Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-07
Celebration Of Republican
Party's Semi Centennial.
PRAISE FOR ROOSEVELT
ELOQUENT ADDRESS By SECRE-
TARY OF STATE JOHN HAY.
Senator Fairbanks Reviews History of
Party - Senator Alger Eulogizes
Founders-Cannon's Enthusiasm.


night says:
orator of the day at the celebration of the
semi-centennial anniversary of the birth OF
the republican party here today. The ex-
ercises occurred in a picturesque oak grove
in the outskirts of the city before an audi
ence of nearly 5000 persons.
Senator Charles w. Fairbanks of Indiana,
republican cand date for Vice President
and Speaker Joseph G. Cannon OF the ma
tional House of Representatives, were also
present and delivered addresses.
On the platform was seated a representa-
tive delegation of the republican leaders
in this state, headed by United States Sen
ators r. A. Alger and ]. c. Burrows. Sena-
tor Burrows presided over the afternoon
session, and Senator Alger was the last
speaker of the afternoon. Behind the
speakers platform rose a wall or Drlght-
colored bunting with immense pictures OF
John c. Fremont the first republican nomi-
nee for President, and Abraham Lincoln,
the first republican to occupy the Whte
House, fastened toft. Straight ahead ana
to the right and left over the heads of the
assembled multitude lowered scores OF
splendid oaks. In the front rows OF the
audience were nearly thousand men VINO
voted for John c. Fremont for President,
some of whom participated in the original
under the oaks" convention nifty years ago
today. To this venerable company special
reverence was paid, and when two OF their
number in their enthusiasm, climbed high
up among the branches of two oaks to I'M
prove their view. the audience was frantic
with approval and delight.
City in Holiday Attire.
The city of Jackson was in holiday at
tire with throngs of visitors constantly
passing up and down the streets. Secre-
tary Hay Senator Fairbanks and Senator
Alger were met at the station on their ar
rival from Detroit at 1915 am. by dele
cation of citizens and escorted to the Hotei
Otsego where Speaker Cannon had arrived
last night.
The days program began with a sunrise
gun and band concerts preceding the open
ing of the morning exerc ses at the park
which were presided over by Mr.. James
O'Donnell of Jackson. Attorney General
Charles A Blair of Jackson and Thomas j.
O Brien of Grand Rapids were the speak
ers of the morning. discussing the history
of the Republican Party in Michigan
Senator Burrows was the presiding OF
ficer at the afternoon session. Threatening
clouds were rolling up as he began his ad-
dress, which was to introduce Secretary
Hay, and toward the close OF his remarks
indications were that the celebration would
be interrupted by rain. The storm passed
over, however.
Secretary Hay was greeted with tremen-
dous cheers when he stepped forward In
ton and began his Grafton. He spoke as
follows:
Secretary Hays Address.
A century is but a moment of history; it
has often happened that several of them
have passed away, since men began to re-
cord their deeds with little change in the
physical aspect or the moral progress OF the
world. But at other times-of intense ac-
ton and spiritual awakening-a single gen.
Grafton may form an epoch: and few Pc
RODS of equal duration in political annals
have been crowded with great events as
the fifty years We celebrate today. Under
the oaks of Jackson on the 9th OF July, 1871.
a party was brought into being and baptiz-
ed, which ever since has answered the pur-
poses of its existence with fewer follies and
failures and more magnificent achievements
than ordinarily fall to the lot of any insti-
tuition of mortal origin. And even the be-
ginning of the end is not yet. This historic
party is only now in the full maturity of
its power and it's capacity for good We
look back upon past of unparalleled USE
fulness and glory with emotions of thank
fulness and pride; we confront the future
and its exacting problems with a confidence
born of the experience of difficulties sur
mounted and triumphs achieved in paths
more thorny and ways more arduOuS than
any that are likely to challenge the courage
and the conscience of the generation which
is to follow 1t Is meet that at this
stage of our journey we should review the
past and read its lessons, and in its light
take heart for what lies beyond.
Party of Noble Origin.
The republican party had noble origin.
1t sprang directly from an aroused and in
dignant national conscience. Questions OF
finance, of political economy, of orderly adj
ministration, passed out of sight for the
moment to be taken up and dealt with
later on. But in 1854 the question that
brought the thinking men together was
whether there should be limit to the ag-
greSsions of slavery: and in 1861 that SOL
emn inquiry turned to one still more por-
tentous: Should the nation live die?
The humbleSt old republican in America
has the right to be proud that in the days
of his youth in the presence of these mo-
mentous questions he judged right; and If
he is sleeping in his honored grave his chill
dren may justly be glad of his decision
1t was not so easy fifty years ago to take
sides against The slave power as 1t may
seem today. Respect for the vested rights
of the southern people was one of our most
sacred traditions. 1t was founded on the
compromises of the Constitution, and upon
long lne of legal and legislative prece-
dents. The men of the revolution made no
defense of slavery in itself; Washington
Adams. Jefferson and Franklin deplored its
existence, but recognized the necessity of
compromise until the public mind might rest
in the hope of Its ultimate extinction. But
after they had passed away improvements
ia the culture and manufacture of cotton
made this uneconomic form of labor for the
time profitable. and what had been merely
tolerated as a temporary necessity began
to be upheld as permanent system. Slav-
cry intrenched itself in every department
OF our public life. Its advocates dominated
Congress and the state legislatures; they
even invaded the pulpit and grotesqueIy
wrested a few texts of Scripture to their
purpose. They gave the tone ito society;
even the southern accent was initiated in
cur schools and colleges.
Shareholders Might Have Controlled.
II the Shareholders had been content with
their unquestioned predominSnce, they
might fer many years have controlled our
political and social world. 1t was natural
for the conservative people of the north to
say: We deplore the existence of slavery,
but we are all to blame for 1t; we should
not cast upon our brethren in the south the
burdens and perils of its abolition. We
must bear with the unfortunate condition
OF things and take our share of its incon-
venienceE." But the slaveholding party
could lot rest content. The ancients said
that madness was the fate of those Judged
by the gods. Continual aggression is a ne
cessity OF false position They felt In
stinctively that IL their system were per-