The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-25

of her sons and daughters. (Applause)
 T have said word now of special greeting to the Neterans-the men In blue and gray are entitled to the right of the lire. Nov, want to travel down to the other end and say a word to the chil- dren. [ appreciate all of Alabama prog ressI appreciate all of Alabamas crops. but the best Alabama crop Is the crop or Alabama children (Applause) As l said once before today, l like your stock ana I am glad 1t Is not dying out. tLauenter and applause) As I came mp the street nothing pleased me as much as the school children drawn up alongside the line or march. We must remember that we leave this country in the hands or the children of today, and that the American of tomorrow will be what we train the boy or gilr to be.
 "Of course. gentlemen 1t is mere truism to say that the state, In the last analysis, depends upon the quality or it's average citizenship. If the average man is a straight and decent man, man of clean private life a good hnsoano, a good father-tender to those dependent upon him: able to do his civic duty, able, if the need should arise to do his duty in war also; If the average woman IN sweet and true, and wise and tenoer-a good wife, good mother-that state goes up, and if we haven't got that quality or private citizenship no material Weilare, no glitter of material well being VIII amount to anything. (Applause).
 Sound at Heart.
 q believe in the future of America pe- cause 1 believe that the average Amerlcah man, the average American womah' ls sound at heart, and that therefore we can count with safety upon ultimately solving alright the many and difficult problems with which we are brought face to face. Now, it is equally a truism to say that if the children are not well educated. if they are not brought up as they should me, the state will go down. We or thls generation have received splendid heri- tage from you men of the years from 6l to 65. Honor to us if we treat your great deeds as excuses for our own idle ness or folly (Appause)
 "I will be through now in just two minutes more. (Voice from the crowd: "Go on all night.') I would like to stay here indefinitely, but the trouble Is | am having such a good time everywhere, | that want to stay longer than can any 1 where.
 Education in Character. And, therefore, the future of the state depends upon the kind of child that to- day is being trained up to be the man of the future. When I speak of education, I don't mean only education In intelli- gence. That counts tremendously; but l tell you what counts more, and that Is education in character It is character that determines a nations progress in the long run. You know that-you of the civil war that was what counted. When the time of trial came, with the man on your right hand. or on your left, you were not so much concerned with how much he know, as you were with whether he had the right stuff fin him. Isn't that so? c'Right you are." from the veterans) You wanted to be sure that when the order was given to move forward he moved in the right direction. Isn't that SO? Now. let us be sure the child moves in the right direc tion You cannot put 1t all off on the teacher; If the father and mother neglect their duties, the teacher can only par tlally make the loss good.
 Another Lesson.
 Finally and in closing, my friends, let me draw one more lesson from the civil war; from the experience of the men of the civil war. In our growing indus trialism, there are certain to be some peo- pie who grow wealthy and arrogant, and other people who become envious because they do not grow wealthy. Now, l ask each American citizen in civil life to take example by the organizations of Union and Confederate veterans. Each man in
 
 really tried, found that In reference to his comrade, he could say but one thing, and that was that comrades worth as a man; that's what concerned him. and nothing else. And now in the organiza- ton of the veterans after the civil war. each halls the other as comrade. 'It makes no difference whether the man was a lieutenant general or whether he was the youngest recruit that served at the very end of the war. All that is asked Is: Did he do his duty in the place in which he was? If he did you are for him; if he didn't you have no comrade- 1 ship with him. l ask that the same lesson 1 that you of the civil war applied during i and since that war be applied by the rest 1 of us in civil life. I ask that we crush l alike the base arrogance of the rich man
 who would look down on his poorer l brother, and the equally base envy of the | poor man who would hate his richer | brother, and that you apply to every cti- l zen of this republic, just this one test = | the test that gauges his worth as a man.
 Does he do his duty fairly by himself. his l family, his neighbor. the state and the l nation (applause) and if he does be for ] him. whether he Is rich or poor, because l if you are not you are recreant to the 1 spirit of Americanism. Great applause) | While the President was speaking his | attention was drawn to beautiful little 1 child held high In its fathers arms at the rightNpf the stand The child was dressed out prettiy in the colors of the Ameri- can flag. Now and then she would wave l a union jack at the speaker and cry out something gleefully. The President firted with the little maiden in good zest way ing his hand at her and saying Mice 1 klds!" more than once. The little 2-year- old beauty who attracted the Presidents s attention Is Maurlne Willows, the daugh- | ter of MT. and Mrs. Maurice Willows of No. 40 North Twenty-third street
 Presented With Badge. The moment the President ceased speak l Ing, former Governor Joseph F. Johnston rose and in behalf of Camp Hardee. Con | federate Veterans, said that the camp, through it's sponsors, Miss Wittichen, Miss
 Elizabeth Jemison and Miss Johnston, l wished to present to the President a
 Confederate badge. Governor Johnston 1 said:
 Ut is made my duty. as 1t Is my pleas ure, MT. President, by unanimous vote of Camp Hardee No. 39, United Confeder- ate Veterans, to present to you these 1 young ladies, descendants of Confederate | soldiers and sponsors and maids of honor l of our camp, who will tender you a badge | of our camp
 l We do this to express to you respect l for the President of the United States; l our confidence In the courage. unsectional patriotism and generous impulses of | Theodore Roosevelt, and in apprecia ton ! of your many kndnesses to Confederate | veterans, and especially for the unsought honor recently conferred upon member | of the camp.
 We present this too sir, because we | hal ha Sto At,.v