ADDRESSES OF MAJOR LACEY 273 



seems to thrive in new lands, even though he may have 

 been an exported convict, as the colonies in Australia and 

 Tasmania bear witness. 



The best method to use in handling this difficult ques- 

 tion is one upon which we may not all agree, but of the 

 necessity and desirableness of keeping out criminals and 

 paupers there will be no disagreement among either our 

 native or foreign born citizens. 



We should encourage an American spirit among our 

 own people. Let us at least not raise our own foreigners. 

 A man born in Cork makes a good American ; a man born 

 in Boston should not be an Irishman. An American born 

 in Leeds makes a desirable citizen but we cannot say so 

 much for an Englishman born in New York. Let Amer- 

 icans above all things be Americans. 



We are fortunate in not having a standing army of any 

 magnitude. We should not complain of a large pension 

 roll, when we consider that it is the result of a system 

 which draws the soldier when needed from the ranks of 

 civil life and returns him to the avenues of production 

 again when the war has ended. 



A large standing army is a source of danger in a re- 

 public. As an eminent Scotchman said, ' ' If I had an ape 

 by the collar I could make him bite you ; if you had him 

 by the collar you could make him bite me." This is true 

 of a great standing army but not so as to a citizen sol- 

 diery. 



We have always taught respect for and love for our 

 country's defenders and even have been ready to over- 

 look their faults. It has always been so. Early in the 

 present century a soldier who was with Anthony Wayne 

 at the storming of Stony Point got into trouble and found 

 himself defending an indictment. His case was a clear 

 one and his lawyer made the only defense in his power — 

 he took occasion to let the jury know that his client 



