The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-20
JOHN HAY IS
THE ORATOR
Continued from First Page.


hundred years at last burst forth in q
tempest of war, 1t became the center of a
| world S breathless interest and was food
ed with the fatal and terrible light which
plays about the battlefelds of fame and
shines in the sudden making of splen-
did names" SO long as its waters roll to
the sea, so long will the world remember
the high resolution with which Grant and
Sherman hewed their way southwark and
the chivalrous courage with which John
ston and Pemberton opposed them. So
immense is the value Of that SILVER bar
that binds together the framework of the
| welded states
FRIENDLY WORLD.
| We celebrate this year. with the gener-
Gus assistance of friendly world, the
most important event in the history of
this great valley, an event which in far
reaching and lasting results is surpassed
by few in the life of the nation. 1t is
perhaps true that to the philosophic mind
all periods are critical-that every hour is
the end of an era and the beginning OF a
new order of ages But to us ordinary
crises in history when the line of cleav-
age between the old and the new is clear
and distinct, where the aloe blooms,
where the avalanche leaves the mountain
top. where the leisurely march of events
isquickened to the dynamic rush of ire
sistible destiny. The transfer of this i'm
perial domain from European to Ameri-
can control was one of those transa ctions
which render the period of their accom-
plishment memorable for all time. In no
other act did the men who made the
Revolution-"men,' as Lowell called
them, with empires in their brains
more clearly show their marvellous proph-
etc insight. The United States was, in
1893. feeble folk with hardly enough
population to occupy the long Atlantic
seacoast: with the great spaces of the
middle west scarcely yet picketed by ad-
venturous pioneers; with imperfect means
of defense against world which still
looked askance at the hafgrown upstart
which might prove dangerous hereafter;
with the heavy cares incident TO the build
ing of a new nation upon yet untried
foundations But weighty as were their
responsibilities they did not hesitate to
assume others weightier still. To an un-
developed umpire theiy seized the occa-
sion to add another still wilder and more
remote. To their half-finished task they
superimposed another full of
eXacting and perilous possibilities in
their robust faith in the future-their
emocracy-difficulties were not consid- !
men of that strain. in an enterprise which |
promised usefulness and glory. toll and /
danger were only irresistible attractions. |.
While we should give due credit 10 the /
instrumentalities by which this !
great transaction was brought about. we 1
should not forget the overwhelming in !
fuence exerted by the unseen Director OF |
the Drama. Whether we call il the spirit I
Of the age. or historic necessity, or the
balance of power, or whether we rever-
entity recognize in the matter the hand Of /
that Providence which watched over our
infancy as a people. we can not but admit
hat the acquisition Of this vast territory
was, in one way or another. sure to come !
A wise diplomacy FASTENED It: timid
conservatism might have delayed IL: but
{ was written in our horoscope The sur
,st proof of this lies in the eminent per-
'onalities by whom the purchase and sale
we're made. jefferson was the last man
n America OF whom We could have ex-
,ected this departure on the field OF H.
imitable expansion. and Napoleon was,
II all the sovereigns Of Europe. the least
likely to give up so vast an extent OF
mpire.
One of the most brilliant and tenacious
Ireams OF Bonaparte wa st0 establish on
he right bank Of the Mississippi a Latin
mpire reaching from the Gulf 10 the
'acifc Ocean, extending in future ages !
he slories OF France to the sunset seas
The principle dearest TO the heart Of
eSerson was that OF a strict construc- {
ion of the Constitution which in his I
lew forbade the exercise by the General ! {
OF anything but expressly {
elegated powers IL would have seemed I
Ike contradiction in terms 20 expect :
ither OF these statesmen to zEre upon :
proposition which radically contravened T
ne inrnost convictions of each Of them /.
tut the nature OF things was more pow 4
rful than either a -Bonaparte or Jet- Z
srson. No human influence could have
ontrolled either of chem bur the stars in :
heir courses we're still stronger. and they :
lady obeyed THE mandate II fate. which =
as IN each case TIE mandate OF an en- q
xhtened patriotism France. divesting Z
erself Of this rich incursbrance was the :
ritter fitted for the supreme gssdlatorsai =
fort that awaited her. and jefferson Z
aimed an immortal fame by prese-txx an =
au,ease benefit 20 his country 20 consist q
acy in narrow construction % the writ .
n Law. a
No nan. 10 party can tght wi;h arg =
aaace OF final success against coszic 1.
tadeney. 10 clsyerness. 10 popularity. G
sals against The sp1rss Of the age In :r