The New York herald., 1922-07-05
Text of the President's Speech
at Centennial Fete in Marion

the tercentenary celebration of the
landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth a
year ago, and there was the constant
reminder that New England had pre-
ceded us two centuries in the making
of America. But there is a rather
more personal reason for the little
while" view. / became a citizen of
Marion forty years ago almost to a
day, and have been a resident of TIE
county just about fifty years. And 1t
ali has the seeming Of being but a lit
tie while, yet could almost qualify as
a pioneer.
The Marion I first saw in 1882 had
less than 1000 people. but my first inn
preston was that of much city, in
which I feared l should be hopelessly
lost. The industrial awakening had
not been given notable expression.
Edward Heuber had begun the indus
trial march, but HE was still strug-
Cling, as most Industries struggle be-
lore they are firmly founded.
Probably Marion was as countrified
IS l felt. but I did not know 1t was
my viewpoint. my limited vision,
which kept me from knowing. You
see, i came from the farm and village,
and the county seat of 1000 loomed
big In my vision, because / had seen
nothing greater. Surely it looked ten
times as large as it does to-day,
though the Marion of to-day is ten
times larger than then and twice ten
times as important in its relationship
to the world of human activities.
This confession Is meant to have
application. How important is the
viewpoint to all the impressions and
problems of life! The villager goes
to the great city, is confused by the
high tide of activities, and awed by
the complacency of those accustomed
to them, and 70 reveals himself pro-
vincial, and is SO designated. But
those who proclaim him are ofttimes
no less provincial, because they, too,
have the narrow vision; they do not
know the village and country life,
which is ever freshening and swelling
the current of our national life.
The early Marion had only the
viewpoint of the county civic and
trading center. until Industrial genius
flashed on the screen the picture of
factory production, balances OF trade
In larger circles, and the attending
advancements incident to greater
activities. 1t is not for me to detail
the expansion and transformation.
We are an outstanding Industrial and
commercial community to-day. and |
Join you In very great pride in the
Marion OF 1872, and wish for its accen-
tuated growth, magnified Importance
and larger social. educational moral
and patriotic attainments in the CEN
tury 10 come. II would little avail to
record more material enlargements
The consciousness of mental and
spiritual attainments readily fostered
by material growth is the real COM
pensation to be striven for
Let me turn my thoughts TO the
natal day of the nation. One hundred
and forty-six years have passed since
the prophetic beginning, and, 1t will be
patriotic thing to stop for RETROSPECT
ton and introspection, and circum-
spection. to take stock about our keep
ing of the legacy bequeathed by the
founding fathers.
In our international relations all Ia
well. They are ,ecurer to-day. with
more assuring prospects of peace than
ever before in the history OF the Re-
public. New guarantees have recently
been added by the very process of
exchanging viewpoints and bringing
the spokcsmen of great nations to the
conference table, and for the exchange
or views, and to resolve to do together
those fine and nobler things which no
one nation could do alone.
Frankly, we have a broader view
point than the founding fathers we
must have, because human progress
has altered our world relationship, but
we have held firmly to all the funda-
mentals to which they committed u.s.
We cannot be aloof from the world,
but we can impress the world with
American ideals. l mean 10 say il.
because 1t Is seemly to say Il, the
world believes to-day in American
national unselfishness as never before
and recognizes our commitment to
justice to be no less resolute than our
determination to preserve our liberties.
Even Russia, toward whom we re-
main aloof, except In sympathy and a
very practical proof thereof looks
upon America as friend and example.
But let us turn specifically to intro
spection. take stock among ourselves.
Materially, we have surpassed the
widest dreams Of the inspired
founders l saw the fifteen stared
flag the other day, the flag of 1912.
unfurled over Fort McHenry. during
the attack In which Francis Scott
Key wrote the star Spangled
Banner" Ohio made the fifteenth
star You can little guess the con-
trast between the blue field with fif-
teen stars and the same field with the
forty-eisht glittering stars OF to-day,