Canastota High School - Toot Yearbook (Canastota, NY)

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THE TOOT 11 energy on the side of Justice. His assistance in the Panama revolution helped create that great canal and his measures in regard to the Russo- Japanese war wen for him the Nobel peace prize. That he was most bit- terly hated by his enemies and most deeply loved by his friends is suf- ficient to demonstrate the estimate and worth of Theodore Roosevelt as a true American statesman. As governor of the Philippines, William Howard Taft exercised his ability as a statesman, and played a large part in the successful advance- ment of those islands. President Taft followed the course begun by his predecessors and because of his stand on the Payne-Aldrich Tariff, dissat- isfied Republicans formed what is now known as the Progressive Party. Again we come upon a statesman who was a great president at a critical time, Woodrow Wilscn. A man of peace, he was forced to lead the na- tion into the most terrible war that the world has ever known. He en- tered the White House, a vigorous man in the prime of life to leave it feeble and broken in health. But Woodrow Wilscn has not wasted his strength and years; he has placed America in the leadership of the world. In the future, proud and grateful countrymen will recognize the service he has rendered humanity and will rank his name with those of Washing- ton and Lincoln. Probably no American is so well krewn ever all the world as Herbert C. H oover. Devoted to the welfare of mankind, he is a man of practical organizing power on a large scale. Pcsscssrd of vast information and experience, he is a man who has acquired the confidence of nations and people. In fact, the statesmanship cf Mr. Hcover has just begun; time alone can prove to how great an extent it will develop. Closely linked to the name of Mr. Hoover is that of Charles Evans Hughes. Though not so well known as the former, he has been of great service to his country both as a lawyer and an investigator. Because Mr. Hughes exercises his own will in regard to political matters, party ma- chines steer clear of him and regard him as a very troublesome hindrance. As Secretary of State, Mr. Hughes has an excellent opportunity to exer- cise his abilities as a statesman. Elihu Root, conspicuous for the disinterested service, which, regard- less of the effect upon himself, he has rendered to his country, has an in- ternational reputation; and will, no doubt, take a leading part now, as he has always done in the negotiations of foreign policies. These incidents in the lives of American statesmen might be enumer- ated indefinitely. Each generation, every session of the United States Senate, every political administration develops “a man of the hour”. We may be certain that the achievements of these statesmen were the re- sult of their own individual labors and perseverance rather than fortunate circumstances. American statesmanship is and will forever be working against but one thing—that is injustice. It is and will forever be working for but one pur- pose—that is humanity. In the words of John Quincy Adams.

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10 THE TOOT Clay was a member of the great triumvirate made up of Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun and himself. By his stand in regard to the Missouri compromise, he won the title of the “great pacificator . His sympathies went out to all in trouble even to those of other lands; although several times a candidate for the presidency, he never attained that goal. Lin- coln in an eulcgy at the funeral of Henry Clay said of that great states- man: “His example teaches us that one can scarcely be so poor but that if he will, he can acquire sufficient education to get through the world respectably”. Daniel Webster, the “great expounder of the constitution,” was a statesman but shone more brilliantly fcr America as an orator. He was a cwer in the lar.d, a defender of the nationality of states and firmly de- voted to the peipetuity and integrity of the Union. The third statesman of the triumvirate, John C. Calhoun, whose title ot the “great nullifier” is evidence cf his ardent championship of states rights, was a supporter of the policy of internal improvements and dreamed cf national roads and waterways which would unite the different sections more closely. Internal improvements, the abolishment of imprisonment for debt, the advancement of education and the beginning of foreign immigration were events which took place during William H. Seward’s career as statesman. Perhaps one of the most important and best known incidents of Seward’s service was the purchase of Alaska from Russia, for which he was largely responsible. On his tomb, the epitaph, He was Faithful” shows in what great respect he was held by his former countrymen. Now we have come to him whom Lowell calls “the first American”— humanity’s statesman—Abraham Lincoln. Unskilled in the art of state- craft, he accomplished tasks which other famous statesmen had not dared dream of undertaking. He was the guid'ng star of the nation during its darkest period of the Civil War. The whole country laid its burden on his shoulders. Patient yet wise, sympathetic yet just, humble yet great, Abraham Lincoln lived, worked and died for America. America is indebted to James G. Blaine for originating the Pan-Ameri- can Congress which is bringing all Americans into common touch with each other and which has cemented the relations of the republics of the New World. The twenty-second and twenty-fourth President of the United States, Grover Cleveland, did not possess conspicuous qualities as a statesman but won the trust and admiration cf the people by his simplicity and firmness and devotion to what, in his opinion, were the best interests of the country. One of his own sayings, better than any other words, illus- trate Mr. Cleveland’s democratic sentiments. “Public officers are the servants and agents of the people to execute laws which the people have made and within the limits of a constitution which they have established.” We now come to one of the most inspiring of Americans—-Theodore Roosevelt. To him the pecple looked for leadership when the future ap- peared most threatening, knowing that he would always invest his mighty

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12 THE TOOT ' This hand to tyrants ever sworn the foe, For Freedom only deals the deathly blow; For gentle peace in Freedom s hallowed shade. For gentle peace in calm repose, the vengeful blade, Therefore young Americans, having learned how great men of your country have attained success, if you want your flag and your nation to be respected and trusted by the whole world, do as they have done, aim as they have aimed, work as they have worked. But try—the trying shall suffice, The aim if reached or not, makes great the life. LOIS E. TEW1NKEL. ELECTRICITY IN THE SERVICE OF AMERICA As we follow the industrial history of this great and prosperous coun- try of ours down thru its years of experience and development, we find that it has reached its present advanced position in the world of industry thru scientific invention and its appliance. Among modern nations, none is so quick as America to profit by its inventive ability and to employ la- bor-saving devices wherever they can be used. Realizing that the earth is the source of all wealth, America has not only improved but has discov- ered many more valuable methods of applying the forces of nature to the transformation of the raw material found in the earth into useful pro- ducts. It is this appetite for betterment that has increased our standard of efficiency and has given our nation the control of a material agency which first showed itself to the ancient Greeks at the beginning of the Christian Era and has come into the service of man in recent times. That agency is electricity. Despite the fact that the services of this wonderful agent were lost to mankind for a little over two thousand years, it has resurrected itself after this period of germination and growth in a place five thousand miles from where it first made its appearance, America. No other nation approaches America in its practical use. Since the time that Franklin discovered that lightening is the same thing as static electricity, American inventors have been making artificial lightening and harnessing it to turn the wheels of industry. Do it Electrically,” is America’s twentieth century appeal to the world. Regardless of what part of our country one visits he will find electric energy used in some form. In the factory, the workshop, the office, the home, the farm, in- deed every place where man is working or living and electric energy can be obtained, one can see at least one result of Franklin’s experiment. It is true, however, that America has not invented all the electric de- vices and appliances that are used in the country itself but to her not only goes the credit of adopting them and proving their efficiency and value to the world but for the principles and early experiments on which the more inventions of foreign countries have depended. Of all the applications of electricity, probably no other electric machine