The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-24

first of a second series OF leaders of a
people who have grown TO be the chief of
all the nations Of the world, and he Is the
spirit Of the times incarnate. He is vital
as the American people are vital. He is
just as the American people are just. lie
is courageous as the American people are
courageous He is conservative as Ameri-
can character. steady American puT-
pose. His belief in our destiny is meas
ured by our duty and our power, both
broad as the oceans; so is the faith of the
American people Think of the man. who
in all the Republic to-day. is most con-
spicuously American and l will voice your
thought when L name Theodore Roosevelt,
President of the United States.
Each of the three great Presidents of our
formative period seems, TO the student OF
history, TO have been specially prepared by
Providence for his final place and work.
Consider Theodore RoOsevelt's life and say
II preparation for the presidency of the
United States in the beginning of the twen-
ueth century could have been more per-
feet: Child of the city companion of the
plains; writer of history, maker of laws;
peace manager of our metropolis. chief
executive of our greatest State; directing
mind of our navy when preparing for war.
officer In our army when war was waging,
and in the focus of conflict when battle
reached its climax; pupil of the sane the
steady, the masterful McKinley-tell me
where or when did statesnan's schooling
ever rise more steadily TO the very end.
bestowed, with all the training fate has
provided. he needs our sympathy and sup
port Tor his success Shall he have it?
Yes. Loyal and true we will rally around
the Nations chief, as we rally around the
Nations flag, sustaining him IL times be
full of stress, glad with him if prosperity
prevails; holding up his hands If battle
RACES, rejoicing with him when victory
comes.
THE FUTURE.
Fellow Republicans, it is the twentieth
century in which we live-the greatest
period since time began. We cannot cling
to the methods of the past. The Republic
has marched ever forward only because
our fathers put behind them plans and pol
icies which civilization had outgrown. and
adopted new ones as their new day de-
manded them. We. their children, must
do the same. Their warcry was on
ward!' Our warcry must be Onward"
too. The Republican party is the organ
lied spirit of American progress. We dare
not. stoop to demagogues' devices: that is
the role of the opposition to the govern
ment We dare not trick up fictitious is
sues to catch temporary applause. We
dare not be insincere TO capture this or
that coter1e OF voters. We dare not coun-
sci with fear or compromise with reaction.
our success-our very life-is in harmony
with the progress of the American people
toward their natural supremacy. The pow
er of $4,000 600 people, which i'm a century
and activities unclaimed, is beyond the
comprehension of finite mind. Yesterday
the telegraph and telephone were miracles;
to-day they are cOmmOnplace-what will
tomorrow be? What will be the condition
of the American people and the world when
the men of this convention have lived
their lives? You cannot overca pitalize the
energy of the American people. You can
not overestimate their might You cannot
measure their majesty among mankind.
The most brilliant prophecy of their future
VIII read like timid expression of feeble
latin when that future shall arrive. We
trust In the American people! We believe
In the American people! We serve the
American people Free action for Amer
. lean activities! free hand for American
policies! Clear the horizons of doubts that
American conscience may work righteous
ness and light in the worlds work of this
newborn century.
Aye, American supremacy. All our pres
ent powers Justify it, All our past de-
velopment has been but preparation for
1T. How gloriously our fathers wrought for
the fulhllment of that dream--wrought. per-
haps, unconscious workmen of God &
great purposes The farmers of Lexington
did more than drive the British back-''they
fired the shot heard round the world
washington did more than plant the flag
on victorious fields; he planted the power of
| a people which will grow till the whole
earth is full of their glory. Lincoln and
| Grant did more than suppress a rebellion;
! they knit the American people into an in
| destructable and invincible unity. McKin-
! ley did more than to scOurge Spain from
the oceans; he released the forces which for
century had been gathering: for America $
| commercial and civilizing primacy among
mankind. Logicians of an hour will say
| that our fathers had no such intention: that
they never imagined such extravagant con-
| clusion. But what matters it, that they did
| not know-did not intend-the mighty des-
I tiny they were working out?
! THE hand that rounded Peters dome.
| And groined the aisles of Christian Rome
! Wrought IN sad sincerity;
! Himself from God he could not free
Re builded better than he knew"
Their work was not for their own lives
| alone-it was for the centuries thew
wrought And that work thus nobly begun
and appearing, even now, in history's per-
| spective as harmonious parts OF an infinite
| plan, we, their sons, will carry forward
| till our day, too, is ended, and our chill
| dren, in their turn, shall take il up On
ward ever onward, let that grand work
move! Retreat never a single stepi Yield
! not victory we have won. Forward to a
! day still better and to achievements still
more glorious. And when we young men
| of this convention are bent and grey. NAV
| our falling eyes be cheered with the vision
| true of the old flag, master Of the seas: and
| our dull ears be gladdened with the music
| of the old fife and drum which never vet
has sounded except in Righteousness. calling
| TO council the nations of the world where
in justice, power and glory the great re-