Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-05
BRIAN SPEAKS IN LONDON
Nebrasksn Makes Principal Address at
Dinner Of American Society,
WHITE MANS BURDEN is HIS THEME
Christian Nations Are Duty Bohnd to
Garry blessings of CiviliEa-
ton to Dark-Skinned
Races.

LDNDONs JulF w imam }. an was
the central figure at the annual Independ-
ence Day dinner of the American society
at the Hotel Cecil tonight. Nearly 500 mem
bers and guests surrounded the societys
board and checred patriotic sentiments
with the peculiar zest born of exile. Am
bassador Whitelaw Reid and Mr.. Bryan en-
gagged in some short but good humored
raillery and banter over political differences.
the crowd evncing its enjoyment of the
sport with cheers and shouts or laughter.
Mr. Reid, in responding 10 Sir w. b.
Richmond's graceful proposal OF his health,
said with reference to Mr.. Bryan: AT
home as a citizen, / have openly and
squarely opposed him at every stage OF his
conspicuous career. / am reasonably sure
that when 1 return home I shall continue
to do the same l believe he tonight Is as
we'll satisfied rs I am, though by different
reasoning, that the country we love and
try to serve has not been ruined by It's
gold abroad. AS the official representative
of the American people without distinction
Of party. am glad to welcome him here
as a typical American whose whole live
has been lived in the daylight and one
whom such q great host OF my countrymen
have long trusted and honored."
Mr.. Bryan, rising, amid laughter and
cheers. said:
1.-The temptation to make a political
speech is strong within me. have not had
a chance TO do so for ten months How
ever. l will restrain myself. With reference
to the ambassadors remarks on gold, I
wish to say that when l see the progress
my country has made walking on one leg
I wonder what It would have done walking
on two legs. II is pleasing TO testify that
the ambassador not only fought me, but
that he has done II well. No American
rejoices more than that he is 5000 miles
from his base. While abroad I have met
many good epubicans--holdng ofice-and
I only wish there were enough offices abroad
| to take all the republicans out of the coun-
try"
Chairman +. w Jones proposed the
health of King Edward and Hayward
Greenwood. president Of the Canadian So
ciety and member Of Parliament for the
city of York. proposed the health of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. When they arose TO drink
! to the toasts the crowd discovered Mrs.
Nicholas Longworth in the gallery and
cheered and drank her health.
MIR. Bryan's speech.
Following the passage between Ambassa-
dor Reid and MIR. Bryan, the, latter read
his formal speech as follows:
| The memory of the evening spent with
| the American society, Thanksgiving day,
/ two and half years ago, is such pleas
ant one that L esteem myself rOrtuna -
be able to accept the invitation so kindly
% dor Hon oW9bit WbitelSw avn FeId sIdsI 10 ''"o be Your
| guest Of this occasion. Our Engi.Sn
! friends, under whose flag we meet to-
| night, recalling that this is the ami
yersary OF our nations birth, would
! doubtless pardon us il our rejoicing con-
| tanned something oS selt-congratulatlOh,
| for II is at such tmes as this that We
are wont to review those national
| achievements which have given to The
United states its prominence among the
| nations. But l hope / shall not be thought
! lacking in patriotic spirit If, instead II
| drawing picture of the past, bright with
heroic deeds and unparalleled in progress,
| l summon you rather to serious Cunslu-
! Grafton of the responsibility restin upon
! those nations which aspire to premier
| ship. This line of thought is suggested
| by sense of propriety well a by re-
/ cent 6xperiences-by a sensee of propriety
becaTse such a subject will interest the
! recent experiences because they nave inn
| pressed me not less with our national
/ duty than with the superiority of western
! over eastern civilization.
Asking your attention 70 such a theme,
! it is not uniting to adopt phrase
well as England can lay some claim, and
take for my text "The White Mans Bur-
dem"
Take up the white mans burden.
In patience TO abide,
To veil the threat of terror
And check the show OF pride.
BY open speech and simple,
hundred times made plain,
! To seek anothers profit,
And work another's gain
! white Man Especially Favored.
Thus sings Kipling, with the exception
of the third line Cthe meaning of which
| | am not quite sure) the stanza embodics
! the thought which rs uppermost in my
( mind tonight No one can travel amt;.S
/ the dark skinned races OF the orient with
f mt faalfuR that the white OgclIT 10
I am especially favored position among the
/ children of men, and the recognition oI
tion that there is duty inseparahIy CON
| nected with the advantages enjoyed.
There is a white mans burden-a burden
which the white man should not shlrk,
even If he could-a burden which ne
could not shirk even If he would. That
no one liveth unto himself or dieth unto
! himself has a national as well as an In
| d!Yidual application. Our destinies are so
interviewer that each exerts an influence
directly or indirectly upon all others,
How influence is E1erted.
Sometimes this influence is unconsciously
| exerted. as when, for instance, the good or
I bad precedent set by one nation il dealing
with its own affairs is followed by some
other nation. Sometimes the influence Is
incidentally eXerted, as when, for example
a nation in the extension OF its commerce
introduces it's language and enlaTges the
horizon of the people with whom II trades
This incidental benefit conferred by the
| opening of new markets must be apparent
| TO any one who has watched the stinulat-
| ing influence OF the new ideas which have
| been introduced into Asia and Africa
I through the medium Of the English Ian
guage. This is not the mother tongue Of
Z very many OF the worlds leaders In re-
| lgion, craftsmanship, science and litera-
: ture, but IL has received through transla-
tion the best that has been written and
spoken in other countries. He who learns
! this language. therefore. Is like one who
lives upon a great highway, where he comes
/ into daily contact with the world. With
| out disparaging other modern languages
II may be said with truth that whether
one travels abroad or studies at home
. there Is no other language so useful at
the present time as that which we employ
/ al this banquet board and the nation
! which is instrumental in spreading this
! language confers an inestimable boon even
though the conferrng OF II be not included
IN It's general purpose. England has rend-
cred this service 70 the people OF India and
the United States is rendering the same
service to the people Of the Philippines
while both England and the United States
have been helpful TO Japan and China in
this way
Benefits Must BE COnscIous
But the advanced nations cannot content
themselves with the conferring OF incidental
benefits, IL they would justify their lea der
ship they must put forth conscious and
constant effort for the promotion OF tie
welfare OF the nations which lag behind
Incidental benefits may follow even though
the real pUrpOga OF uafiOu - uyh,i1,.