Evening star., 1902-02-27

| and OF industry, not only in this country.
| but everywhere. They felt that the Inn
| mediate future was secure. and that trade
ansrr ana eomerSe nm might safely push forward I'm IN
| spired universal confidence, which is the
life-hlood Of the commercial system OF the
world. 1t began frequently to be said that
such 9 state Of things ought to continue;
| one after another men Of prominence said
that the President was his own best sue
cessor. He paid little attention to these
| some Of his nearest friends. Then he saw
| tina. one of the most cherished traditions of
our public life was In danger The genera
tion which has seen the prophecy Of the
papal throne-Non videbis amos Petri-
| twice contradicted by the longevity Of holy
men was in peril Of forgetting the unwrit-
| ol ten law OF OF our republic; Thou shalt not
President saw 1t was time to speak and
and In his characteristic manner he spoke,
briefly. but enough. Where the lightning
that hour. no one dreamed OF doubling his
| purpose OF retiring at the end Of his Sec
ond term, and 1t will be long before an
other such lesson Is required.
He felt that the harvest time was come
| to garner in the fruits Of so much plant
| ing and culture. and he was determined
| that nothing he might do or say should
bs liable to the reproach Of a personal
| interest Let US say frankly he was a
party man; he believed the policies advo-
Gated by him and his friends counted for
much In the country's progress and pros
perIty He hoped in his second term to
| accomplish substantial results in the de-
velopment and affirmation Of those policies.
I spent day with him shortly before he
| Never had 1 seen him higher in hope and
| patriotic confidence. He was sure Of the
future Of his country as the psalmist who
| cried Glorious things are spoken of thee,
| thou city of God" He was gratified to the
| heart that we had arranged treaty which
| gave us a free hand in the isthmus. In
| fancy he saw the canal already built and
the argosies OF the world passing through
| 1t In peace and amity. He saw In the I'M
| mense evolution Of American trade the full
| fllment of all his dreams, the reward of
all his labors. He was-I need not say
| an ardent protectdonist never more sin
cere and devoted than during those last
days Of his life He regarded reciprocity
| as the bulwark of protection-not breach,
but fulillment Of the law. The treaties
| which for four years had been preparing
under his personal supervision he regarded
as ancillary to the general scheme. He
| was opposed to any revolutionary plan of
| change in the existing legislation; he was
careful to point out that everything he had
done was In faithful compliance with the
| law itself.
In that mood Of high hope, of generous
on the threshold Of eternity. he delivered
| that memorable speech, worthy for its
| loftiness Of tone, its blameless morality. its
| breadth of view. to be regarded as his tes-
|
| Of country and his Joy Of its success. runs
| the note Of solemn warning, as In Kipling's
noble hymn. Lest We forget"
| His Last Speech.
"Our capacity to produce has developed
| so enormously and our products have so
! multiplied that the problem of more mar
kets requires our urgent and immediate
| attention. Only a broad and enlightened
policy will keep what we have. No other
| policy will get more. In these times of mar
| velous business energy and gain we ought
| to be looking to the future, Strengthening
| the weak places in our industrial and COM
| mercial systems. that We may be ready for
| any storm or strain.
| by sensible trade arrangements which
| will not interrupt our home production we
| shall extend the outlets for our increasing
surplus. system which provides mutual
| exchange Of commodities is manifestly
sential to the continued and healthful
growth Of our export trade. We must not
| repose in fancied security that we can for
ever sell everything and buy little or moth
ing. If such thing were possible, It would
| not be best for US or for those with whom
We deal Reciprocity is the natural
| outgrowth Of our wonderful Industrial de-
velopment under the domestic policy now
exclusiveness Is past. The expansion of
our trade and commerce Is the pressing
| problem. Commercial wars are unprofita
BILE A policy OF good will and friendly
\
| procity treaties are in harmony with the
spirit of the times; measures Of retaliation
| are not"
I wish I had time to read the whole of
this wise and weighty speech; nothing 1
| might say could give such a picture of the
| Presidents mind and character. His years
| Of apprenticeship had been served He
| stood that day past master Of the art of
| craftsmanship. He had nothing more to
ask Of the people. He owed them nothing
| but truth and faithful service. His mind
and heart were purged of the tempta tions
which beset all men engaged In the strug-
gle to survive. In view Of the revelation
of his ma ture vouchsafed. to us that day,
and the fate which impended over him. we
can only say in deep affection and solemn
awe, Blessed are the pure in heart for
they shall see God" Even for that vision
he was not unworthy.
He had not long to wait. The next day
in an agony Of dread, broken by illusive
slimpses Of hope that our prayers might be
answered-the nation waited for the end.
Nothing In the glorious life that we saw
gradually waning was more admirable and
exemplary than Its close. The gentle hu-
mantty of his words, when he saw his as
sa1lant In danger of summary vengeance,
Don't let them hurt him." his chivalrous
care that the news should be broken gently
to his Wife; the fine courtesy with which he
apologized for the damage which his death
would bring to the great exhibition, and the
heroic resignation Of his final words, "It is
Gods way, His will, not ours, be DONE
were all the instructive expressions of a
nature so lofty and so pure that pride in it's
nobility at once softened and enhanced the
nations sense Of loss. The republic grieved
over such a son-but Is proud forever of
having produced him: After all. in spite of
its tragic ending, his life was extraordi-
nartly happy. He had, all his days. troops
Of friends, the cheer Of fame and fruitful
| labor; and he became at last
"On fortunes crowning slope,
The pillar OF peoples hope,
The center Of q worlds desire"
He was fortunate even in his untimely
death, for an event SO tragical called the
| world imperatively to the immediate study
Of his life and character, and thus antici-
pated the sure praises Of posterity.
Destiny Of the Nation.
Every young and growing people has to
meet, at moments, the problems of It's des-
| tiny. Whether the question comes, as in
Egypt. from a sphinx, symbol of the hostile
forces Of omnipotent nature, who Furnishes
with instant death our failure to under
| stand her meaning; or whether it comes, as
| in Jerusalem, from the Lord Of Hosts who
commands the building of His temple, it
| comes always with the warning that the