The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-31

L
taught loyalty and love of country and
of her institutions. Teach them that
they ara members Of the body polite;
that whatsoever concerns the common
wealth concerns them as individuals;
that the highest privilege possessed by
any individual en- earth is the right to
cast a ballot at every election and that
this right is possessed by No people on
earth SO fully as it is by the American
citizen.
Teach them that citizenship is the
highest privilege Of an American and
that American citizenship is the highest
honor known among men-nigher than
any office that any state or nation or
any king. prince or 2otentate can cofer.
Proud as was the At1enian in the
days of Pericles OF mis- privileges as a
member Of the state, and exultant as
any Roman senator could ever be-the
iioblest Roman OF them all, the Ameri-
cgn citizen. outranks each and every one
az them in the privileges which he en-
| joys His right is more absolute. his
place more secure than that which any
Armenian or Roman ever enjoyed. W.her-
ever ne IS ne may exert every power 10
| impress his views upon his fellow citi-
zens; ne may help to form public opin-
| ion and he may, If ne is able. stir the
| misses Of the people TO action. by word
and pen, on the stump or on the plat
| form, in the pulpit OF in the school room.
and through free and untrammelled
| press, he may do all possible to educate
| public opinion to his views, so long as ne
does not teach rank treason nor rebel
| lion.
Educate our youth, then, in all the
| forms and customs and usages Of Our
country: instill into their hearts a pro-
found respect for the law and the con-
stituted authorities of the law under our
great and good government; teach them
that the great privileges accorded Amer
lean citizens carry with them great re-
sponsfoility for the performance of cor
responding duties.
Teach them the value of public poin-
ion and that il is their right to educate
and form public opinion and their duty
to do it intelligently and rightfully.
Teach them that in the long run public
happiness and prosperity are measured
by public adherence to truth and justice.
equity and honor and that the public
conscience is but the sum of the individ-
ual conscience. Teach them that there
is no country o nearth where the citi-
zens are 30 free to pursue all the happi-
ness and pleasures and luxuries Of life
in their own way. but each them at the
same time the virtue of moderation and
conservatism in all Things, and that ex-
cessive Indulgence and intemperance
breeds failure in business, poverty in the
pocket, unhappiness in the home and
finally crime, which will land them be-
hind prison bars Teach them that pri-
vate vices may be more dangerous tnan
foreign armies that idleness, internper-
ance luxury and extravaganza have de-
s:royed more than one of tae most intel
Egent of nations.
'To make a good and truly patriotic
citizen You must first nave sound man
hood and personal integrity. With suoh
material We can build society here
which, from top to bottom, from center
to circumference, will consist of indie
pendent, self-supporting producers,
whose very independence is in itself the
highest patriotism.
Teach the boys and girls to celebrate
our glorious Independence Day with
guns and banners, to march in process
SIGN on Decoration Day with the rem
nants OF that grand old army to which
our country is indebted for it's preserva-
ton and happiness today, and to strew
flowers upon the graves of those who
gave their lives that their country might
live.
Teach them all that the flag of our
country-Old Glory-represents to us, 20
raise it over every sc1ool house and
public building in the land and 70 carry
it in every procession. Teach all the
boys and girls these things in the pub
lie schools and We will soon nave race.
il not of new men and new women, at
least Of men and women who win prove
themselves giants ntneir day and gen.
Grafton.
such an education, my friends.
would have freely furnished 10 the chill
diem OF Oklahoma, and in your hands,
together with those VINO labor with you,
i feel sure that the interests of the
patriotism and love OF country bloom
AMI blossom in their young hearts, even
more than they did in the hearts of the
fathers and mothers who blazed the
pathway through the primeval forests
for the unexamp,ed civilization of the
century now passing swiftly away.
''It seems to me, my friends. that we
have the grandest opportunity here in
Oklahoma to build an ideal state that
was ever offered to any people on earth.
Every man in Oklahoma now sits under
his own vine and fig tree and ejoys the
blessings of the most beneficient civil
and religious liberty; the land flows with
milk and honey an dtne broad and fertile
prai-ies the nils and wales and wooded
streams ec1o the laughter and Joy OF q
happy people:
LAM of the west. beneath the heaven
There's not a fairar. ioveiier CLINE,
Nor one TO which was ever given
\ destiny more high-sublime.'
And in forming this new state IL Is
only necessary for our people to be guild
ed by the lamp of experience. Sslich is
already outs. TO be conservative and
cautious and 70 exercise sound and in
telligent political judgment and discre-
ton, to build mere a state t1at will soon |
outrsnk any OF her older sisters in in |
;elligence. wealth, culture and refine !
ment.
And the future, the destiny - Eais |
ideal state which We snail buili for our |
children and our cnildren's children for |
all tiInz TO come. will soon be committed |