The Indianapolis journal., 1903-09-18
Mexico and south America VIII
Eventually BE Part of American
Nation, He Tells Veterans.
CARLTON IS NEW PRESIDENT
HONORs FORMER SEC
RETARY WITH CHIEF OFFICE.
Conv ention of 1901 VIII BE Held I'm
81. Louis at Invitation of Ex-
position Commissioners

The National Association of Mexican
War Veterans met at a m. in the chamber
Of the House of Representatives yesterday
for the last days session. Col. W. c. p.
Breckenridge. of Kentucky. addressed the
association. He said the achievements of
the fathers are always equaled by the deeds
of the sons. 81 do not fear Tomorrow, he
said, "for no man is ever at the beginning
and no man will be at the end of anything.
Human progress is like a great river from
it's fountain source until lost in the vast
ocean. 1t is one ceaseless flow. never at
any time ending. / have met the people of
Indiana under dissimilar conditions. In the
sixties I had the infelcity TO meet the Sew
enth Indiana on many occasions when they
gave me a warmer welcome. but ii was not
quite so healthy
Colonel Breckenridge paid a glowing trib-
ute TO the people of Indiana and said:
when the pioneers that penetrated this
wilderness. having crossed the Appalachian
range, resolved never to look backward,
but TO gaze toward the setting orb of day,
they said. There rises our sun of empire
and progress" He paid a tribute to the
memory of George Rogers Clark, the in
trepid pioneer soldier. and described his
dramatic appearance before the House of
Burgesses of Virginia when he petitioned
that body TO grant him leave to colonize the
unknown territory of the West.
SAW No GOOD IN 1T.
"Those conservative old fathers could see
no good in crossing the Appalachian range
to seek boundary but. advised him TO be
content within the pale of established civil
ization Jefferson said: Put your foot there
and when they come (meaning the English
and French) to take this territory. they
soon will do, they will find you there. : :
No war ever ends with the results expected
at the beginning When the war with Mex
leo began it was Texas and the gulf that
we thought we needed, but that was only
one-half of what this Nation acquired. For
the time was coming when the Pacific coast
would hardly furnish harbors for the COM
merce of the Republic. So not only was
Texas annexed and made part OF the Ma
tion. but free trade and American civiliza-
tion were carried into vast territory and
the United States. by right of the survival
of the fittest, dominated the North Amer
lean continent. The chivalry and valor of
States of the Union, then comprising the
limits of our Republic, justified the small
standing army that had been the ridicule OF
Europe since the peace of 1915. The battles
fought in Mexico convinced American men
that they comprised the best army among
the nations.
RESULTS OF THE WAR.
Speaking of the results of that war he
said: 1T did not require Moses to smite
the rock but when the time came the rock
opened of its own accord and poured out a
stream OF treasure" With great eloquence
he outlined the future of the West-the
gift of the Mexican war soldier to his
country. He declared that the Mexican
war had never had it's proper place in his
tory and that the war won the domination
of this continent for the English speaking
peoples He predicted the extension OF our
government over Mexico and South America
and said that Thomas Jefferson's letter of
prophecy concerning the Louisiana Pur-
chase has been more than fulfilled. He
insisted that its soldiers have never been
adequately rewarded and promised to throw
the full weight of his influence in favor of
congressional measures Of Importance to
them. II believe in making way for
younger men" he declared. I'VE have
like man who thinks he is old. i don't
mind his being old, but object TO his think
ing so. i don't like yesterday-I love to-
morrow.
THE NEW OFFICERS.
The association elected it's officers for the
ensuing year as follows: President, James
u.
dent, S. p. Tufts. of Centralia. ILL.,; secre-
tary Mrs. Moore Murdock, of Fort Worth
Texas; treasurer, Leroy Wiley, of Paris
Ill. Later the president will appoint his
standing committees.
st. Louis was selected as the next place
of meeting, a cordial invitation from the
Louisiana Purchase commissioners, appeal
ing strongly to the old veterans, having
been received.
Many complimentary letters were read
from prominent men and women. Among
them were letters from President Diaz, Gen
eral Lew Wallace and the Governors OF
many States. Representative danes ci
1876 sent their congratulations to the Mexi-
can war veterans 1t was the unanimous
wish of the association that William Muir
dock should spend part OF next winter in
Washington in the interests of the bill fol
an increase of Mexican veterans pensions
Pathetic scenes marked the closing hour
of the reunion. Many of the veterans had
met for the first time since the Mexican
war and IN all probability they would never
meet again. Men with silver locks and
trembling hands gazed in each others eyes
and whispered a farewell, freighted with
the prophecy Of dissolution. Hand claspeC
hand with feeble but intense devotion anc
the furrowed cheeks Of the aged veterans
were baptized in hallowed tears.