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

Some of the Points Claimed for
the New Order to 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 relics, trace ances-
tors, and eXtOl the heroic age of our ma
ton. 1t may cultivate knee-buckles,
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
us 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 ad-
mired and gratified wearers.
But we have a n0bler mission than de-
yotion to the antique anu 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-
ual battle. In England, that war led by
Charles and Cromwell terminated when
parliament changed the succession and
placed William and Mary on the throne.
people was established, by how many
social, political and ecclesiastical OF
StacIes is it yet resisted i'm Britain?
After hundred years of blood,
France is 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 a
dark and bloody country. Japan has
become young again with hope. Yet,
although stirring in the valley of the
shadow of Oriental despotism, China
and India are far from their political
resurrection. America should stand
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 belitting intiu-
ences our constitution was laped into
a 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
our 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
in solitary glory.