Evening journal., 1912-05-09
Senator SprouI Gives
Message of Optimism

actly the local conditions are, but | do
know that those OF us over in Pennsyl-
vania. who are near TO you, who come
here frequently, and who have a great in
terest in this community and in this
state, have regarded this monumental
project for a great road through Della
ware as one of the. greatest propositions
Of enterprising philanthropy ever sug-
gested in this or any other country
eve have been accustomed to making
knights of the road, that is the fellows
who have no property and no responsi-
bility, break stone and work on the
roads. but we never have succeeded in
getting man of great means to turn
his-attention to such, practical philan-
thropy.
Has Set New Pace.
Il think that your citizen here who
has made this suggestion to the State,
and which believe is still pending before
you has set a new pace, has madeSa
new mark for philanthropy in the United
States. where our wealthy men have set
the grandest record for philanthropy in
the world.
"And, gentlemen, it seems to me
that no single movement anywhere could
be fraught with any more Importance,
any more hope and more promise TO
community than has this for the State
of Delaware II seems to me that IL is
the one thing, the one great thing, that
Delaware needs Take Rhode Island for
instance. it is the smallest State, only
half as large as Delaware, it has not as
good soil as Delaware has, its climate
does not compare with yours. it is no
nearer to the great markets of the world,
it has no more natural advantages, It's
waterways and its railroads and its
beaches are not so good as those in Del
aware, and yet Rhode Island with One
half of the area has between TWO ana
one-half to three times the population
of Delaware
Delaware Can Excel
81 believe with more cooperation such
as has been laid out as the object Of
tonights meeting and with good roads
! in Delaware, with its natural advan-
tages, Delaware can excel almost any
other area Of a like amount in this
country in population and wealth. You
can support and employ and keep happy
more people here than the state of
Rhode Island can, and this beautiful city
/ Of Wilmington with its harbor and set
upon the hills. its salubrious climate and
]
may be a large city, n great deal larger
than the city Of Providence.
"Now, / don't know whether you have
been. as they used to say, Looking at
Gift horse little too close in the
mouth but certainly, any man, ! would.
anv other man who has two and a half
million dollars to give away to a philan-
thropic problem must be allowed some
right as TO say how and why his money
shall be spent II seems TO me that the
man who would stand out in favor Of
project OF this kind must feel some
thing like the citizen did in Pennsyl-
vauia. over in the hilly section, when
some orator. it may have been your
toastmaster Joe Marvel who may hava
addressed him and the rest of the crowd,
but after this man was through and
made a dramatic Democratic speech, h9
said, Now if there is a single man II
all this hall within the reach of m2
voice. who after having heard the arg1fs
ments that ] have made here tonight,
and the reasons ] have given still in
tends to vote a Republican ticket az
this next election. ! wish he would stand
up and tell me where he comes from
and what he feels like Nobody an
swered, and the speaker repeated. II
there is a single man that is going to
vote a Republican ticket at this next
election, | want him to tell me who he
is. where he comes from and how he
feels. There was a scrimmage in the
back OF the hall and a great big fellow
arose and said, Mr.. Speaker, since You
arc so persistent in what you say. and
demand TO know il there is any one
here who intends TO vote the Repubi-
can ticket at the coming election l
would say that | intend 20 vote the Re.
publican ticket. as ] have always done
in the past. My name is Bill Jones'
and ] come from back OF the third hill
Continued on Next Pare