St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-26
SONS OF THE REVOLUTION.
Some Of the Points Claimed for
the New Order to BE Established


Some Of the Points Claimed for
the New Orderto BE Established
Here.
The National Society of the Sons of
the American Revolution. branch of
which is to be organized for Minnesota
at the chamber of commerce to-day, has
issued an address explanatory of its
aims and objects. w. o. Mcdowell, of
n CIV Jersey. vice president at large of
the society, furnishes the GLOBE with a
COPY of the address, which contains the
following points:
Two points open to our society. 1t
may live in and for the past. 1t may
collect and treasure relies, trace anceS-
tors, and eXtol the heroic age of our ma
ton. 1t may cultivate knee-bucllleS,
cooked hats, swords, wigs, scarlet vests
and stockings, and all those ancient
costumes once SO picturesque, SO brill
liant and so suitable. Many naturally
look behind, rather than before, for the
golden aye of our humanity And let
lis not discourage those inclined to ven
cradle fashions. We tolerate eccleSiaS
ties importing foreign dress favorable
TO their persons, although slightly con-
nected with the sublime work Of the adj
mired and gratitied wearerS.
But we have a nObler mission than de-
yotion to the antique AMI eSthetiCal. AS
our society grows out of the past of our
country, so it may become q potent ele-
ment in the future.
The test of liberty is the power of the
citizen to elect rulers and control reve-
nueS. Between the divine right of the
people and the divine right of kings
there has been, and ever will be, perpet-
OF In. EnprlonI of x1-ar Iad hxy
Charles and Cromwell terminated when
parliament changed the succession and
placed William and Mary on the throne.
But while the sovereignty of the
people was established, by how many
social, political and ecclesiastical Ob-
staclcs is it yet resisted in Britain?
After hundred years of blood,
France is a republic. How hindered
still by traditions OF monarchy, aristoc-
racy and empire. What shall we say of
Italy, Austria and Germany? Education
advances. Ideas march. Liberty will tri
umph. Nevertheless for Russia between
cZardOm and popular sovereignty, lies
dark and bloody country. Japan has
become young again with hope. Yet,
although stirring in the valley of the
shadow of Oriental deSp0tism. China
and India are far from their political
ready to give to all her help. Progress
and sympathy are the conditions of her
life.
Our country has been exempt from
the peculiar trials of other lands. HUI
mainly began with us anew. The At
lantic is the barrier between us and
the past. Hence on our soil liberty had
an unimpeded growth. New obstacles
gave new strength. Colonial struggles
made our American manhood. The
Revolution was our evolution. Nor has
growth stopped. We are century in
advance of our ancestors. Our prisons
are better, our schools are better, our
colleges are better. Steam and electric
ity have enlarged our views even more
than our means of INSTRUMENTATION
Amid cramping and belittling infiu-
ences our constitution was aped into
Il comprehensive instrument adapted TO
social needs, political requirements and
territorial magnitudeS of which its
trainers could have had no conception.
For all time and all the world it stands
their immortal monument.
Let our society study the work of our
fathers as it is! 1t wants no glamOr of
a golden mist. When fancy converts
cur Revolutionary sires into ideals, we
lose interest. Men, not statues, stir living
thoughts. History, to be profitable,
must be honest. Whatever the frailtieS
of others. in peace and war, Washing
ton, without stain or cloud, stands forth
i'll solitary glory.