The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-07-09

= . series OF discourses on timely topics,
ct the Baptist church, Sunday evening.
n was patriotic sermon and appropri-
ate to the times in which we are living.
Afhe Red, White and Blue, or The sym.
bolism of the flag," was the theme. He
said.
We have this year the coincidence OF
the Lords day andthe anniversary ofou
national independence. The coincidence
is'both appropriate and suggestive. Chris
tianity and patriotism are not diverse
but one. True patriotism is but the
manifestation OF the christian spirit in
relation to the state. The best citizen is
the truest christian. E
There is abroad among us now false
patriotism--cheap and tawdry-which
takes itself out in lung and buster; a
patriotism which loves to tell how big
and strong Uncle Sam is and with what
Incredible celebrity "Uncle Sam" could
Slick" somebody else. In the eyes OF
such people Uncle Sam struts peripateti-
cally about with chip on shou der just
aching for somebody to "dare' to knock
it off.
Such patriotism is not only very cheap
but like most cheap things, very useless.
Americas enemies today do not dwell
across the seas-her foes are of her own
household. The danger to our national
life, if danger there be, arises from inter-
nal conditions and from social strife. We
are not likely to 60 to war just now with
England or Spain or any other country;
but the trumpet even now sounds
nay, has this long time been sounding
with far too little heed-to the war of
purity and truth against corruption and
falsehood in our social life. And though
the field be not glorious and the rewards
not dazzling, yet upon the issue of this
conflict the destiny of our nation depends.
More than one observer of our institu-
tons and student of our history has Civ
en- us ample warning of dangers near inn
pending. Even sosympathetic critic as
Mr.. Bryce compares Americas situation
today to that of ship, which after a voy-
age hitherto sunlit, now rushes into the
chilling entrance of low lying mists, not
knowing what perils may be shrouded
within the encompassipg gloom. Mr..
Leckey's book-issued year simeon
Democracy and Liberty" is a prolonged
wall over the evils incident to democra-
ey; and, if he stop short of positive pre-
dietion of our nearly impending national
dissolution, he urges premises from
which no other conclusion can we'll be
drawn. The opinion of this, ard other
Nike observers, important though it is, is
still far less serious than the fact, only SO
recently thrust upon our attention, that
we have within our borders movement
by no means contemplate, whose pro-
iessed end and hope is the overturning of
DER institutions. Mr.. Debs, whatever else
he may be, is not contemplate. His
power -alnong certain class of our citi
zens has been only too terribly illustrat-
ed. Mr. Debs and his associates have re-
Gently organized the Brotherhood of Co.
operative Commonwealth. 1t is, says
one of Mr.. Debs's associates, "The most
movement ever inaugurated
IN this country. 1t is the arrival of the
social and industrial revolution" And
Mr.. Debs himself does not conceal his be.
lieftaa$. the leader of this movement
"will soon be able to make republican
form of government thing of the past in
1t is indeed possible to exaggerate.
The dense gallof smoke that overhangs
the city of Chicago is suggestive, to one
who beholds it for the first time, of ire
confagration; and yet is but the
noxious outpouring of many chimneys.
But, after all deduction has been made;
after we have refused to play the pessm-
ist and declined to believe that republi-
IAN institutions are to be so easily and so
quickly overturned, there still remains
in the opinion of such critics and the evil
dent facts that justify it-occasion for Sc
rious thought and no small degree of
anxiety.
Flags have their significance. We have
HE white flag of peace, the red flag of
revolution, the black flag of piracy.
Rambard tells us in his History of Rus
Via" that when, in 1880, the tricolor, the
flag of 1889, replaced the white flag of
royalty upon the French consulate at
Warsaw, all Poland saw in it a call
10 arms and liberty. The brave but dis
astrous instruction of 1890 was the result.
Our flag stands for something. 1t is
not only, as that of any other nation, the
sign Of national honor and power; but
with our flag are associated the ideas of
liberty, equality and fraternity. Wher-
ever it floats it bears this message: Gall
men were born free and equal" Wher-
ever human eyes behold it, they read in
- Il.