The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-07-27

J. s. Mullen. a promising young at
torney of our city. was among the
number. He said:
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men:
assure you that ] appreciate the
honor and the pleasure OF addressing
you. My being young man, YOU
cannot but expect me TO look at the
world through the golden mists Of
Hope. and to regard the future as
being laden with fruitful achieve
ments. with such n gathering Of
manhood and womanhood on this aus
picious occasion, cannot but exult,
and share with you some OF your sun.
shine and gladness.
From that remote time darkened
| by the shadow OF savage superstition
and shrouded by the dm magnin-
cence OF legends TO the dazzling re-
alities OF today. the peoples OF the
earth have passed through many
changes, and wonderful has been the
rise and fall OF empires. On the one
hand. the nations have gazed with
admiration upon the glimmering star
OF their destiny, as IL cleared the hor-
lion line. and there fiutter for a mo-
ment. and then suddenly go out in
darkness forever While on the 9th.
er hand, they have watched with hope
and anxiety, and fear and wonder
another star, mounting to the zenith.
where in all OF the dazzling splendor
and noon-day brilliancy. II remains a
gilded spot in the ever-changing pan.
Drama OF universal affairs.
That star is America Our flag is
the only flag that has never known de.
feat Where that flag leads we fol
low, for We know that the hand that
bears It onward is the unseen hand OF
God. AS a nation we are in the vigor
of our youth. We are not oppressed
by tyranny, nor are we as yet great
ly enfeebled by the vices and luxur
les of the old world, with its cumula
tive greatness of forty centuries
Sister republics IN fair procession
chant around the ahars Of our gods
and contemporary monarchies. see
ing in our rise their own downfall
look with wonder and fear. upon the
grandeur Of our institutions and tn,
brlliancy Of our achievements.
But IL has not always been thus
Four decades ago the two great sec
tions of what is now our common
country were involved in a great con
troversey That was, the manner II
which the constitution OF the Unite,
: States should be construed. Th
North claimed that we were an unioi
OF states. indissolubly bound. inseI
arably connected. While the Sout
asserted that II was true that W,
We're an union of states. but that an
. State had a right 20 withdraw fror
this union at pleasure. Debates. d,
cisions of courts. and philosaphica
: articles We're of no avail in its sci
tlement, and its solution was remar
ded TO the stern arbitrament OF tn
sword, resulting as we painful
I know. in that mighty confiagratioi
whose pathetic ashes repose in a mi
lion graves.
When the believers OF the South r,
garding this controversy were COZ
tradicted. Dixie's imperial sons cam
down from the hillsides. and surge
up from the valleys, producing tina
magnificent army of southern so
diery, at the sight of which all chris
endom stood amazed. They gathere
until the streets OF every city an
hamlet in the land were lighted b
the glitter of their steel, and resoun,
ed 10 the tread Of their marching co
3 umns: without murmur accepte
, ceIted the arbitrament OF the swor,
and swung into line. shoulder {
, shoulder. And under the gallant lea,
, ership OF the matchless Lee. the il
% domitable Longstreet, and the heroi
, Jackson, for four long, weary year
r the enemy were slain. harassed, an
p kept az bay. II was time when In
bright waters of Bull run were re,
, dened with the blood OF warning brot
ers, when the sun at MONDAY wa
, darkened by the smoke OF many ba
ties, when the sombre skies OF nigh
were lighted with the burning {
, many homes, when the poppy spran
. up in the wheat field and all the ga
dens OF beauty were choked wit
noXious weeds, Ragged. m fed, an
worse paid, without the hope OF ad,
, Quate reward, even in the event of u
J innate success, with all to lose, an
but little to gain, the Confederate so
ldigr carried his frnsfV ma, . L. Z,