The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

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, 5 1 the western world and looking towards the East. All his being is stirred with interest to see what shall come of that attitude. Is a step to be taken, and if so, how far and in what manner? No True American can advocate or approve the acquisition of territory for the sake of greed. His whole nature revolts at that proposition. His own country is founded on the principle that so far as opportunity is concerned, men are born free and equal, and he is not yet prepared to believe that government by the consent of the governed is only a beautiful dream. .But this he has within him above everything -'confidence in the American people to meet any problem of government that may confront it 5 not only to meet it but to solve it to the satisfaction of the civilized world. He does not fear the phantom of imperialism, because he feels that the American Republic can never be changed into an empire. He knows that he would surrender his own life to prevent such a change, and he believes that his brothers would make like sacrifice. The United States will never fall into the error of those republics that have come to destruction through seeking territory by conquest. The doctrine of the universal brotherf hood of .man has progressed .too afar, and the True American is too much a part of it, to admit of the possibility of the American Republic being any- thing else than the home of the brave and the land of the free. It has lent its helping hand to Cuba, and sometime, under its beneficence, Cuba will be- come allied to, if not a part of, the United' States. lt has lent its helping hand to Hawaii, and already Hawaii is praying for full sisterhood among the States. It has assumed the responsibility for the

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, 53 the theory of universal brotherhood and the capa- city of all peoples to govern themselves. Inspired by the bravery of Washington, the wisdom of Jefferson, and the martyrdom of Lincoln, he fore- sees the time when monarchical government must disappear from the face of the earth, and all forms of serfdom and slavery must be wiped out. As love is the ultimate power to bind the world to- gether in brotherhood, so the justice of full popu- lar representation in government must be the ultimate outcome of the efforts of all the inhabit- ants of the World to preserve law and order and to mete out justice to every human being. Not more potent with me is the admonition,- Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul, and love thy neighbor as thyself, - not more potent is this admonition than the utterance which fell from the inspired lips of Abraham Lincoln on the battle- Held of Gettysburg, an utterance applied by him to the United States of America, but in the ages to come to be applied to all the nations: Govern- ment of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth. H Gentlemen, in the face of that prophecy and in the memory of the man who made it, the phantom of imperialism must disappear from the American mind. I i - Wil i'b1W33lZ7??b. 'il' 1:35 'Gsgggbtou