The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-07-07
PRESIDENT AsBRFssEs PfsFlE
At OYSTER BAY.
People Should Fight Against
Wrong But Should Carefully
Avoid Any Spirit of Vindictive-
ness In Furnishing Those Who
Commit Trespasses.

-
ardship in a review of the year for the
benefit of his neighbors today. He
spoke in the open air, and nearly all
of his important utterances were de-
livered during a heavy downpour of
rain. When he had finished, both he
and his thousand or more auditors
we're drenched. None deserted the
celebration.
The rain came suddenly and there
was no shelter in sight, and when the
president paused while umbrellas we're
raised he remarked good-naturedly
II am sorry for you. ladies, but
ashamed of you men because you are
afraid you will melt"
There was no doubt that the presi-
dent enjoyed the downpour. When
the first shower came he allowed him
self to be covered with rubber cape,
but just as he had thrown it of it
poured again, and this time he took
the wetting.
Bears No Malice
To emphasize that his acts as presi-
dent had been free from malice, he
begged pardon of the dominies and
took = text from Lincoln to emphasize
his point. The sentiment OF this text
ran through his entire speech. and
when he said he would ''curb the
trusts" he emphasized that in doing
this duty he would act without favor
or malice. Mrs. Roosevelt and the
children were present at the ceremon-
les. The president spoke in part AZ
follows:
''Mr. Chairman, and you, my old
friends and neighbors, you among
whom was brought up and with
whom have lived for so many years,
it h q real and great pleasure to have
the chance Of being with you today,
to say few words Of greeting to you
and, In . sense, to give an account of
my stewardship. Isay in q sense,
friends, because, after all, the stew
ardship really has to give an account
Of itself. if man needs to explain
overmuch what he has done, it is
pretty sure proof that he ought to
have done it q little differently, and
so, as regards most of what I have
done, must let il speak for itself.
But there are two or three things
about which I want to talk to you
today, and If in the presence Of domin-
les may venture to speak from text,
shall take as my text the words of
Abraham Lincoln, which he spoke in
remarkable little address delivered
to band of people who were sur
rounding him at the White House
just after his reelection to the presi-
dency. He said Il quote from memory
only:
His Text From Lincoln
Z" In any great national trial here
after the men of that day as compared
with those of this will be as weak and
as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad
and as good. Let us therefore study
the incidents of this as philosophy
from which to learn wisdom, and not
as wrongs to be avenged, and he add
ed later in the speech a.. touching
characteristic expression Of his, saying
so long as / have been here have not
willingly planted thorn in any mans
breast.
Nov, friends, remember that Lin.
coin faced the greatest crisis that
this nation has seen since the revoiu-
tionary war, as great crisis a. d ma
ton can ever face, for it was q crisis
which, accordingly as the result vent
one way or the other, meant national
lie or national death. And yet, With
all his f1rm resolution of pttffofse,
with all the rinbending strength Of his
will, and with all the deep-seated in
tensity and sincerity of his belief
which could alone have borne him up
through trials such as those he had to
face, it was yet possible for him to say
with entire truth that he bore no ram
cor even to those who had gone hope
lessly wrong; that while endeavoring
ruthlessly to cut out the evil, he yet
did his work without hatred to the
doer Of the evil; that while never for
one moment binding himself to the
truth, to the philosophy Of what was
round about him, he yet did not treat
anything that was done against him
as ! wrong to be avenged. He treat
ed the wrong as calling for remedy,
not as calling Tor vengeance.
The Nations Problem
It is in just this spirit that we as a
nation, IL we possess the power Of
learning Alright the lessons to be taught
rs by Lincoln's life, will approach
our problems Of today. We have not
the same problems, not as great prob
lens, as those with which the men of
Lincoln's generation were brought
face to face, and yet our problems are
real and great, and upon the way in
which we solve them will depend
whether or not our children have
cause to feel pride or shame as Ameri-
can Gikiznna y
80, II We Of this generation do our
duty when face to face with our spec
ial industrial, social and political
problems, our children and our child
ren's children will be the better for it.
Il. we fail in our duty, il You men
hert Of middle life, you men with
children, II you fail in your duty, BY
lust so much Won add To tha waiOhk ~ |