.
There were intellects more productive
than his. But Washington gave bal
ance and direction to elemental forces.
He was the genius of order. He was
poise personified. He was the spirit of
discipline. He was tho great conserva-
tive. 1t was this that made all other
elements Of the Revolution effective.
1t was this that organized nebulous
independence into q nation Of liberty.
The parts of machine are useless
until assembled and fitted each to its
appropriate place. Washington did
that. And so 1t is that we are a peo-
pie. 4t
OUR EVOLUTION.
eve are not yet perfect people
any more than youth Is yet perfect
man. We are yet in the making. 1t
Is glorious circumstance. Youth is
the noblest Of Gods great gifts. The
life of a nation is like the life of a
man. Read the history of a people
who have done things in their day.
Read the life of a man who has done
things in his day. They are as similar
as sea and ocean. 1t is only question
of magnitude. The American people
are young? Yes! Vital? Yes! Power
full? Yes! Masterful? Yes! Disciplined? T?
Not entirely. Reserved? Not yet,
but will be. Moderate? Not yet, but
growing in that grace. And therefore
on this, his day, l bear you the mes
sage of Washington-he, whose sanity,
Drderliness and calm have reached
through tho century, steadying us
when untamed passions of riotous
youth had all but reached the climax
Of chaos.
LACK DISCIPLINE.
"The American people have finally
mi
The element of sobrioty has never
tailed to master the maddest agita-
lions? True again. But the cost of
The struggle In every instance has been
measured by strength of the instinct
of discipline at the time. Today we
are calm. and are conscious of no
need for self-restraint. Yes! But yes
terday we were delirous, and the rum
BILE of cannon on your streets and the
rattle of musketry at your doors was
hailed with feelings of security and
relief. .And many crises may be re-
called by men not yet old.
"The political convulsion of five
years ago is a peaceful example of pop
ular hyeteria, overcome by strenu-
ous work that tested the powers Of
conservatism to the ultimate limit.
Popular reserve, the self-restraint Of
the people, the fireside conference,
would have lessened every excited cir
cumstance in our history, and pre-
vented many or most of them. Reason
Is better than bayonets. Sober second
thought is better than the destroying
violence Of campaign over passion
born propositions.
PROCESS TAKES TIME.
"a race cannot be transformed over
night. The methods of three centuries
cannot he remedied between sunrise
and sunset. The character of q peo-
pie Is not to be altered even by the
school teachers priceless work in a
season or year. Let us not be in
haste. Let us have the serenity Of the
situation. We are dealing with an
elemental problem, a racial problem,
q world question. We must act,
therefore, with deliberation as large
and patience as steady as the prob
lem is vast and historic. We must
employ no magic but time, no leger-
demain but that of steady and con-
tinuous effort unvarying and undis-
mayed. There must be no spasms OF
extravaganza, no spasms of retrench-
ment, no panic of retreat, no fury of
advance. Let ne not pine for the fruit
Dcioic thC pCCu ~ piuhtCub VI cNCh IhC
ground prepared.
wAsHINGTON's EXAMPLE.
$50. fellow-citizens, we will 60 on
in the spirit and method of Wash
ington, practically. steadily, calmly,
without prejudice and without fear.
Whatever the future may hold for the
American people in internal develop
ment or foreign dominion. that future
will be met with that Thoughtful mod
Grafton which adapts means to ends.
If old methods suffice, those old meth
ods we will use because they are ap-
proved. II present methods suffice,
present methods we will use because
they are at hand. II new methods
are necessary. new methods We will
invent because the case demands them.
The fanaticism of the old will not in
fIuence the American people The
fanaticism of the new will not in
IL rl.r.