Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-11

new State. when the Continental Con-
grcss, of which he was also a member,
declared the Thirteen States had be-
come q new and Independent nation.
since then Georgia has grown at a rate
even more astounding than the rate of
growth of the nation as a whole; her
sons have stood high in every field of
activity Intellectual or physical; and
rapid though her progress has been in
the past, it bids fair to be even greater
in the wonderful new century which
has now fairly opened.
Perhaps the very fact that l am half
southern and half northern in blood.
and that for many years ! was brought
into peculiarly close association with
the life Of the great West. makes it
natural for me to feel with intensity
the strong sense of kinship with every
portion Of our great common country,
which should be the birthright of every
true American. Since I have been
President I have visited every state
and territory within the borders of the
Union, save such as can only be
reached by sea. I have Travelled from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the
Great Lakes TO the Gulf. / have spoken
at country fairs, to colleges, to COM
mercial and business organizations, tn
associations OF professional men, to
labor organizations, to men of every
creed and parentase. The thing that
has struck me most has been the esq
Sentiai oneness, the essential unity o.
our people.
In the fundamentals I have found
American citizens to be just about the
same everywhere. In whatever locality
Of the country we live, whatever our
fortune or occupation in life, there
exist just about the same essential
good qualities and much the same
shortcomings in any gathering of our
citizens. Of course. each community
has its especial temptations. its espe-
cial shortcomings; and if it is wise
each community will try TO cure itself
rather than to cause heartburnings by
railing at the shortcomings Of sister
Community There is ample field for
| the reform energies of every one Of US
in his or her particular sphere Of home
| and neighborhood activity.
Not only is all Of this true as between
one community and another but IL IS
lust as true between one class of our
citizens and another. Now and then
we meet well-meaning people who have
| Il genuine horror anu uletu " al 1'Si
men and think of them as being set
apart by peculiar vice and iniquity.
| Now and then we meet equally we'll
meaning rich men who have an equal
Wy irrational dread Of those whom they
style "Iabor leaders" In each case L
think the hostility is in large part due
to a want of sympathy caused by COM
Ilete ignorance of the men who arouse
such distrust or anger. AS q matter
of fact. if we take a given number Of
mon Of large fortune and like num-
Der Of wage workers. we find that In
their essential human nature they are
all alike. In each group we find men
as wise and as foolish, as good and az
Lad as in the other group. Such be-
ing the case 1t is certainly well that, 50
far as possible, when the men of Civ
en- group, as whole, act in way that
we deem contrary to the public inter-
est we should treat the action as q
wrong TO be reme1ied rather than as
a wrong to be avenged. We ought
rot TO tolerate wrong. 1t Is a sign Of
weakness to do SO, and in its ultimate
effects weakness Is often quite az bad
as wickedness. But in putting a stop
to the wrong we should, so far as
possible avoid getting into an attitude
of vindictive hatred toward the wrong
doer. He may be morally to blame
and it may be necessary to punish him:
but on the other hand the wrong he
has committed may simply be due to
the existing condition OF things, to
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