The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-03-04

the ages, and yet we have had to pay
few of the penalties which in old
countries are exacted by the dead
hand of bygone civilization. We
have not been Obliged to fight for
our existence against any alien race;
and yet our life has called for the
vlgor and effort without which the
manller and harder virtues wlther
away. Under such conditions II
would be our own fault II we failed;
and the success which we have had
in the past, the success which we con
fldently believe the future will bring
should cause in us no feeling of vain
glory, but rather deep and abid-
ing realization Of all which life has
offered us; a full acknowledgment of
the responsibility which Is ours; and
fixed determination to show that
under free government a mighty
people can thrive best, alike as re-
CARDS the things of the body and the
things of the soul.
Much has been given to us, and
much will rightfully be expected
from us. We have duties to others
and duties TO ourselves, and we can
shirk neither. We have become a
great nation. forced by the fact of
its greatness into relations with the
other nations of the earth; and we
must behave as beseems a people
with such responsibilities. Toward
all other nations. large and small,
our attitude must be one of cordial
and sincere friendship. We must
show not only in our words but in
our deeds that We are earnestly de
sirous of securing their good will by
acting toward them in n spirit of
just and generous recognition OF all
their rights. But justice and gen
crosby in a nation. as in an individu-
al, count most when shown not by
the weak but by the strong. While
ever careful to refrain from wrong
ing others, we must be no less in
sistent that we are not wronged
ourselves. We wish peace; but we
wish the peace of justice, the peace
of righteousness. We wish II because
we think IL is right and not because
we are afraid. No weak nation that
acts manfully and justly should
ever have cause to fear us, and no
strong power should ever be able to
single us out as a subject for inso-
lent aggression.
Our relations with the other pow
ers OF the world are important; but
still more important are our rela-
lions among ourselves. Such growth
in wealth, in population, and in pow
err as this nation has seen during the
century and a quarter of It's national
life is inevitably accompanied by a
like growth in the problems which
are ever before every nation that
rises to greatness. Power invaria-
bly, means both responsibility and
danger. Our forefathers faced GER
tain perils which we have outgrown.
We now face other perils the very
existence of which 1t was impossible
that they should foresee. Modern
life is both complex and intense,
md the tremendous changes wrought
by the extraordinary industrial de-
velopment of the last half century
are felt in every fiber of our social
and political being. Never before
have men tried so vast and formida-
BILE an experiment as that of admin
istering the affairs of continent UNI
der the forms of a democratic repub-
lie. The conditions which have told
for our marvellous material well-be-
ing, which have developed to a very
high degree our energy, self-reliance,
and individual initiative. have also
brought the care and anxiety insepa-
rable from the accumulation of great