Evening star., 1937-08-19
Text Of Presidents Speech
Redfrms Faith in Democracy and As,aa, Those
Insisting on Government by "Selected Glass;"
~ the Associated Press,

~ the Associated Press.
MANTEo, ROANOKE ISLAND,
N. C., August ls.-Following is the
text Of President Roosevelt's address
today at the celebration of the 35Oth
anniversary of Virginia Dare's birth:
Until recent years history was
taught as series OF facts and dates.
Today We are beginning to look more
closely into the events which preceded
those great social and economic and
political changes which have deeply
affected the known history of the
world.
For example, most of us older people
learned of Columbus voyages, of how
America came to be named-and we
jumped from there in our North Amer
lean history to the founding of James
town and of Plymouth-l4a2 to 1907
with mere passing reference to Roam
oke and perhaps to the voyage of
Verazzano.
1t has always been a pet theory
Of mine that many other voyages of
exploration and of trade took place
In that century along our American
shores We know that during the
same period the Spaniards eSta ablished
great colonies throughout the West
Indies, al Panama and other points
In Central America. and extended
their cities, their religious institu-
both the east and west coasts of South
America. 1t is unbelievable that
white men did not come scores of
times to what is today the Atlantic
seaboard Of the United States
Records May Be Found.
Some day perhaps a closer search
OF the records of the Seafaring towns
ei Britain and France and Flanders
and Holland and Scandinavia will re-
discover diScoverers Perhaps even it
Is not too much to hope that docu-
mentk in the old country and exca-
vations In the new may throw some
further light. however dim, on the
late of the lost colony" and Roanoke
and Virginia Dare.
II we are to understand the full
significance of the early explorations
and the early settlements. if We are
to understand the kind of world upon
which Virginia Dare opened her eyes
on that faraway August day in 1887.
We must ask why Western Europe
came to the New World.
1t was. in part, because the era
was an era of restless action. Under
the renaissance men experienced
great awakenings-theyw were fired with
restless energy to burst the narrow
bounds of the medieval conception Of
F the universe-to fare forth on voyages
Of exploration and conquest.
Many Were Adventures.
Many Of those who sailed in I'M
mense discomfort. in tiny ships, across
the Atlantic. were adventurers-some
of them seeking riches. some seeking
fame. some impelled by the mere spirit
of unrest. But most of them-the
men, the women and the children
came hither seeking something very
different-seeking an opportunity
which they could not find in their
homes Of the Old World.
We hear of the gentlemen of title,
who, on occasion. came to the Colonies, |
and We hear Of the gentlemen OF
wealth who helped TO fit out the ex-
petitions. But it is simple fact
which cannot too often be stressed
that an overwhelming majority of
those who came to the Colonies from
England and Scotland and Ireland
and Wales and France and Holland
and Sweden belonged to what our
British cousins would, even today
call "the lower middle classes" The
opportunity they sought was some
thing they did not have at home
opportunity freely to exercise their |
own chosen form of religion, op-
portunitv 10 get into an environment |
where there were no classes, op- |
portunity to escape from system
which still contained most of the
elements of feudalism
Had Courage to Progress.
This is not in derogaton of those |
pioneers. 1t is rather in praise Of |
them They had the courage, physi- |
eallv and mentally. by deed and word,
to seek better things to try to cap |
ture ideals and hopes forbidden to
them by the laws and rules Of their |
own home lands.
1t it well. too, that We bear in mind |
that in all the pioneer settlements |
democracy and not feudalism WAS
the rule. The men had to take their |
turn standing guard at the stockade
raised against the Indians The wom-
en- had to take their turn husking |
corn stored for the Winter supply OF
the community. Rules of conduct |
had to be established to keep private
greed or personal misconduct in check
/ fear very much that if certain mod
ern Americans, who. protest loudly
were suddenly to be given COM
|prehensive view of the earliest Ameri-
can colonists and their methods of
life and government, they would
promptly label them Socialists. They
would forget that in these pioneer
settlements were all the germs OF |
the later American Constitution.
Practical Democracy.
They would forget, too, that al |
Though in the days that intervened |
between Roanoke and jamestown and
plymouth, and the time of the Ameri- |
can Revolution itself, practical democ-
racy WAS carried on in the lives Of
the inhabitants OF nearly every COM |
nnnity in the 13 Colonies. 1t is true
that as commerce developed in the |
sea board cities, and as few great |
landed estates were set up here and
there. a school of thought parallel with |
the same school of thought in England |
made great headway.
1t was this policy which came into
the open in the constitutional con-
vention 81 1887; for in that conven-
ton there were some who wanted a
King there were SOme who wanted