The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-31

their children's children. as a heritage of
honor forever. the memory of the great
deeds done alike by those who fought
under Grant, and by those who fought
under Lee, for we. because of the very
fact that the Union triumphed, now have
the right to feel like pride in the valor
and devotion of those who valiantly fought
against the stars, and those finally saw
their efforts and their sufferings crowned
with triumph. (Applause1
Thrice. Blessed Fortune.
Think of it, my fellow eountrymen;
think Of what thrice blessed fortune
has been ours that the greatest war that
the ninteenth century saw after the close
of the Napoleonie struggles should have
left, as most wars inevitably do and
must leave, memories of bitterness, dis
honor and shame to offset the memories
of glory, memories which make the men
of one side hang their heads, but which
have not left that, but should have left
to the victors and vanquished alike after
the temporary soreness is over, the same
right to feel the proudest satisfaction in
the fact that the Union was saved and
the greatest pride in the honor, the gal
lantry, the devotion to the right as each
side had given 1t the right to see the
right done alike by those who overcame
as victors and those who finally went
down in defeat. (Applause.)
Surely there is need for me to say
but little in behalf of what has been
said before 1 began to speak as to the
prime significance of General Slocum's
career. He was great soldier, a most
gallant and able commander. Once the
war was over, he turned as whole-heart-
eddy to the pursuits of peace as he had
during the war turned to the strift OF
arms. We are able TO point to General
Sloeum as the type of what decent
American could be, as man who was an
example in his family life; an example
In his business relations. honest and up
right public servant no less than a fear
less and able soldier.
Two Sides to the Lesson.
Now, l want allfyou people to remem-
Der the two sides of the lesson taught
by General Slocums life. successful
war for unrighteousness, is the most
dreadful thing, it is the thing that sets
back more than aught else the course OF
civilization But no people worth pre-
serving ever existed, or will exist, that
was not able to fight II the time arose
(Applause.) And so with the Individual.
The man who possesses great AFFINITY anu
great courage unaccompanied by the
moral sense, a courage and ability I'M
AtcRN
is lust and upright. that man is rendered
by the fact of having the courage and
the ability only so much the greater
menace to the community in when ne
unfortunately dwells. Cloud applause)
.The other side Is that no amount OF
good intention, no amount OF sweetness
In life; no amount of appreciation OF
decency ayails in the least in the rough
work of the world as we find 1t, unless
back of the honesty of purpose back
of the decency of life and thought lies
the power that makes a man man.
(Applause) 1t is true of the Individual
and it is true of the nation IL is 10
the last degree desirable, Il VIII put IL
stronger than thaD. it is absolutely es-
sential that this nation, IL 1t Is to hold
the position in the future that 1t has
held in he past must act not only Within,
but without its own borders in a spirit
of Justice and of large generosity towards
all other people. (Applause.) we owe an
obligation to ourselves; we owe those
obligations to all mankind. More and
more as we increase in strength nope
to see a corresponding increase in the
sober sense of responsibility which snail
prevent us in either injuring or INSULT
ing any other people. You may notice
that I said insulting as well as 1njuring.
If there is one quality sometimes shown
among us. which Is not commendable, II
eign powers, foreign races You do not
need any of you to be told that in private
life You will resent an insult quite as
much as an injury and our public writers
need to steadily keep before their minds
the thought that no possible good can
come to us by speaking extensively of any
one else (Appfause) And trouble may
come; that the surest way for a nation
to invite disaster is to be opulant, ag-
gressve and unarmed daughter and
applause) Now We are opulant ana L
hope we will remain so. | trust that we
shall never be aggressive unless agrees
sion is not merely justified but demanded,
(anplause) either by our own self-respect
or by the interests of mankind; and finally
remember that to be aggressive. above
all. to be aggressive in speech ana
not be armed invites not merely disaster
but the contempt of mankind. (Applause)
Brooklyn Played important Part.
Brooklyn not only furnished valiant
soldiers but 1t furnished in times OF peace
a most excellent secretary OF the navy.
(peintng to General Tracey upon the
PLATFORM (Applause) II our navy is
good enough, we have a long career OF
peace before us, (applause), and the
only likelihood of trouble ever coming to
us as a nation will arise If we let our
navy become too small or Inefficient (Ap-
plause)
"A nrst-class navy, first-class in point
of size above all hrst-class in point OF
efficiency of the individual units, is the
surest and the cheapest guarantee for
peace, and should think that any man
looking at what Is happening and has
happened abroad and in our own history
during the past few years, must indeed
be blind if he cannot read that lesson
clearly.
'sAnd General Slocum did his first great
public service when the crisis called not
only primarily for the softer and milder,
but for the sterner and harder virtues.
and we cannot afford in this day of ma
terial luxury, in this day when civlliza-
ton tends to make life easy, we cannot
afford to ignore these hard and stern
virtues. In the work of a day in the
world as it is, not only in war but in
private life and in public life alike, man
has to have the strongest of fbre or he
cannot put into effect even the best of
his efforts, and he cannot afford to let
the generation that is coming up to grow
with the feeling that any quality will
serve for the old and essential quality
of man and woman. 6Applause) Much,
very much, has been done in this coun-
fry nv education No one can oVerstate