236 National Duties 



in private life, but, above all, our statesmen in pub- 

 lie life, practice the old, commonplace virtues which 

 from time immemorial have lain at the root of all 

 true national well-being. Yet while this is our first 

 duty, it is not our whole duty. Exactly as each man, 

 while doing first his duty to his wife and the children 

 within his home, must yet, if he hopes to amount to 

 much, strive mightily in the world outside his home, 

 so our nation, while first of all seeing to its own do 

 mestic well-being, must not shrink from playing its 

 part among the great nations without. Our duty 

 may take many forms in the future as it has taken 

 many forms in the past. Nor is it possible to lay 

 down a hard-and-fast rule for all cases. We must 

 ever face the fact of our shifting national needs, of 

 the always-changing opportunities that present them 

 selves. But we may be certain of one thing : whether 

 we wish it or not, we can not avoid hereafter having 

 duties to do in the face of other nations. All that 

 we can do is to settle whether we shall perform these 

 duties well or ill. 



Right here let me make as vigorous a plea as I 

 know how in favor of saying nothing that we do not 

 mean, and of acting without hesitation up to what 

 ever we say. A good many of you are probably ac 

 quainted with the old proverb: "Speak softly and 

 carry a big stick you will go far." If a man con 

 tinually blusters, if he lacks civility, a big stick will 



