The Colorado statesman., 1910-09-03
COL. ROOSEVELT is ORATOR
AT OSAWATOMIE CEREMONY
lie Delivers the Chief Address at the Dedica-
tion of John Brown Park, Dscoursing of
the Present Day Struggle for
Human Betterment

a tract OF % acres on the Brounu
where the battle of Osawatomie was
fought % years ago yesterday, was
dedicated today and presented to the
state of Kansas. The elimination OF
the affair was the dedicatory address,
which was delivered by Col. Theo-
dore Roosevelt.
Preliminary exercises were held
yesterday, and the program was re-
sumed at 1890 this morning with
concert by the Thirteenth Regiment
band. followed by drill by troops OF
the Kansas National guard and the
regular army. Meanwhile Col Roose-
velt's train had arrived and all the
thousands of people assembled here
went to the station to greet him.
After dinner all gathered in the new
park, where there was parade by
the soldiery, the Grand Army
Woman's Relief corps and civic so
cieties and another band concert
Then, after a vocal solo by Miss Eliz-
abeth Uhls and an invocation, the
president of the board of trustees.
Cora NJ. Deputy, formally presented
the park to the state on behalf of the
Woman's Relief corps of Kansas,
which bought the ground. Governor
Stubbs responded gracefully for the
state. and then the chairman, ]. b.
Remington, introduced the distin-
guished orator of the day. former
President Roosevelt
Grafton by Colonel Roosevelt.
Col Roosevelt stood silent and smll-
ing until the storm of applause had
died down, and then spoke as follows:
There have been two great crises in
our country's history; first when 1t was
formed. and then again when II was per
petuated. The formative period included
not merely the Revolutionary war but
the creation and adoption OF the Consu-
under 1t. Then came sixty years during
which we spread across the continent
years of vital growth, but of growth with
out rather than growth within. Then
came the time of stress and strain which
eliminated In the Civil war. the period
OF terrible struggle upon the issue OF
which depended the Justification OF all
that had done earlier, and which
marked the second great period of growth
and development within. The name of
John Brown will be forever associated
with this second period OF the Nations
history; and Kansas was the theater
upon which the first act of the second of
our great National life dramas was play
ed. 1t the result of the struggle in
Kansas which determined that our coun-
try should be in deed as as well as in
name devoted to both union and freedom,
that the great experiment of democratic
government on National scale should
succeed and not fall. 1t was a heroic
struggle: and, as is inevitable with all
such struggles, II had also a dark and
terrible side. Very much was done of
good, and much also of evil: and, as was
Inevitable in such a period of revolution,
often the same man did both good and
evil. For great good fortune as n
Nation. we, the people OF the United
States as whole. can now afford to for
get the evil, at least to remember It
without bitterness, and to fix eyes
with pride on the good that was accom-
plished. Even in ordinary times there
are very few of us who do not the
problems OF life through a glass,
darkly. and when the glass is clouded by
the murk of furious popular passion the
vision of the best and the bravest is
dlmmed. Looking back, we are all Of us
now able to do justice to the valor and
the disinterestedness and the love OF the
right as to each II given to see the
right. shown both by the men of the north
and the men of the south in that contest
which was finally decided by the attitude
of the west. We admire the heroic
Valor, the sincerity, the self-devotion
shown alike by the men who wore the
blue and the men who the gray
and our sadness that such men should
have had to fight one another is temp
cred by the glad knowledge that ever
hereafter their descendants shall be found
lighting side by side struggling in peace
well as In war for the uplift of their
common country. all alike resolute to
raise to the highest pitch of honor and
usefulness the Nation to which they all
belong. As for the veterans of the Grand
Army OF the Republic. they deserve honor
and recognition such as is paid to no
other citizens of the Republic; for to
them the Republic owes Its all. for to
them 1t owes It's very existence.
Application Of the Lesson.
do not speak of this struggle OF the
past merely from the historic standpoint
Our interest is primarily in the appllca-
tion today of the lessons taught by the
contest of half n century ago 1t is Of
little for us to pay lip loyalty to the
mighty men of the past unless we sin
.cerely endeavor to apply to the problems
of the present precisely the qualities
which in other crises enabled the men OF
that day to meet those crises. 1t is half
melancholy and half amusing to the
way in which well-meanng soople gather
to do honor to the men who, IN company
with John Brown. and under the lead of
Abraham Lincoln. faced and solved the
great problems of the nineteenth CEN
tury. while at the same time these same
good people nervously shrink from or
frantically denounce those who are try
ing to meet the problemn of the twentieth
in the spirit which was accountable for
the successful solution OF the problems OF
Lncoln's time.
or that generation OF men. to whom we
owe so much. the man to whom we owe
the most is. OF course. Lincoln. Part of
.oe-r ~c3ebt to him is because he forecast
our present struggle and saw the way out.
He said:
Il hold that while man exists 1t is
,his 3nty to improve not only his own
condition but to assist in ameliorating
mankind" And again. Labor is prior
TO and independent of capital; capital is
only the fruit of labor and could never
have existed but for labor. Labor is the
ssnrorior OF capital and deserves much the
nni-l..,r ..nnsidern Canltal haS It's