The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-04-17

but on account of human slavery and
the accumulation of the wealth of the
nation in the hands of the few the down
fall of the empire was brought about in
the fourth century after Christ With
the dowfall of Rome ancient civilization
ended and the world entered upon that
long night of the Dark Ages in which
humanity seemed tossed in the vortex
of an eternal chaos.
At meeting of the Patriots Of
America held at Horticultural Hall on
the night of the 18th of April, 1897 the
following bylaws were adopted in
regard to the attendance of officers and
the payment of dues:
When the First Patriot, recorder or
treasurer shall absent himself from two
regular meetings in succession without
rendering an excuse in writing accept
able to the lodge his Office shall be
vacant and at the next regular meeting
his successor elected.
Any member who shall become three
months in arrears of dues without
having made satisfactory arrangements
with the lodge shall stand suspended
until all arrears have been paid.
If you should start your child to
school, send him the first day and get his
name on the rolls then not send him any
more would you expect him to learn
anything? 1t is the same way by join
ing the Patriots of America. If you
attend you will learn something that
will be beneficial to you. There are
some members who have never been at
a lodge meeting since they were
initiated and, of course, can know but
little of the grand and noble principles
of the order.
Wherever selfish interests have
furnished money to run political
campaigns value received has been
demanded in legislation. We hope to
have campaign in 1900 based on the
voluntary and patriotic action of the
people free from the interference of all
selfish interest. On one hand we now
have foreign money dealers, aided by
their allies in this country, with greed
and vanity as their incentive to action.
On the other hand we are expecting to
organize the people with love of
country and love OF humanity as the
motives that inspire them. Foreign
influences and otherwise-in
our Judgment are now Europeanizing
this country. 1t is getting to be an age
of mamon with the principles of
humanity sacrificed to the object of
money getting. We hope to reverse
this principle, place the common good
first and free this country from
European dictation.
Civilization is science. Laws may
be harmful or beneficial upon civil
ization and prosperity of mankind ;
therefore it is of great Importance that
we study our laws noting their effect
upon liberty, prosperity and happiness
of mankind. If law is good it will
have good effects in promoting civil
ization, but if on the other hand it is
bad it will also show its effect in
promoting despotism while civilization
will go backward.
Never was civilization so dependent
upon the action of any one people in the
world as it is today upon the people of
the United States. There is no other
place where they can go. We must
face the enemy that has eaten ont and
destroyed civilization in other countries.
Let us arouse all the energy our man
hood is capable of putting forth to free
ourselves from the curse.
Rome with her simple forms of
republican government and contented
and free people, living on their own
lands, reached the climax of a true
civilization. The history and causes of
her fall are familiar to all readers.
We can comfort ourselves that when
the voters are educated il is not
EixoiaP'9 Hacforia