216 Presidential Addresses 



only by many honest men who were led astray by a 

 mistaken view or imperfect knowledge of the facts, 

 but by all who feared effort, who shrank from the 

 rough work of endeavor. The campaign of 1900 

 had to be fought largely upon the new issue thus 

 raised. President McKinley met it squarely. Two 

 years and eight months ago, before his second nomi 

 nation, he spoke as follows: 



"We believe that the century of free government 

 which the American people have enjoyed has not 

 rendered them irresolute and faithless, but has fitted 

 them for the great task of lifting up and assisting 

 to better conditions and larger liberty those distant 

 peoples who through the issue of battle have become 

 our wards. Let us fear not. There Is no occasion 

 for faint hearts, no excuse for regrets. Nations do 

 not grow in strength, the cause of liberty and law 

 is not advanced by the doing of easy things. The 

 harder the task the greater will be the result, the 

 benefit, and the honor. To doubt our power to ac 

 complish it is to lose faith in the soundness and 

 strength of our popular institutions. . . . We have 

 the new care and can not shift it. And, breaking 

 up the camp of ease and isolation, let us bravely and 

 hopefully and soberly continue the march of faithful 

 service, and falter not until the work is done. . . . 

 The burden is our opportunity. The opportunity is 

 greater than the burden." 



There spoke the man who preached the gospel of 

 hope as well as the gospel of duty, and on the issue 

 thus fairly drawn between those who said we would 



