Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1907-03-08

E ssTtS'
Il The following address of Ex-
! President Grover Cleveland, at the
>, Union League club Of Chicago
was delivered Friday afternoon
February 22nd:
The American people are but
little given to the, observance 81
public holidays. This statement
cannot be disposed of by the allie.
cation that our national history is
too brief to allow the accumulation
of the days deserving CIVIC COM
memoration. Though it is true
that our life as a people, accord
ing to the standard measuring the
existence of nations, has been a
short one, it has been filed with
glorious achievements; and though
it must be conceded that it is not
given to US to see in the magnify
ing mirage of antiquity, the exag-
gerated forms of American heroes,
yet In the bright and normal light
shed upon our beginning and
growth, are seen grand and herioc
men who have won imperishable
honor and our everlasting remem-
brance. We cannot therefore ex-
cuse lack of commemorative in
clination and a landguide interest
in recalling the notable incidents
Of our country's past under the
plea of lack of commemorative
material; mol, can we in this way
explain our neglect adequately to
observe days which have actually
been set apart Tor, Che especial
maaisfeststion of our. having ap-
preciakion OF -the lives and the
deeds OF Americans, who in crises
of our birth and development have
sublimely wrought and nobly en-
dured.
If we are inclined to look for
other excuses, one may occur to us
which, though by no means salts
tying, may appear. to gain some
what fanciful plausibiity by reas-
on Of its reference to the law of
heredity. II rests upon the law of
the theory that those who secured
for american nationality its first
foothold, and watched over its
weak infancy, were so engrossed
with the persistent and - unescap-
able 3 lahors that pressed upon
them. and their hopes and aspira-.
tons led them 40 constantly to:
thoughts Of the future that retro
nearly became with theIns
an extinct faculty, and that thus it.
maJy have hap ened that exclusive:
absorption in things pertaining to
the present and future, became SO,
embodied id their natures Il as { to
constitute a trait of~character de-
seendible to their posterity even
tofhe present generation. -
There is another reason which
might be advances in mitigation
ofsour lack of commemorative en-
thasiasm which is SO related. to.
our pride Of Americanism, that il
wsscould be certain of its. suficien,
cySwe would gladly accept it as
conclusive. Z It has to do with the
sunxlerlying qualities and motives
off, our free institutions: Those
Institutions had their birth !: and.
Nurture In nnseIfish patriotism
and nnreserved consecration; and
BY lleeree az: 4 IA d yond recall
or ,ehangeasst their per etnit and
benef cience are cendil toned on.
the seonst devet ien and singles;
hearted loyalty OF those til whom
their blessings are youch safed.
But after all why should we at,
tempt to delude ourselves i am
comic lent that dice yoar con y
victIons when / say that no play
OF ingenuity and d amount Of
spediaI plead can frame an
3absolnte q credib BE excuse for sour
remiasness III app opriate holiday
Observance 81 s.s IN AZ
The eommemor ation offsII he day
on which American independence
was born has been allowed to- lose
much of its signif cance ass a re-