The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-18
Paine's CeIerv
Compound
Cured Him

military and in civil life alike; and weap.
ons and tactics change from generation
to generation, as methods of achieving
good government change in civic affairs:
but the fundamental qualities which
make for good citizenship do not change
any more than the fundamental qualities
which make good soldiers. In the long run
in the civil war the thing that counted
for more than aught else was the fact that
the average American had the fighting
edge; had within him the spirit which
spurred him on through toll and danger
fatigue and hardship, to the goal of the
splendid ultimate triumph. So in achev-
ing good government the fundamental
factor must be the character of the aver
age citizen; that average citizens power
of hatred for what is mean and base and
unlovely; his fearless scorn of cowardice
and his determination to war unyielding-
ly against the dark and sordid forces of
evil.
The Continental troops who followed
Washington were clad in blue and buff,
and were armed with clumsy, fntlock
muskets. You, who followed Grant, wore
the famous old blue uniform, and your
weapons had changed as had your uni
form; and now the men of the American
Army who uphold the honor of the flag in
the far tropic lands are yet differently
armed and differently clad and differently
trained: but the spirit that has driven you
all to victory has remained forever I'M
changed. Sc it is in civil life. AS you
did not win in a month or a year. but
m af lopo Of har
Gus work, so the fight for governmental
honesty and efficiency can be won only by
the display of similar patience and similar
resolution and power of endurance We
need the same type of character noV that
was needed by the men who with Wash
ingtOn first inaugurated the system of
free popular government. the system of
combined liberty and order here on this
continent; that was needed by the men
who under Lincoln perpetuated the gov
eminent which had thus been inaugurated
in the days of Washington The qualities
essential to good citizenship and to good
public service now are in all their es-
sentials exactly the same as in the days
when the first Congresses met to provide
for the establishment of the Union: as in
the days, seventy years later, when the
Congresses met which had to provide for
its salvation.
There are many qualities which we
need alike in private citizen and in public
man, but three above all-three for the
lack of which no brilliancy and no genius
CAM atone-and those three are courage,
honesty, and common sense.
While President Roosevelt was speak
ing rain began to fall in torrents The
stand had canvas cover, but the water
went through it as if it were sieve.
When a by-stander offered to hold over
him an umbrella, the President waved it
aside, remarking:
Il don't care for it. If, indicating the
assemblage, they can stand it, l can"
Turning to the crowd he said laugh
ingly:
Il don't feel sorry for you old veterans
You will not melt. l do feel sorry for
the ladies'"
When he had nearly concluded his adj
dress the President who expressed CON
Germ at the drenching his auditors were
getting, said:
''Tll not keep you long now"
''Oh, go on cried a voice. Keep it
up until tomorrow
After the benediction had been pro-
nounced, the President held an informal
reception in the rain, shaking hands with
several hundred ex-soldiers.
The President, Governor Murphy and
their party returned to their train i'm
mediately after the ceremonies