The sun., 1905-10-19

such great war closed II would be i'm
possible for the hundreds Of thousands
OF combatants to return to the paths Of
peace They. predicted .ceaseless dis
Of anarchy and despotism. But the good
sense and self-restraint Of the average
American citizen falsihed. these prophecies
The great armies disbanded. and the private
In the ranks, like the officer who had COM
manded him, went back to take mp the
threads OF his life where he had dropped
them when the call to arms came. 1t was
wonderful marvellous thing, in a country
conseorated to peace with but an in
finitesimal regular army, TO develop 30
quickly the huge hosts which fronted one
another between the James and the Potomac
and along the Mississippi and its tributaries,
But 1t was an even more wonderful, an
even more marvellous thing, how these
great hosts. once their work done, resolved
themselves into the general fabric of the
nation
THE souTHs WONDERFUL REVERSE.
Great though the need Of praise Is which
Is due the South for the soldierly valor her
sons displayed during the four years Of
war, think that even greater praise Is
due to her for what her people have accom-
plished In the forty years Of peace which
followed. For forty years the South has
desperate struggle. as she. has striven
for mora and material wellbeing. Her
success has been extraordinary, and
all citizens OF our common country
should feel joy and pride in it; for any
great deed done, or any fine qualities shown
reflects credit upon all Americans.
Only heroic people could have battled
successfully against the conditions with
which the people OF the South found them
war. There had been utter destruction
and disaster. and wholly new business and
social problems had to be faced with the
scantiest means. The economic and
political fabric had to be readjusted in the
midst Of dire want, of grinding poverty.
seemed beyond hope and II her sons and
daughters had been Of weaker fibre there
would in very truth have been no hope.
But the men and the sons of the men who
had faced with unfaltering front every
alienation Of good and evil fortune from
their wives and mothers. whose courage
and endurance bad reached an even higher
heroic level-these men and these women
set themselves undauntedly to the great
task before them. For twenty years the
struggle was hard and at times doubtful.
Then the splendid qualities Of your mani ood
and womanh ood told, as they were bound
to tell. and the " ealth Of your extraordinary
natural resources began to be shown, Now
tie teening riches Of mine and field and
factory attest the prosperity of those who
are all the stronger because of the trials
and struggles through which this prosperity
has come. You stand Loyalty to your
traditions and memories you also stand
to-day and for our common flag, which
symb olizes all that is brightest and most
hopeful for the future Of mankind, you face
the new age in the spirit OF the age. Alike
in your material and in your spiritual and
intellectual development, you stand abreast
Of the foremost in the worlds progress.
And now, my fellow citizens, my fellow
ms, exactly as all OF us. whether
We live in the East or the West, in the North
Or the South. have the right merely as
mericans to feel pride in every great deed |
done by any American in the past, and ex- |
actly as we are knit together by this COM
mon heritage OF memories, so we are knit |
together by the bond Of our common duties
n the present, our common interests in the
future.
Many and great problems lie before
Is. II we treat the mighty memories
IF the past merely as excuses for sitting
azily down in the present or Tor standing
aside from the rough work OF the world.
stead of blessing. But II we treat them as
believe We shall treat them. not as ex-
y,lses for inaction, but as incentives to mako
Is show that we are worthy OF our fathers
md Of our fathers fathers, then in truth
he deeds Of the past; will not have been
wasted, for thev shall bring forth fruit
in tho present generation. We
If this nation. we the citizens OF this
mighty and wonderful Republic, stretching
Icross a continent between the two great
st oceans, enjoy extraordinary privileges,
md as our opportunity is great, therefore
,ur responsibility is great. We have du-
les to perform both abroad and at home,
nd we cannot shirk either set OF duties
nd fully retain our self respect
GREAT Is AMERIcA-oREAT HER MISSION.
In foreign affairs we must make up our
minds that, whether we wish 1t or not. we
re a great people and must play great
art in the world. 1t is not open to us
O choose whether we will play that great
an decide Is whether we shall play it we'll
r iii. And have too much confidence
D my countrynaen to doubt what the de-