The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1902-02-20

4 Ii! notbln. an American cannot do
+Ncep: rest. Dotted oyer our vast
country are Thousands OF towns and
cities-the din of whose factories meyer
eases, when the hurry and hustle OF
raoe are III perpetual motion. In @
,ur ports come the ships OF every ma
ton to pour out their offerings upon
| The affairs of our commercial sanctua-
les. The source Of wealth il not the
gree of gold but honest labor, In
diligently applied To rich natural re-
sources and its true incentive, an
honorable determination on the part
IF i,berty-loving men to Liviliza the
world, and as Emerson said : America
10 only another name tor OprCrtunlt.
It. is G I'd = fi,laI eff rt in behalf of the
human race
! 1.-TWO years ago and our Responsible
ties were bounded by two great oceans.
but the cry OF an oppressed people vlb-
rating throughout the world. met HI
heroic response in the hearts OF the
American people rejoicing that 1t lay
in their power to carry the principles
80 clearly cherished in the Land OF
Liberty to people SO long oprres>ed
by the hand OF tyranny. As result
IF our victory Cuba and the Philippines
| In
ended. We have received the honors,
the burden is not ours to shuu. No
sooner had we accepted these RESPONSE
bilities than the calamity howl
ers raised the cry Of imperialism. But
expansion is not Imperialism,
and to use the words Of our late
President. No imperial design
turks N the American mind. They
are 10 American sentiment, thought
aud purpose 1t is the policy OF our
government to expand. It is and ever
has been the genius Of the republic. 1t
Is one Of the characteristics of the An
glo-Saxon.
"But with these new possessions have
come grave responsibilities. Already
destiny has summoned America to the
counsel board OF the nations, and her
mission is now plain. TO proclaim
liberty throughout all the land Once
more the statesman has seen his proph-
ecy overshadowed. The star of empire
no longer hovers over the 'em broldered
strands OF our Western States, but
CLEANS itfully above Pacific Archi-
peiago where, intermingied with
Christianity, it sheds its rays Of llber-
ty over the broad expanse OF trackless
ocean, carrying civilization and life to
dark and heathen worlds.
"Napoleon, pointing to the pyramids,
commanded his soldiers to remember
that from yonder heights forty centuries
look down on you. But Edward Locke,
mourning net 70: vanquished agee,
commands Americans thus: Men OF
this generation, from the pyramid top
Of opportunity on which God has set
Us, we lock down On folty centur.es,'
We stretch our hand into the future
with the power to move the destinies
of unborn millions. And therefore
Kipling puts it:
Ct to your work and be strong.
/ halllng not IN Y, ur ways,
Baking the end half for an instant O!
praise.
Stand to your work aud be Wise, certain
of sword and pen,
Who are neither children nor gods,
but men in world OF men,
"Truly the law of life is progression.
The watch words of the American ma
ton are onward aud upward and
there Is no reason why we may not
look confidently forward to the picture
and assert that through this nation all
races shall be blessed
"The possibilities We are facing and
the achievements We expect to complete
, are UNNECESSARILY greater than those
that have crowned the success OF our
} experiment. If our problems b.
; mighty-they grow out of our might
and have the mighty to deal with them.
This land is already the radiant centre
OF Anglo. Saxon power, aud the world
Republic, with Washington for its cap
ital, Is the vision that grows brighter
) and brighter.
+ Gre long and our national hero, i'm
PEELED by fate shall ascend the Mount
5 Pisgah OF our past, and looking down
the rugged flies of time, over the broad
r expanse VI the ages, strewn with the
glorious deeds of heroic men, he viii
I be face to lace with the Pilot who ha
r guided us 80 safely and so we'll aero.
! the perilous bar OF cesolatlon and ruin
And as he stands there, commanGln.
s In presence, by the testing of Omnip
j. tence about him, be looks into the fu
J. tnre and beholds, in all power an.
v majesty, America triumphant j,
;, her new mission and Beyond tb
buildings swinging portal, breaks !.
e q new dawn-a Thousand years
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