New-York tribune., 1907-12-08
THE VANISHING FLEETS

C0rrr1sI fyoD- 11ys 10

THAN that. want vour advice / have been
a man with a dream, and that YOU may kno"
how much II has meant 20 me, l IA iiilS ll.,
YOU something OF myself. come OF a race
that for generations has gwen ITS blood Tor
country II was almost obhterdted IN tne
Wars Of the Revolution and u 1872 IN thr
great Rebellion there were nve men III my
family a father and four elicr brothers. tre
Youngest q mere lad who went % war as vol
unteers Some Of them never returned MY
father was brought back shattered by baTD-.-
risrn to die IN my mother arms ne ldd ".-'
had gone out with his drum came DiCA %
drag out only few wrctched months ol 9'''S'-
NV home Wa on the border land, where
men fought backward and forward across our
fields" He paused t0r moment a Il tHe
memory ot his childhood W.i9 goo ol''Sl ~.
r,c.lr,Itl.IatIon then went brlvelv on In
thas. years the sight ot ghdStly wor-llS and
cruel death was before me sometimes daily
but never Jar removed. When peace came
there was nothing left 10 nv mother ort her
r,v.lrret farm her bitter poverty. and her one
~ oh y was a nightmare. gentlemen. that
never dImmcd' II was a memory th.'t never
left me Is hard wrrkIrg. poorly clad. AMI
sometime, hungry ! grew - MANHOOD AIF
mother went IS ,i1i thousands 81 other widows
r,il.i. bv wJr. - an early grave Ptei,l-i'-i-'-
worn out bv work and grlct
Tn. Ii1ptgItc5 were down at last Ills re-
preston wls going. dul he rose . MS feet De
hrud his desk trembling n every hoeT. ana
with white. quiverius lips In the stiffness
of the. room ne stood thus Tor an instant
then his teeth suddenly came together WIN
a click and his fi<t came down upon the table
in one quick. hard blow OF emphasis
Do YOU wonder he SAID. that / swore
~ owe. nv life. % peace Is Il strange that
who have suffered have taken unusual means
20 keep Others from suffering as / and mime
h4ves | have invited YOU here not as the
President Of a nation. but as man % man -
htID me -aTl-cui -to-wIr
.fl.s' '.T.r I'M
bitten Oft with sharp emphasis AMI tccentu'tei
by a ti,t which beat tune The kInE wts sud-
denly conscious that he had leaned forward IN
his chair So lar that nothing but the tense
grip II his hands upon the arms had heid MN
down In all his vcIr> he hId witnessed no
such scene ot emotion as Tins. nor heard a more
earnest appeal
The President as If rcgrcttinE hi lack "
control. settled wcIuiy INTO ms seat lie
had eaiI things III 4 way that n any other
man would have been undlgultIcd but he.
inspired by the grandeur ut his purpose ttliei
70 realize that an angel with flaming sword
could scarcely have been more impressive lie
hai been addressing no ordinary lulichce-
Before him was an august ruler. OUT more
than that. a great man. And III the huNH
which followed. the sovereign rose from hlS
seat. stepped across - the desk, ana Tor one
Of the few times III his lie gave untrImueled
vent To his feelings as a man tie put hIS
hand out across the polished mahogany top
aS ths. tall form Of the President Strengthened
up Their hands met one strong grip 81
understanding. and they looked SquIrely INTO
each others eyes, reading. conprchcudirS-
and binding themselves together III i common
purpose tor humanity.
II was not the etiquette which demands
that all men shall stand when 4 King on his
feet that brought the Others from their chars,
erect brcathlrsS. and uotIOnlcSS. II WAS
rather the impulsIve respect and vencrdtIpn
due 10 two great minds which before their
very eyes were entering an unwrlttcn compact
Tor a high and noble cause.
Once more thcv took their seats but now
by the subtle alchemy ot humanity they drcw
their chairs together They were no longer
rulers and subjects. EnglIShmen and Amcrl-
cans but men inspired with magndniuItY
toward all their fellow beings They were on
a Godlike plane. reasoning out mofnentous
plans involving the nations OF the world and
all mankind From their combined fund OF
knowledge they evolved methods which were
to strengthen the weak and put IN leash the
strong
All reckoning of time was lost IN this review
| of what hal been accomplished and what was
70 be done The night Paled, the sun crept
up the light5 of the darkness were eXtingulShed,
and the day advance. !. without their needing
1t. The last tentative clause was signed. and
each knew the part which his country must
/ play Again they were AL upon their feet