Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-03-06

been granted to lay the foundations
of our national life in a new cont
nent- We are the heirs OF the ages
and Yet we have had to pay few OF
the penalties which in old countries
are exncted by the dead hand OF by
gone civilization. We have no, been
obliged to ngnt for our existence
against any alien race: and yet our
life has called for the vigor and effort
without which the manlier and hard
Ter virtues wither away. Under such
conditions II would be our own fault
If we failed. and the success which
we nave had in the past the success
which we confidently believe the fu-
ture Will bring. should cause In us no
feeling of vain-glory, but rather a
deep and abiding realization of all
which life as offered us; a full ac-
knowledgement OF the responsibility
which is ours: and fixed determine.
ton TO show thar under a free gov
eminent a mighty people can thrive
best, alike as regards the things Of
| 'Ht b'hN ahu Anf tullks OF the soul.
Much has been given to us, and
much will rightfully be expected from
MS. We have duties TO others and
duties to ourselves: and We can snirk
neither. We have become great ma
ton. forced by the fact of Its great
ness into relations with the other ma
tons of the earth; and we must be-
have as beseems people with such
esponsibilities. Toward all other ma
tons. large and small, our attitude
| must he one of cordial and sincere
| friendship. We must show not only
in our words but In our deeds that
We are earnestly desirons of securing
their good will by acting toward them
in spirit of just and generous rec
| ognition of all their rights. But JUS
| tice and generosity in nafion, as In
| an individual. count most when shown
moi by the weak but ny the strong
| While ever careful TO refrain from
wronginG others, We must be no less
insistent that we are not wronged
| ourselves. We wisn peace, but we
wish the peace of justice, the peace
| If righteousness. We wish 1t be-
cause We think it is right and not be-
cause we are afraid. No weak nation
that acts manfuliy and justly should
ever have cause TO fear us, and no
strong power should ever be able to
single us ont as subject for insolent
aggression.
Our relations with tine other pow
ers of the world are important; but
stlll more important are our relations
among ourselves. Such growth In
wealth, in population, and in power
as this nation has ssep during the
century and quarter Of Its national
life is inevitably accompanied by 4
like growth in the problems whicn
rises TO greatness. Power invariably
means both responsibility and danger.
Our forefathers faced certain perils
which we have outgrown. We now
face other perils the very existence
of which it was impossible. that they
should foresee. Modern life is both
complex and intense, and the tremen-
dous changes wrought by the extra
ordinary Industrial development Of
the last half century are felt In every
fiber of our social and political being.
Never before nave men tried so vast
and formidable an experiment as that
of administering the affairs Of con-
tinent under tne forms of demo-
| cratic republic. The conditions which
have told for our marvellous material
well-being which have developed 10
a very high degree our energy. self
reliance. and individual initiative.
| have also brought the care and an
xiety inseparable from the accumu-
| lation of great wealth In Industrial
centers Upon the success OF our ex-
pertinent much depends; not only as
regards our own welfare, but as re-
| CARDS the welfare Of mankind. II we
| fail. the cause of free self-government
| throughout the world will rock to its
| foundations: and therefore our re-
1 SpDUSlUllllN is HtdNNs " outnciNcns ~
| the world as 1t is today. and to the
generations vet unborn. There is no
good reason why we should fear the
future, but there is every reason why
we should face 1t seriously, neither
hiding from ourselves the gravity OF
me problems before us nor fearing to
approach these problems with the I'M
bending, unfinching purpose to solve
them Alright.
Yet. after all. though the problems
are new, though the tasks set before
us differ from the tasks set before
our fathers who founded and preserv-
ed this republic. the spirit In which
these tasks must be undertaken and
these problems faced, II our duty is
to be well done. remains essentially
unchanged We know rnat seHsov'
ernment is difficult. We know that
no people needs sucn high traits Of
character as that people which seeki
,