The Elbert County tribune., 1902-05-01
TO GENERALIZATION
EVOLUTION OF GOVERNMENT.
Speech Of Secretary Shaw at the Pitts
burg Banquet in commemoration
Of General Grants Birthday.

Of General Grants Birthday.
Pittsburg. April 27.-The sixteenth
annual dinner OF the American Repub-
.lican Club OF this city. In commemora-
lion OF the birthday Of General Ulysses
). Grant, was held last night. and be-
cause OF the many bright oratorical
stars present, was one of the most
brilliant of the many banquets given
by this wei known organization. r. G..
Knox, attorney general, ofiiciated as
toastmaster and among those seated
about him were l.. NJ. Shaw, secretary
Of the treasury; II. C. Payne, postmas-
ter general; Congressman Littlefieid OF
Maine and John +. Elkin, attorney
general of Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Knox, after thanking the mem
bers OF the club and their guests for
their cordial reception. said he was the
bearer of n message from President
Roosevelt regretting his Inability TO be
present AT the toastmaster's sugges-
ton a standing toast was drunk to the
health OF the President Of the United
States, which was followed by silent
toast TO the great general in commem-
moration Of whose birth the celebra-
ton was held.
Congressman Littledcld responded to
ttAt tOdtts
MIR. Littlefield's eulogy was received
with rapt attention. and at its conclu-
sion Mr. Knox introduced L. NJ. Shaw,
secretary of the treasury. whose re-
sponse TO the toast "rhe Government
Evolution" was greeted with applause.
Secretary Shaw traced the develop
ment Of the country from colonial days
down to the present time, to show. as
lie said, that "ths trend of thought has
been ever toward a central govern
ment." He continued:
There Is now pending in the United
States Supreme Court n suit begun by
a representative of the executive de
partment of this country to enjoin n
grent corporation, organized under the
laws of a certain state. from owning,
holding and voting the capital stock
and controlling the policy of certain
transportation companies in n distant
portion OF the country. Without ex-
pressing nm opinion ns to probable re-
suits. II Is interesting to note that the
most pronounced disciples of state SOW
ereignty complain not of this action.
and utter no other criticism than that
il should have been commenced ear
lier.
Note the demand for national regu-
lation OF railways. of express compa-
nies. of telegraph companies, of insur-
ance and of trusts. Note the demand
for uniformity in labor laws, divorce
laws, interest and taxation laws. The
trend of events and the trend of
thought seems to be still toward
greater and more centralized govern
ment.
''As after the Civil War the nation
entered upon an extensive policy of In
ternational improvements, subsidizing
so long as necessary transcontinental
lines OF railways and permanently con-
tinuing the subsidizing OF rivers and
harbors, so after this later war we ap-
pear to be entering upon an equally
progressive policy of external improve
ment. Not as the crow flies. but as
ships sail, 1t Is nearer from Liverpool
TO San Francisco via Cape Horn than
from New York to the same port via
the same southern extremity. Start
two ships of equal speed from Liver
pool going TO our Pacific coast, one
through the Suez canal and the other
by Cape Horn. and two vessels of the
same speed from New York, one going
westward and the other eastward. and
both English vessels will reach their
destination before either OF ours. Cut
the Isthmian canal. and 1t Is nearer
from New YORK TO Hong Kong via Me
aragua than from Liverpool to the
same point via the Suez.
.Gentlemen, we must have the
largest merchant fleet ever kissed by
ocean breczes, and these carrIers of in
ternatioual commerce must be built by
American material, in American yards,
by American labor. They are to be
manned by American sailors. fired by
American coal, or more probably oil.
and they are TO float the Stars AMI
Stripes. Whether this will be accom-
plisbed through direct aid, or by en-
crgy, ! cannot say. Whether this con-
summation will be contributed to by
statesmen or achieved by financiers is
immaterial compared with the import
ance of the thing itself.
american wealth. American energy.
plus Hawaii. which is ours. plus the
Philippine Islands, which are ours.
plus the Isthmian canal, which we will
surely construct, plus merchant ma
rlne. which we viii surely build. will
transfer She sovereignty of the Pacific
ocean from the Union Jack TO the Stars
and Stripes"