The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-20
PRESIDENT MELLES'
ADDRESS

Applause frequently greeted the ut
terances of President Welles as he de-
livered the annual address. There was
particularly vigorous clapping when he
referred to the overthrow of violence
in the recent strike by the Invocation
of the laws strongest arm. He spoke
as follows:
Gentlemen of The New England Society.
This gathering of the sons OF New Eng
land marks the passage of another year
in the history of the society. The Gus
tom of gathering to celebrate the ami
rersary is worthy of every true New
Highlander. We are not chargeable with
Over-veneratlon for our ancestors, and
in this we are wrong. TO have come from
such stock and inherited such blessings,
should stir our hearts with pride and we
should cherish their names and deeds.
Entertaining such feelings, let us. the
descendants of such an ancestry. deter
mine that the heritage shall not suffer
ut our hands in its descent to those who
come after.
There stands back of Plymouth. on the
hill looking out over the harbor, a noble
granite monument. erected by grateful
people in remembrance of the labors.
sacrifices and sitferings for the cause
of civil and religious liberty by the fore
fathers. There is embodied III this mon
,iment as the croWnilg figure, Faith, one
foot rests upon Plymouth Rock: in her
left hand Is the Bible. and with the other
she points to Heaven. She looks down
upon four figures on the buttresses, Nor
ality, Law. Education and Freedom. The
five figures represent what is best in the
world. and are the expression not only
of artistic thought but of the deep hid
den feeling OF those who bear in CRATE
full remembrance what was accomplished
by the forefathers.
We. too. should have enshrined in our
hearts the same sentiment that has found
expression in the monument of granite.
X is a fitting memorial but let us de-
termne, by tha use of all the powers
God has given us, to make the nation the
Pilgrims planted. and we have inherited
the noblest monument of all.
Carried Him There.
1t is said that one of the early settlers
at Plymouth, on each recurring amniver-
sary visited the landing place of the
Pilgrims and required the presence there
of every member Of his family When
the feeblcnrss of Old age prevented his
going in his own strength. he required
his descendants tn carry him and meet
with him at the Rock. This. with him.
was n religious and patriotic duty; he
realized the Importance of keeping alive
the remembrance Of what had been ac-
cOmpliShed by those who laid the f0un-
datiOnS of the Nation.
If some such sentiment as acluated
this man. or actuated those who erected
the monument. has called us together,
our gathering will not he in vain. We
must not forget that nation was
planted by heroic men and women when
they landed at Plymouth Rock. They
realized the difficulties that they must
encounter and thoroughly discussed
them. Bradford. in his history, speaking
of the discouragements they would meet.
SAYS: "lt was answered that all great
and honorable actions are accompanied
with great difficulties and must he both
enterprised and overcome with answer
able courage. Tt was granted that the
dangers We're great but not desperate:
the difficulties were many but nor in
vincible. For though there We're many
of them likely, Vet they We're not certain.
Tt might be sundrY of the things feared
would never befall; others, by provid"nt
care and the use of good means, might
in II measure be prevented and all of
them. through the help of God. by fort-
rudc aud patience, might either he borne
or overcome. True II was. mat such at
tempts were not to be made and under
taken without good ground and reason:
not rashly or lightly ns many have don"
for curiosity, or hope of gain. hut their
were good and honorable their calling
lawful and urgent, ana therefore they
might except the blessing Of God on
their proceeding. Yea. though they
should lose their lives in this action, yet
might they have comfort and their en-
deavors would he honorable.
How fortunate that the future WAS
not revealed to this people, Had they
known that the first year would have
seen half the brave band gathered to the
bosom of Mother Earth. even high and
holy purposes might not have been sut-
flcient to lead them across stormy seas
10 an inhospitable country. They were
poorly equipped to withstand the rig
ors OF IL northern winter, with no knowl-
edge of what the land of their choice
V ould produce and with insufficient pro-
vision for the time that must elapsc be-
fore n seed time and harvest would re-
ulenish their stores. Vet they chose the
barren hills of Plymouth for their home,
Were Not Discouraged.
The death of half their number and
the great suffering of those who sur
yiyed, did not discourage; none were
willing to return to the place from
whence they came. Life was nothing
to them IL 1t was shorn of the cherished
purpose Of their coming. They had con-
fldence in the Supreme Ruler of the
I
would bring an answer from heaven and
that there would come out of IL all
happy future.
We see and enjoy the heritage and
privileges that came through their suf-
fering aud endurance. The schools col
legcs. and universities of New England
are the direct outgrowth and expression
Of what they had in mind in coming TO
this colntr..
The thrift, energy and endurance of
that noble band has come down through
generation after generation in the sons
of New England. The business world
the field of literature. the mechanics and
arts have drawn largely from the Fast
@rn states and wherever her sons have
gone they have left their impress
AS true sons of New England let us
consider our relation 10 the state ana
nation,
Our forefathers not only laid the foun-
dations of a nation; they did more
they built themselves into it, The prin-
ciples of truth liberty and justice We're
taught and lived by them and God sig
nally blessed them In 1t. Their plan was
that of "A cooperative system of govern
ment, controlled by intelligent beings. ac-
knowledging the equal rights of all and