The Yale expositor., 1903-06-05

| her They all rest under yOn white
stones Cut Oft before the noon of
life, their work is done. In silent ap-
probation their graves are strewn with
| flowers, those emblems OF truth over
which the setting sun casts a silent ben
| ediction."
Teddy clapped harder than all the
rest when the deacon bowed himself off
| Of the stage Years after, this speech
rang i'm his ears, a fitting tribute TO the
happiest day he ever spent.
+. II. Drake gave the opening adj
dress as follows:-
When strife with Spain was threat
ening and the war cloud first hung dark
over the land, you will remember that
other nations were commenting on the
unpreparedness of the United States
for war. We had but small stand
ing army of something like 10000 men,
scattered throughout the country aud
"A navy of very small dimensions when
compared with some of the world pow
ers But what a springing To arms in
response 10 the presidents call. Com.
pany after company, regiment after
regiment sped TO the front until Uncle
sam had TO say, "hold up boys. you're
coming too fast A navy sprang into
action whose almost immediate opera
tions caused world To marvel and
within ninety days had not only over.
come or destroyed every hulk OF
the enemy, but had proudly taken
It's place rs one of the great naval
powers of the world
| would ask what il was that enabled
this country to perform such wonders? :?
| answer, il was that element of char.
acter which imbues the breast of every
typical American and makes peculiar
people The name of this attribute
may be given by the use of four words,
and they are courageous, intelligent
patriotic. energy. You see use the
word energy last aud the other words
as qualifying words or adjectlyes. En-.
ergy is the Keystone and when united
with the other supporting elements.
makes the perfect arch of individual
as well as national success. In my of
flee hangs tine picture of our dis
tinguished president Theodore ROOse.
welt in whom believe is strongly per.
sOnilird tnis peculiar element OF Amer
lean character, and by the side of the
picture are the words that have been
said bY him and which should be found
I'm every school room and Ia every OF.
iice where IL may meet the eye of ey
cry ambitious young man and woman
In the land. The words are these:-
The law of worthy national life. like
the law of worthy individual life is
fundamentally the law of strife IL
may be strife military. il may bee strife
civic. but is certainly only through
strife. through labor and painful effort.
by grim energy and resolute courage
We move on TO better things
How true and practical are the words,
and how indicative they are OF the
character Of the man who uttered them.
Artemus Ward once said of the Great
Napoleon, "The trouble with Napoleon
was that he tried 10 do too much-and
did It." Some of the political enemies
of Mr.. Roosevelt are making the claim
that he Is trying TO do too much but
the American people are pretty we'll
satisfied that they have something be-
sides iigure head In the presidential
chair aud the sentiment of their appro-
baton Is becoming deeper daily.
But this element in American char.
acter Is one We do not always appreci-
ate until danger threatens our land.
Then Is the time IL shines forth In its
greatest brilliancy, not only dazzling
the eyes of other nations, but fairly as
tonishing ourselves. The greatest ex-
| vi Nulo Vi
character occurred in the sixties when
secession threatened TO disrupt the
Union, and never look upon a body
or collection of veterans of that war
but fancy see in them the very en-
bodiment, the personiication Of this
element OF national character which
actuated the heroes of that day. That
energiZed and stimulated the people TO
i nA mighty AaAHa .E al ant.
ual effort during those tremendous
throes of national agony. And what
you did then you would do to-day IL
you had the physical strength. This
element of character is one not easily
extinguished and God grant that we.
the present generation, may never lose
an opportunity 20 impress IL on those
who are coming mp within the zone of
our influence.
! Yes gentlemen of the GAR. we OF
to-day look upon you rs the past mast
ers with all OF the degrees of this glor.
ious attribute of American character.
No danger of your forgetting any of
its meanings. The fires of your patri.
Otic spirit burn rs brightly As ever aud
you love the dear old flag as well 10 day
rs when you struggled after 10 up Look
outs dizzy heights or marched beneath
lts tattered iOlds IN that grand review
nc Washington IS years ago this month.
Faded, worn, tired, almost ready some
OF you Co lie down for your last great
rest, but with spirits as bright, hearts
as true and courage as undaunted
as when you kissed the dear
ones at home good bye and turned
your faces southwark 90 experience
wars hell. | can imagine you In those
DAYS in the flower OF your youth, your
hearts filled with hope and ambition,
your minds with thoughts that In only
a few weeks you know IL was only 10
be ninety days) you would return 20
your loved ones after the tlag had been
restored without the loss of star. You
could see the loving smile of wife or
sweetheart which would greet you ON
your return when you had done grand