Conservative. 9
opean nations are constantly iu trouble
between themselves by reason of dif
ferences and collisions arising between
their respective colonies. England and
Franco , England and Russia have been
again and again on the point of war
growing exit of such troubles. We shall
enter upon the same embarrassment and
bo exposed to all the complications and
dangers attending.
Neither is the incorporation of these
millions of ignorant Malays into our
national life as fellow citizens , even
through the probationary stage of terri
torial existence , freighted with less of
danger. The problem we have sought
to work out in this nation is that of
government of and by and for the pee
ple. A great nation xipon that principle
seems possible only under a federal sys
tem , a system which regulates all mat
ter of local interest to the several
states , and exercises through the na
tional government only those powers
and functions whicli make for the
general welfare. We have wonder
fully prospered in administering
such system in u compact , continen
tal territory , each part of which has
been possessed and controlled by a race
capable of self-government. Imagine
for one moment the outcome , if in this
compact , continental territory , all local
as well as national affairs were deter
mined and administered in the one na
tional capital at Washington. Ignor
ance of local needs would inevitably be
followed by the invasion of a lobby rep
resenting those needs , and Washington ,
which is even now shadowed by the
presence of enormous and conflicting
national interests seeking to influence
and control congress , would be turned
into one vast , monumental lobby camp.
The safety of government by the people
ple has been in local self-government.
The town meeting has perpetuated the
republic. Thus far the various states
entering this federal system have been
dominated by a race capable of self-gov
ernment. Introduce into that system
tomorrow a multitude of states whose
people are confessedly incapable of self-
government and you will bury it be
neath the burden of local incapacity.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest
link , and a federal system , some ol
whose links are composed of states in
capable of self-control , will , unless all
the laws of human action are reversed
break in pieces through the weakness of
the incapable links. We have had ter
ritories and kept them in a state 01
tutelage , but that status was continued
not until the residents thereof became
capable of self-government , but until the
number of the population was sufficient
to justify assuming the burdens of state
hood. Territorial organizations , proba
tionary as they are , for races incapable
of self-government hot only repudiate
the basic thought of the national life
but remain a constant and increasing
menace to its successful accomplishment
Who can tell how many centuries must
> ass before the savage and semi-civil-
zed races of these islands become fit to
assume the responsibilities of self-gov
ernment ? Is this territorial period to
> e permanent ? Who shall say how
oou the necessities of politics will trans
form a territory into a state ? And
vhen once brought into the Union we
mve links in the federal system so weak
; hat a very little strain will snap them.
In the Union as it stands we have ele
ments of no slight danger. We have
velcomed the emigrant from all parts of
the world , and in the cities of the North
we have an enormous population of the
owest orders of European life , unacquainted
with and unfit for
quainted self-govern
ment , and a great problem is how to
> ring these unfit masses into a helpful
addition to American life. In the South
we have the rapidly increasing colored
population , brought here as slaves ,
emancipated through the most awful
drain of life and money , elevated in ig
norance to citizenship , and every state
south of Mason and Dixou's line today
; rembles before -the unsolved question
of preserving intelligent self-govern
ment and at the same time guaranteeing
rights of citizenship to an ignorant mass.
With these problems resting upon and
aurdeniug the nation is it wise to throw
upon it the awful problem of dealing
with millions far more incapable of and
unused to self-government ? Can wo
expect to find safety in adding to our
difficulties ? Can we relieve against one
problem of dealing with ignorant and
unfit masses hero by adding millions
more to the problem ? This is no trifling
question and is not answered by any
gush about duty and destiny ; in fact ,
all this talk about destiny is wearisome.
We make our own destiny. Wo are
not the victims , but the masters , of fate ,
and to attempt to unload upon the
Almighty responsibility for that which
we choose to do is not only an insult to
Him , but to ordinary human intelli
gence. We are told we have become
so great and powerful that the world
needs us , but what the world most needs
is not the touch of our power , but the
blessings of our example. It needs the
bright example of a free people not dis
turbed by any illusions of territorial
acquisition , of pecuniary gain or mili
tary glory , but content with their pos
sessions and striving through all the
abilities , activities and industries of
their wisest and most earnest to moke
the life of each individual citizen hap
pier , better and more content.
My friend , two visions rise before me :
One of a nation growing in population ,
riches and strength ; reaching out the
strong hand to bring within its domin
ion weaker and distant races and lauds ;
holding them by force for the rapid
wealth they may bring with perhaps
the occasional glory , success and sacri
fice of war ; a wondrously luxurious
life into which the fortunate few shall
enter ; an accumulation of magnificence
which for a term will charm and dazzle ,
and then the shadow of the awful ques
tion whether human nature has changed ,
and the old law , that history repeats
itself , has lost its force , whether the
ascending splendor of imperial power is
to bo followed by the descending gloom
of luxury , decay and ruin. The other of
a nation , where the spirit of the pilgrim
and the Huguenot remains the living and
controlling force , affirming that the
declaration of independence , the farewell -
well address of the Father of his Coun
try and the Monroe doctrine shall never
pass into innocuous desuetude ; devoting
its energies to the development of the
inexhaustible resources of its great con
tinental territory ; solving the problem
of universal personal and political lib
erty , of a government by the consent of
the governed , where no king , no class
and no race rules , but each individual
has equal voice and power in the control
of all , whore wealth comes only as the
compensation for honpst toil of hand or
brain , whore public service is private
duty ; a nation whose supreme value to
the world lies not iu its power , but in
its unfailing loyalty to the high ideals
of its youth , its forever lifting its
strong hand , not to govern , but only to
protect the weak ; and thus the bright
shining which brightens more and more
into the fadeless , eternal day.
Brethren , Ebal and Gerizim are be
fore us. Might and right stand on
either side with their great appeals.
To every ninn and nation conies the moment to
decidH.
In the strife of Truth with Falsehood , for the
good or evil side ;
Careless seems the grout Avenger ; history's
pages but record
One death-grapple in the darkness "twixt old
systems and the Word ;
Truth forever on the scaffold , Wrong forever
on the throne ,
Yet that scaffold sways the future , and , behind -
hind the dim unknown ,
Standeth God within the shadow , keeping
watch above His own.
Wo BOH dimly in the Present what is small and
what is grpat ,
Slow of faith how weak an arm may turn the
iron helm of fate ,
But the soul is still oracular ; nnd amid the
market's din ,
List the ominous stern whisper from the Del
phic cave within ,
"They enslave their children's children who
make compromise with sin. "
Paraphrasing in part the invocation
which attends the opening of the su
preme court , God save the United States
of America and keep them from the
road so often traveled by nations , of in
creasing territory , accumulating domin
ion , rapidly and easily acquired wealth ,
luxurious splendor , a growing separation
between the poor and the rich , presaging
decay and death ; and may wo always
hear the solemn prayer of Abraham Lin
coln , borne upward to Heaven from the
consecrated field of Gettysburg upon the
mighty volume of patriotic incense
which ever rises from that sacred spot ,