The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-05
MIR. BEVERIDGE'S ADDRESS.
Dangerous Conditions to Which He
Calls Attention.

MIR. BEVERIDGE'S ADDRESS.
Dangerous Conditions to Which He
Calls Attention.
Albert J. Beverage delivered the address
at the Meridan-street NJ. f. Church yes
terday morning. He spoke the subject
of patriotism. A large audience was pres
ent and listened to the address, which in
substance was as follows
LAS people. we are living too much
upon sensations There is a growing habit
of getting excited without cause. We are
developing fckleness of national charac-
ter. Our inherited stability of mind and
poise Of disposition is disappearing. We
are satisfied with nothing but change. We
are familiarizing ourselves with the idea
of revolution. If, as people, we deter
mine upon great economic reconstructions
we demand the result in an hour-in an in
slant. We cry havoc if the laws of nature
do not hasten; we demand some magic for
the instantaneous accomplishment of i'm
possible and unwise expectations. The
practice of patience is a lost art. The
habit OF spasmodic desires and childish an
t1cipat1on is in our blood. And If that habit
be not eradicated before it develops into
character the future of the American peo-
pie is future of whimsical mutation, i'm
perfect achievement, and, finally, of ma
tional impotence. No people can accom-
plish anything without steadiness of pur-
pose thoroughness of execution, and per
sistence of patience. 1t is the bulldog in
British character which has seized the
world for England and for civilization
seized the world until the light of day it
self is EnglandS sentinel over Englands
dominions.
There is no time this morning for an
analysis of the causes of this increasing
tendency toward uncertainty in individual
and national character. The war, with it's
two million of the flower of young Ameri-
can manhood requiring temporary expe-
dents for the immediate hour or day,
transient methods of life and uncertainty
of expectation; the disbandng of that enor-
nous number of men with four of their
best years gone and the consequent neces-
sIty for haste to make up the lost time:
the hasty methods incident to the devel-
opment of q new country; the most ner-
vous, stimulating, exciting and .changeful
climate in the wOrld-the torrid zone in
summer, the frigid zone in winter; and,
above all, that rolling disk called a dollar
speeding down hill in front Of our civiliZa-
ton, with every one of us painting after
it-an ideal, destroying and accursed. These
are some of the causes for the exhaustion
of American vitality, the creation of chame-
leon American character, and. therefore,
a pessimistic complexion of American
thought and opinion.
Except the last, these causes cannot be
removed. They are part of history and
Of nature. All we can do is to oppose to
them a mighty strength of resolution and
of practice. But the last cause.-The ideal
of wealth-can be, must be, will be,
moved. The worship of mammon must
end. There is no greatness of future, no
happiness of life, no sanity of civilization
possible until the spirit of Midas is elimi-
mated from modern endeavor, until the get
ting of gold for the sake of gain, and the
storing of wealth for the sake of power is
destroyed as an ideal of American achieve
ment. How can you expect serenity of
mind, clearness of vision, correctness of
perspective and rational life, to say nothing
of steady nerves, sound heart, hearty stom-
ach and general good physical health even,
when life is a horrible nightmare race
the richest man in front and everybody
trying to keep up with the procession? The
ideal of the dollar-the false god of riches
rules every department of modern life-the
trades, the professions, society, and even
politics; even our craftsmanship is yellow
our day is not Is he learned able, virtu-
Gus, brave? Is he a valuable member of
eeS Of Woqid ne e make pillar in the
How much does he make? Which, think
you, would be the most brilliant attrac-
ton to indianapolis society if both should
visit us next Winter-the son of Rookie
Teller, heir to $500, 600, or the son of Gen
eral Miles, commander Of our army, or
John Fiske, our greatest philosopher?
What is to be done about it? Set up a
nobler ideal-that is all. Deny our vassal-
age TO ignorant, vulgar. coarse. and osten-
tatious money Give our allegiance to the
princes of thought. Welcome to our hearts
the Edisons instead of the Havemeyers, the
Whlttlers rather than the Huntngtons, the
Grants, the Shermans and the Lincolns
rather than the GOulds, the Astors and the
Vanderbilts. Hail the great kings of bust
ness and affairs whose genius smplities
trade or transportation or any of the ma
terial agencies of life rather than the hold
rather than the Russell Sages! Hail the
Lyman j. Cages rather than the Hetty
Greens of the land! In short, pay to fine
and high achievement which results in the
sweetening of human life, whether that
achievement be poem like Home, Sweet
Home or a masterpiece of practical and
financial genius like the laying of the At
lantic cabe-pay to these the sacred tribute
of your admiration, affection and applause.
Let us set up in our hearts purer ideals and
nobler standards of judgment, of living and
Of life.
ITO the other causes Of changeableness
and instability of character we must simply
oppose a sane will and rational practices.
Americans, more than any people in the
world, need TO cultivate repOSO Name to
yourselves if you can a single one of your
acquaintance who can be gracefully quiet
quiet without effort or restraint There
is a chipmunk disposition everywhere-al-
ways on the jump and run physically, and
always on the jump and run mentally
nibbling at philosophy gnaWing at the sur
face of history, smelling at sCienCe-COn-
Stunning nothing entirely and digesting moth
ing thoroughly. The very idea of thorough
ness IS oppressive 10 us. Our time is the
jubilee of smatter. Get rich quick methods
are applied to education; and clubs and
Chautauqua courses and university extern
sions and the various agencies for teaching
the science OF being superficial are en-
ployed instead of the toilsome course of a
college training. | recently gave up the
Review Of Reviews because l found it was
insidiousiy and delIciously creating the
charming habit of s!<imming things. / knew
a gentlemen whose talk about books was
scintallant and yet he had read only re-
views of them. His culture was only tin
after ALL 1t was sad but characteristic of
the present day.
American character must not perma-
nenty crystalline into this. Patriotism de
mands the cultivation of quietnoss in dis
position, thoroughness in undertaking.
Christs command to the raging waters
was peace-be STILL He never gave a
command that aroused storm. Be still
and know that 1 am God says the psalm
list. BE thorough commands holy writ.
Sec we n man diligent in business? HIS
shall stand before kings says solomon.
Whatever your hands find to do do il
| with your might 1t as not worth while to