Show x MIAMI university whitelaw While law reid a graduate makes an I 1 address oxford ohio june 15 the culma nation of the diamond anniversary of miami university occurred today when tho class of sixteen graduated and the hon whitelaw held ot tho class of delivered the commencement address upon our new duties this event marked an era in this famous institution its growth recently has been phenomenal the grounds and buildings and equipment have been improved over having been spent within three years the members of miami congregated to do honor to the new miami today and never in its history has thero been such a percentage of its graduates as upon this occasion with the ratification ot the peace 0 paris our continental republic nas stretched its wings over the west indies and the cast it is a fact and that confronts us we not a theory are actually arid now responsible not merely to the inhabitants and to our own people but in international law to the commerce to the travel to tho civilization ot the world tor the preservation of order and the protection of life and property in cuba in porto rico in guam and in the philippine archipelago shall we acquit ourselves like men in the discharge of this immediate duty or shall we fall to quarreling with each other like boys as to whether such a duty is a good or bad thing tor the country and as to who got it fastened upon us nothing in human power can ever restore the united states to tho position it occupied the day before congress plunged us into the war with spain or enable asto escape what that war entailed no matter what we wish the old continental isolation Is gone forever whither we turn now we must do it with the burden of our late acts to carry the responsibility of our new position to assume but when the stars and stripes at last bring the order of peaceful security they typify instead of wanton disorder with all the concomitants ut savage ware fare over which they now wave we shall then be confronted with the necessity of a policy for the future of these distant regions it Is a problem that calls tor our soberest most dispassionate and most patriotic thought the colleges and the educated classes generally should make it a matter of conscience painstakingly considering all its sides with reference to international law the burdens of sovereignty the rights and interests of native tribes and legitimate demands of civilization which it Is also a duty for our statesmen to protect we have reach erd two conclusions that ought to clear the air and simplify the problem that remains first we have ample constituent power to acquire and govern new territory absolutely sol at will according to our sense of right and duty whether as ile as colonies or as a protectorate ate second as the legitimate and necessary consequence of our own nrc acts it has become our national and international duty to do st developments of power and trade are the least of the advantages we may hopefully expect the faults in american character and life which the little americans tell us prove the peo ale for these duties are the very faults that will be cured by them taj recklessness and heedless cy of youth must disappear great responsibilities suddenly devolved must sober and elevate them now as they have always done in natures originally bad throughout the whole history of the world the new interests abroad must corneel an improved foreign service on great occasions and in great nur diplomatic record ranks with tha best in the world at the same time in fields less under nubile eye our foreign services have been haphazard at the best and often bad beyond belief ludicrous and humiliating tho harm thus wrought to our national good name and the positive injury to conr trade have been more than realized wo cannot escape realizing them now and when the american wake to a wrong they are apt to right it more important should be the improvement pro in the general public service at home and in our new possessions new duties must bring new methods ward politics were banished from india and egypt as the price of successful administration and chev must bo secluded from porto rico and luzon the common sense of the Ameri cati people will soon see that any other course is ruinous gigantic british interests win reinforce the in favor ot a re ferrii that shall really elevate and purify t v hand in hand with these benefits to ourselves which 1 Is our duty of servants to secure go to our new hardg and benefits to man aln d where then Is what the united states Is to stand for in all the re future tho rights and in of its own government the general welfare of its own people the extension of ordered liberty in the places of the world the spread of civilization and religion and the consequent increase of the sum of human happiness in the world |