Evening star., 1927-11-18

The text of President Coolidge's ad
dress before the Union League OF
Philadelphia last night was as follows
Members and guests of the Union
League: Both because of the condi
tions that brought the Union League
Of Philadelphia into existence, and the
patriotic devotion which has charac-
ferized its history for more than three
score years, it is especially gratifying
70 me to receive the mark of approba-
tion of my public services which it has
BESTOWED. Because it has so seldom
used this method in the expression OF
its sanction, it is the more precious to
those upon whom it is conferred. The
knowledge of your favor publicly de-
Clared will add increased force TO the
we'll known admonition, not TO be
weary in well doing, in the discharge
OF my office.
beginning its course in this very
month. in the perilous days Of the Ma
tion before the Emancipation had been
proclaimed. this league has rendered
most distinguished service during the
conduct of three wars and in the long
intervals of an even more glorious
peace. Those three conflicts nave
demonstrated that our Union was not
r. he broken asunder, that the reaches
of liberty were to be extended to in
cfude the Spanish islands of the At
lantic and the Pacific Oceans. and that
the standards of the free nations of
the world were to remain supreme
While each of these wars has marked
most important eras in our national
DEVELOPMENT, and has laid new foun-
dation of sound and firmly established
principles. vet it has been the activities
of our people in the pursuits of peace
that have raised our country to the
high position which we hold in the
world at large.
Has a Long History.
The Union League represents his
tory long enough, and series OF
events important enough, SO that you
may we'll gather once in each year to
commemorate its foundation. Every
body is ready to come to the support
of Abraham Lincoln now. Everybody
is for the Union now. But in the
Autumn of 1852 the situation was far
different. Not only were the Southern
States in arms and winning many vic
tories, but there were very consider
able elements in the North in sympa-
thy with them and loudly opposing
the prosecution of the war. 1t re-
uuired not only conviction, but no
small degree of courage openly and
publicly to resist their influence.
The most patriotic efforts were re-
uured to fill the ranks of the Army,
carry the weight of taxation, finance
the cost of equipment and supplies,
and bear all the other burdens of
fraternal strife. In that time Of deep
distress a little hand Of less than
score Of men met and determined to
associate themselves together to sup
port the Government of their country
and further the cause of national
vY1Y11o m
be followed in many other sections.
From such beginnings this great in
stitution has been created. 1t now
represents a membership running into
the thousands, holding an extensive
property, and eXerting profound In.
fiuence for sound principles of gov
ernment. If we seek for the main
motive which has produced these mar
velous results, we shall find that it
Is an abiding faith in America.
/ do not mean by America merely
that territory stretching from ocean,
to ocean between the Great Lakes and
lain there throughout the ages with
its rich plains and mighty forests, its
vast deposits of minerals, the far
reaches of its watercourses, and all
fits other natural resources. But, as
such, it cast no influence over the
lot Of humanity. 1t was only with
the coming of the white races Of the
seventeenth century that it began a
career which has raised it to its pres
ent place in the world. It's physical
attributes lay dormant until their
power was released by the hand Of
man.
Destiny of People.
America is much more than a geo.
graphical location. 1t is a combina-
ton and a relationship. 1t Is the
destiny of a masterful, pioneering peo-
pie, enduring all the hardships of
settling a new country, determined to
be free. 1t is the Declaration Of In
dependence and the Federal Consti-
tuition, with a system of local self
government 1t is the development of
the farm, the factory, and the mine,
the crea ton of surprising COM
fnerce, and the opening of vast lines
of travel by sea and land, with broad
ening opportunity for education and
freedom for religious worship. Our
country is the result of incomprehens-
ible triumph, comforting upon its own
people untold material and spiritual
rewards and indirectly raising the
standards of the world. It is a COM
bination of all these elements, with
their past history and their present
aspirations, that we refer to as
America.
This Nation today cannot he COM
pared with what it was in 1862. Rock
ed with war, the South clinging to
slavery. parts of the North tinged
with disloyalty, Europe saying that
the bubble republic was about to
break, and in many quarters openly
rejoicing in that prospect, our count
try presented anything but an attrac-
tive appearance. 1t could not be de.
MED that under such conditions there
was some reason for apprehending
that the Government, the institutions
and the organization of society which
had been established here were not
sound and could not gather sufficient
ennnort for their perpetuation. Yet,