Gilpin observer., 1902-05-01
TO GENERALIZATION
EVOLUTION OF GOVERNMENT.

/
Speech Of Secretary Shaw at the Pitts.
| burg Banquet in commemoration
| Of General Grants Birthday.
Pittsburg, April 27.-The sixteenth
annual dinner of the American Repub-
lican Club of this city, in commemora-
tion of the birthday of General Ulysses
8. 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 well known organization. T.. G.
Knox, attorney general, officiated as
| toastmaster and among those seated
about him were l.. Nj. Shaw, secretary
Of the treasury; ii. c. Payne, postmas-
ter general; Congressman Littlefield of
Maine and John p 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 Il message from President
Roosevelt regretting his inability TO be
present. At the toastmaster's sugges-
tion 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 Littlefield responded to
the toast, Grant"
Mr.. 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, 1.-The 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. az
he said, that ''the trend of thought has
been ever toward central govern
ment." He continued:
There is now pending in the United
States Supreme Court suit begun by
n representative of the executive de-
partment of this country to enjoin
great corporation. organized under the
laws of n 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 an opinion as to probable re-
suits, 1t 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
it should have been commenced ear
lier.
Note the demand for national rcgu-
lation of railways. of express compa-
MES, 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 a
greater and more centralized govern
ment.
LAS 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 Gp-
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 Cur
the Isthmian canal. and it Is nearer
from New York to Hong Kong via Mic
aragua than from Liverpool to the
same point via the Suez.
Gentlemen, we must have the
largest merchant fleet ever kissed by
ocean breeZas, and these carriers of in
ternational 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 10 float the Stars and
Stripes. Whether this will be accom-
plished through direct aid, or by ELL
ergy, | cannot say. Whether this con-
summation will be contributed to by
statesmen or achieved by financiers is
immaterlal compared with the import
ancc 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
rine. which we will surely build. will
transfer the sovereignty of the Pacific
ocean from the Union Jack to the Stars