People of the Alliance [the Polish National Alliance], rejoice! Rejoice because you have accomplished a great thing in a foreign land! The dream of the founders and the pioneers of the Polish National Alliance has become a reality today. The college financed by the efforts of the Alliance is now completed, with all its luxurious appointments. It will serve not only members of the Alliance but all immigrants--even those in the mother country who cannot obtain an education in the national spirit, but must wander about in foreign institutions of learning.

The Alliance, toward the end of 1911, took a great step forward; it demonstrated that it was not solely a life insurance company, as jealous and malicious people had often said, but showed concretely that it was a national organization of wide horizons--that it, by itself, accomplishes great things which posterity will acknowledge and evaluate, and which history will record in letters of gold in the annals of our deeds.

The Alliance is not merely looking ahead a short distance; it is establishing institutions not only for those people already belonging to it, but it is building the future of the Polish nation in America--it brings its successful work as a gift to the Mother Country.

One of the greatest problems of every nation is the spreading of enlightenment among its masses. We Poles, through an unfortunate set of circumstances, either cannot obtain this enlightenment at all, under the rule of foreign invaders, or must obtain it from their poisoned wells, or must seek it in the various educational institutions of Europe, where, nevertheless, there is no Polish roof (sic)--where our young people are not educated to be good Polish citizens, understanding their duties--but where they get a standard education with its distorted interpretation of the duty which they owe their community.

Enlightened members of the Alliance see this, and for this reason have decided 3to erect this institution of knowledge in the purely Polish spirit. For this reason members of the Alliance have willingly taxed themselves for a fund for a college, and in a relatively short time have been able, from their own resources, to erect a temple of learning, and will be able to maintain it without great effort--because a united people can be regarded as a great collective person, and our Alliance constitutes such a people. The most worthy and enlightened people gather under its banner, creating a united mass which accomplishes more and more miracles.

At one stroke the Alliance has created a college and beside it, will found a haven for those of its champions who, exhausted by work and bent over with age, will not have to seek charity from strangers. Our great Alliance, therefore, is not only mindful of our young people, giving then knowledge and bringing them up in the true Polish spirit, but at the same time it does not forget its old folks who should be given aid, and whose declining years should be made happier under a Polish roof--their own roof.

The Alliance, therefore, has taken a great step forward which will lead it toward new paths of development and progress. The heart of every member of the Alliance today is filled with justifiable pride, and we look toward the future, which until now loomed so black, with renewed courage and hope.

Chin up, Brothers and Sisters of the Alliance! Your hopes, your golden dreams have come true--the great building of the Alliance College already stands! All the facilities are now ready. It is necessary only to arrange classrooms, get the students, import the professors, and begin teaching. And all these things can be accomplished through the good will and work of all of us. Those hundreds of our young people scattered among various American educational institutions will surely flock to us, because under the roof of the Alliance school they will find greater comfort and less expense, and what is most important--the Polish spirit.

They will find themselves among their own kind, and will draw their knowledge 5from a pure well, and the bright rays of Polish nationalism will dance about throughout this hospitable land.

Who knows but what this Alliance college may in a few years turn into a university to which will flock young people from all the three sections of Poland, from all America! Who knows if perhaps in time this may not become the most important seat of learning of our nation! Who knows if perhaps in time people of great learning, geniuses may not issue from it, who will shine like bright stars in the firmament of our community.

All of this is possible when one realizes that this has been undertaken by such a power, such a united mass of enlightened people, cognizant of the nation's welfare, as is united under the banner of the Polish National Alliance. Following this great step forward which the Alliance has taken, we will take other steps, and we sincerely hope that the dreams which we have mentioned above will come true.

Today it seems that nothing is impossible for the Alliance, which does not exceed its strength. And for a mass of eighty thousand people to maintain a college, and even a first class university, is certainly not a difficult task. Only we must all work together! We must work harmoniously and in unison! We must work with zeal and sacrifice for the good of the cause, and we will stride forward with youthful energy, accomplishing great things for the good of our immigrants and our country.