The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-21

You will say We wish to ce'cbra'. the
memories Of that time to which we lool'
back with such pride. when our fathers
with singular wisdom OF counsel and
stoutness Of heart, undertook 70 st ",
an independent nation ou this side cf
the water but il IL very much more i'm
portint that We should remind ourselves
Of the elements with WhiCn our fore
fathers dealt.
There were only 5000. 900 citizens ~
that original republic Of the United
States Of America. Now there are lur
00o, ,ooo. II is a long cry back To ihus..
modest beginnings: not only great periol
OF time. but great period OF pro
found change. separates us from tha'
time. AID yet | would remind you that
the same elements were present thei,
that are present now.
What interests my thoughts more
than anything else about the United
states Is that Il has always been ~
process II being made ever since tho
little beginning and that there have Al
ways been the came elements In tho
process.
AT the outset there was Ia the hearts
OF the men who led the movement 70"
independence a very high and handsome
passion for human liberty and fre. IN.
st'tutlons. And yet there lay before then,
a great continent which i, was ncres
sary Ia suhduc g the uses uf cN.liza-
ton II they wer" go.ug - hu.i upon !t
n great STATE among the family of ma
t!onS
u heard / preacher once roint ouI
tho very interesting circunHtanco that
our Lords Prayer begins with the peti-
t!on for our daily bread from whci
he drew the inference that It is very
difficult TO worship God on an empty
stomach AMI that the material founda-
tons Of our lie are the first foundl.
tions.
what want 10 call your attention
10 IL tina, THIS country ever since tha,
time has devoted practically all of ity
attention, perhaps too much of its at
tentiOn. to tho material foundation o.
~ life 10 subdung this continent to thu
uscg of the nation and TO tho building
up Of a great body of wealth and ma
terial power,
IL lind some men who when they TIM.
~ America, do not thiuk of dUytniui
else but that but. my friends. there have
been other nations just As rich and Jus,
as powerful IN comparison with the 9TH.
nations OF the world as the lr.tcd stale
.s, and ii is great deal more ;mpor
tant that we should determine what W.
are going to do with our power than thaI
we should possess II.
You must fcnenbtr, therefore, IN"
elements with which We are dealing
sonnet ines those Of us who were born II!
this part of the country persuade our.
selves that this IL the characteristics par
of America. Here NOR than ANYWHERE
else has been preserved a great part 90
the original stock which settled In this
country, particularly that portion of t.."
stock which came from tlr Br't'Sh Isles
Il am not meaning tn exclude Ireland
81 md a great many OF my friends
who live in New England imagining that
the history OF this country IL merely tho
history OF tn" expansion or New LEE
land and that Plymouth Rock Les ~
! the foundation of our institutions
"As a matter Of f''t my fellow ctii-
2ens. however mort tyug Il may be e.
them or to us. America dJd not come ou'
OF the South. and II dib not com" out OF
New England
THE chara ct'risilc port uf America
originated IN the Middle Sil''s of Sew
York and PcrnrylNautl WJ Sew l"rs,'
because there, from the tr"f N.- Hl'
mixture Of population" tn'' "'.'" q
racial stoca.'. '.-at .","'.,.. . H..' '.-r