The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-25

New York. December p With three
governors, TWO college presidents, an
admiral Of the United States navy. a
bishop and distinguished explorer as
its principal guests. the New England
society OF New York tonight celebrated
its one hundred and first anniversary
with q banquet at the Waldorf Astoria.
The big ball room Of the hotel was
decorated with flags and bunting and
Immediately behind the chair OF Pre5i-
dent Austin g. Fletcher was a large
framed picture of the seal Of the So
ciety
The toast. "Forefathers' Day" was
responded to by Bishop Lawrence;
"Sectionalism and Nationality" was tie
topic assigned TO President Alderman.
President Alderman said thai he
brought the greetings and good will
OF the old dominion and her daughter
states to New England. He reviewed
ut length the elements which entered
into thc makeup Of the two people, the
puritan III the north and the cavalier
in the south. with the Scotch-lrIsn
strain added, both becoming believers
i'll liberty, the northern branch in midi
TIduaI liberty and the Virginian in the
liberty Of local se,f-gOveinment and the
right TO regulate his own affairs. These
different view points when applied 10
ffif negro question brought on the war
Touching on state rights. President
Alderman said:
The doctrine of states rights, is !
again engaging the attention Of this
republic because mightier forces than
war are whaling this old issue under
new enemies and those who understand
it best and love it dearest and VIII
fight for it longest, are those who I've
in the states where devotion to it unce
had power to separate them from Il
country they had fought to found
There is nothing stranger Or more in
terasting in political history than me
recurrence of this best loved dogma OF
the south, unconnected with secession
and unGonfused with slavey, as nnce5-
gary to federal union and human free
dom.
IL. as Mr. Root thinks, the struggle
is ON between the growing power OF 1At
federal government and the decreasing
on the southerner to be On the sd,
OF maintaining the just balance; NJ
American sees more clearly than ht
lust what is the vital spot in the liberty
of a state | interpret Mr.. Root
speech as Il prophecy and warni19
rather than as plea for centralizatcn
The drift that way is unQueStOned
Will the states let the drift continue
When race riot OCCURS, there art
oYtcries and loud voices and some sink
.ug of heart, for the wise men know
how hard it is to distinguish betweei
the moral and economic phases OF Suci
a problem as that which produces thos
outbreaks | dare to say here tonlgh
Nat. the people Of the south .tre hand
1iAg the problems Of the African, Whicl
4ss; both marred and moulded n
national development for three hundre
wears, as wisely as any people on cart
could hope to do in the first generatto
of African freedom and in time Q
human foment and struggle IN a
lands. Faithful men are at WORK ~
will continue at work to the end ina
ehe quality and breed OF our race Sha
not be allowed 10 detelrorate ana IN
quality of justice be allowed to beconi
cheapened. Upon the south rests II
burden Of the African and the pro'
lem of the integrity Of the race as upo
New England and her breed rests n
burden of assimilating the discontente
and aspiring of all lands
will the age-long antagonlsm d
tween New England and the south eY<
end? They are peoples Of long meme
ries, of stiff necks and perhaps VI
never lie down in lion and lamb Iasi
ion not is that necessary or deslrao
for the stability Of the republic OF u
grandeur of its ideals. rate on
drove them to war for their Ideals
Americanisn AS the struggle Tor IL
erty takes on new phases fate n'
bring them to understanding and syl
pathy"
Charleston, S. c., December 22.-II
of a