The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-06-16

the emancipator is the pacihcator of
the world.
Thus is the nation accomplishing
the destiny of Democracy. The COM
handing fact OF the modern age is
the spread of intelligence. The
schoolhouse has conuered ignorance.
The printing press has transformed
the purposes and capacities OF man. 7
Education has qualified him for bet
ter existence. The Bible has made
him a moralist. Men know that the
world is big enough to support the
human family in peace and comfort
Men know that the great problem of
peace and comfort is not yet solved.
They know that it cannot be solved
by the savagery of war. They know
that, its solution is obtainable only in
conditions of peace, reason and a
practical morality. This state OF
knowledge is the browning achieve
ment of progress.
The American experiment of self
government has stood the test. The
achievements of the American system
are known of all men and felt through
out the world. The United States is
the worlds asylum. Here all races,
all conditions, all creeds are assimi-
lated, helped, elevated. and men are
made into self-governing men. In
America justice has made its great
est progress, because it is progress in
which all men have part. That
form of government which affords the
fullest opportunity for happiness and
comfort is destined to be the univer-
sal form. Such is the resistless syl-
logism of progress. War cannot stop
its inevitable march. The opinion of
all men is more potential than the
opinion of one man. The best opinion
of the best men, by the force of ex
ample and mutually Of interest, be-
comes the opinion of all men. Amer
lean opinion is embodied in man of
peace. American opinion is marching
through the world.
When the Imperialism of Europe
cast the iron dice of destiny, Ameri-
ca threw the moral dice of destiny.
America staked the principles of her
Justice. There they stand in untarn-
ished integrity in the gaze of strick-
en- world. The intelligence of men
grasp the meaning of America Her
example will readjust the relations of
men everywhere. The aspirations of
men are for freedom Men and wom-
en- can and should rule themselves.
The day when they rule themselves
war will disappear. The hand of Di-
vinity has so written it in the needs
and necessities of humanity made in
Its image.
America, prosperous, pea ce flu |,
blessed, is so because the inscrutable
purposes of God intended it. The con-
trast between Europe in flames and
suffering and the United State speace-
full and prosperous is the divine con-
trast. By saving the American sys-
tenn civilization is saved. The peace
of America demonstrates the folly of
war. The PARTICIPATES of Democracy
furnish the means of avoiding and
preventing war. The universal intel.
ligence of men DEGREES that the war
now devastating Europe shall be the
last war.
/ Sons of America, keep unsullied the
sacred shrine of peace, through whose
portals will yet pass arm in arm the
crowned head and the humble pea
SAINT in silent worship of God.
Out of the ruins and sufferings of
the present conflict will arise tenn
pie of justice whose dome will be
the blue vault of heaven; its illum-
inants the eternal stars; its pillars
the everlasting hills; its ornaments
the woods and bountiful fields; its
music the ripplping rills, the song of
birds, the laughter of happy child.
hood; its diapason the roar of mills
and the hum of Industry; it's votaries
the peoples of the earth; its creed, on
which hangs all the law and the
prophets, Love thy neighbor as thy.
SELF" Above its affairs in inefface.
able color will live eternally the Wis.
ion of its artificer.
] Therefore, my fellow countrymen.
not !, but his deeds and achievements
not !, but the spirit and purposes OF
America; not l, but the prayers of Just
men; not |, but civilization itself
dominates to succeed himself to the
presidency of the United States, to the
presidency of hundred million free
people, bound in impregnable union
the scholar, the statesman, the finan
cier, the emancipation, the pacificator
the moral leader of democracy, Wood
row Wilson.