The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-04-09
THE TRUE WEALTH OF THE STATE.

THE TRUE WEALTH OF THE STATE.
We who are citizens OF Idaho are fond
Of Boosting Of our majestic mountains;
we herald TO the world the wealth we
possess In our deposits OF gold and sill
yer; we view with pride our boundless
forests; we challenge comparison with
our fertile valleys and contemplate with
pleasure our invigorating climate. But
great AS these things are, much as they
mean TO us, do they constitute the true
wealth OF the State? What is the true
wealth OF the Slater Is IL natural re-
sources, veins OF gold and silver. bound
the red man possessed all these In his
time, and yet how poor he was starving
amid the bounties of nature Is II then
In utilizing natural resources effectively?
No, 1t Is not even that, for The Roman
Empire had been accommodating wealth
for centuries, but IL went down with all
Its vast possessions, its refinement and It's
civilization before the hordss Of half-cad
barbarians, with no wealth but their arms
and fighting qualities. Shall we say that the
true and lasting wealth OF the State Is in
great numbers OF meny No, for history
teaches us that the Greeks. at the time of
Xerxes had few warriors compared with
the myriads OF the Persian army, yet
handful OF Greeks beat the Persian host
on the field OF Marathon. while only last
year, the Chinese Empire. although i'm
meusely superior In point Of NUM- ers TO
any nation on the globe, ANONYMOUSLY
succumbed TO the higher patriotism and
better organized forces of little Japan.
Personal bravery then, the enthusiasm
OF men willing to die for their country
is that the true wealth of the Slater His
tory informs us it is something more than
that for the Greeks, with all their admir-
able qualities could not rule themselves
nor form q lasting union, for they lacked
political wisdom and stability. So the
conclusion Is forced upon us that the true
wealth OF the State is not In its natural
resources, nor in the products of its in
dustry. nor IN the number Of its men, and
not even In the education or refinement or
personal bravery Of its citizens, If charac-
Ter be wanting. The true wealth of the
State Is In the character Of its men and
women and In their high purposes. their
manliness and womanlness, in their ca
pacity for progressive political organiza-
zion, in their fitness and ability TO work
together for the good of all. Without
this all our resources are as naught, and
eur gold and silver are cankered.'
For what avail the pillow or sail.
Or land, or wealth, II freedom fail?
For freedom comes only through great
characters, aetuated by lofty purposes
and sincere aud unselfsh motives, and
Who understand that only by giving free
dom to others do they secure il to them
selves.
Estimate the vast wealth this nation
possesses in her gold and silver add TO
this the wealth of our forests. our fac
tories. our railroads and our farms, and
tell me II all, vast as it u.s. is not poor in
deed compared TO the lasting wealth this
nation possesses in its memory of our
Washingtons. our Jetfersons, our Web
sters and our Lincolns. Compute /, you
can by accommodating treasure this land
OF freemen possesses in those great char
acters. The present cannot compass il;
the future alone can reveal IT, Their
high purposes made il popular TO be pa
,riotic, unselfish in the public Interest
and faithful to all public trusts. This
habitual attitude OF disinterestedness and
lofty purpose gave them the courage of
their convictions, and courage which
springs from such sources is invincible.
and the chord it touches in the human
heart ensures It's perpetual remembrance
The world may forget how full were the
Golfers Of Rome In the zenith of her
power. but il will never forget her Caesars
or her Ciceros. The time may come
when the vast wealth OF this nation will
be swept away and forgotten; the time
may come when this nation will be no
more, but as long as the human heart re-
mains human the world will be rich in |
It's memory OF Abraham Lincoln.
Nature in bequeathing TO us these ma
estic mountains, these store-houses OF
precious metals. these boundless forests
ivers, intended that she should be
'rest and generous people. Has she not
1ven us water enough for our uses, land
nough for the pillow, iron enough for the
orge, mountains enough for poetry. snow
Tough for courage and sunshine enough +;