The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-07-13
REVERENCE THE LAW.
The Leyel-Headed, Patriotic Address de
livered by Hon. G. 4. Benton,
of Fit. Scott, at lola
July 4, 1884,

of Fit. Scott, at lola
July 4, 1884,
The continued observance of thi
day by the American people furnishe
indisputable proof that the spiri
which prompted the Americans @
1776 to denounce the alleged right @
arbitrary government, to declare tina
all men are created equal; that tn
first powers of governments are de
rived from the consent of the govern
ment; that the colonies are and o
right ought to be free and independ
ent States, has been the inheritance
OF. every generation since that time.
These celebrations mean that the
people still deny that Rulers are or.
dained by providence to be masters
and the people to be Obedient servant.
ry; that we have no faith i'm the acci.
dent of birth, but re-declare the equal.
ity Of man. By them we re-assert
that the just powers of governments
are derived from the comment of the
governed. In honoring those who
gave to the world a new nation, we
but honor ourselves. Our apprecia.
ton of their courage, wisdom and pa
triotism sign ifies that we still believe
in their kind of courage, wisdom and
patriotism. We rejoice over their
victories won so long ago, not as a
duty unwillingly performed, but be-
cause of unreasoning partiality, but
because We still sincerely believe in
the principles for which they fought.
We celebrate with pomp and parade
the birthday of our nation because we
are glad the nation was born. We
know what it cost to bring it into ex-
istence; we know what it has cost to
protect and preserve it and knowing
that it has been and is worth the sac
rifices made in its behalf. We by as
sembling all over the land to-day
again declare that for the mainten-
ance of this government of the people
pledge ''our lives, our fortune and our
sacred honor" We are satisfied with
our form of government and Ii is we'll
that upon occasion We should exhibit
our national pride and our national
gratitude, for the ideas of our fore
fathers shall live and the perpetuity
of the Union be assured so long as the
American people fire canon on the 4th
of July and gather flowers on the SOth
of May.
AS We are able to look back over
our past with pride unmingled with
sha me, so should we be brave enough
to set our faces to the future with
hopes unalloyed by fear. We should
have no sympathy whatever with
that solemn-faced individual who
with many a grave shake of his head
is eternally predicting for this coun-
try some great national disaster; who |
sees in every little passing cloud a |
mighty cyclone whose mission is to
sh after the very foundation of the
government, and who is forever bar
ing his breast to the imaginary bull
lets of an imaginary foe and express
ing an earnest desire to ride in some
body's blood up to the bride bits.
He is the man who is always crying
War! War! when there is no war.
who denounces the oppressors of the
people when there no oppressors; who
prats about hard times when
there are no hard times; who is eter-
nally keeping society in a ferment;
who has such an Overweening desire
to protect the masses from all the
ghosts and spoOks which his fertile
may conjure up that, #
he will gladly lay aside
mis- business in life and take upon
himself the trials, tribulations and
of perpetual office hold
sr, and who when clothed with q lit
lie brief authority will so patch up
he public welfare and cobble the al
airs of government as to make nine
1obs where he mends one. He is at :
III times and everywhere a pestifer- {
'us demagogue and ought to be exter- !
with all possible haste. I
1t may be said in justification ofthis I
reature however that he is found in
he market because there seems to be ,
demand for him. We are too apt to '
'pplaud the man who feeds our dis O
ontent and makes us comfortably
When we, the people cease u
o encourage the men who oass off 8
heir brass on US as pure and genuine.
When in their stead we demand men &
rho are patriots first and partisans 8
forwards. Men who know right d
'om wrong and who dare to do the v
ight. Men who believe it is more |,
onorable to build up than to tear n
OVID. Men whose honesty and in il
.grity are above suspicion, men who je
o not pose as the representative of a
ny particular class, but who are rep b
of Americans. Men who 7
81 ieve in law and order and progress OF