Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-07-12

selves passively to the use of leaders
whose manifest aim is the subversion of
popular liberty.
Let us hear not so much about our
GLORIOUS" privileges as free men and
more about our GLORIOUS" duties IS
citizens OF a republic. Many who will
come on Tuesday to celebrate the BIRTH
day of their liberties, will require the
price of days labor to induce them to
come to the polls on next election day.
The Indifference on the part of the peo-
pie is paralleled by an indisposition on
the part of cultured and wealthy citizens
to sacrifice their leisure to he public ser
vice i'll pursuit of motives of pure patriot
ism. We greatly need a revival along
lines OF good citizenship, an awakening
such as will enable men to realize, along
with their appreciation of their privileges,
the price of vigilance they must pay for
their perpetuity.
As nation we are in danger from an
overgrowth of power; power dispropor-
tiOnate to a sense of responsibility and
wisdom and control. Awkwardness is
one result when great force is bunglingly
managed. A youth is proverbally awk
ward during those years when rapidity OF
growth has exceeded the art of self
command.
In the eyes of our friends, and for this
reason, we have been an awkward nation.
The growth of power has exceeded disci-
pline. We were awkward in dealing with
the issue that eventuated in the civil war;
ripper tact and diplomacy might have
avoided the costly event From the first
debate to the hour of open conflict it was
| a contest between ungovernab BILE, titanic
forces, and sense of power was the
uppermost element of consciousness. 1t
was egregious awkwardness again that
recently complicated our relations with
Great Britain; we were awkward in allow
ing uncontrolled sentiment to embroil
us with Spain. Awkwardness may seem
like venial fault, and yet it results in
many costly accidents.
Power disproportioned to discipline is
apt also to show itself in the spirit of
daring. A bully is one whose strength
exceeds his conscience and who acts COM
bativey merely for the sake of exhibiting
his prowess. Our national strength we
became conscious of a generation ago,
and have increasingly shown restless
desire to match ourselves with some oppo-
nent worthy of our steel. During the
past yeer we have awaken with almost
childish delight to the realization that
we are one of the great world powers, and
are able to go anywhere aud to do any
thing we please. We are n young giant
arriving at physical maturity, and as
| anxious as some medieval knight to win
our spurs. An exclusive sense of force is
dangerously uppermost in the public
mind. Since our policy is shaped too
much to accord with the applause OF the
people, we ought as a people quickly to
discern that the victories of peace are far
more honorable than the victories of war,
and that we have numberless problems OF
Il peaceful nature loudly calling for the
expenditure of all the superlative energies
we have developed. 1t is righteousness
that truly exatet a nation.
Yet III the characteristic American
fashion, | cannot but expect the ends of
divine wisdom and righteousness to be
| realized through us, ultimately. Under
God's care we have weat hered rough seas
and are not now about to desert our
pilot. With more success than failure,
we are educating an heterogeneous people
to the difficult task of self-government
The wide appeal to the civic conscience
will bear fruit.
Religion Is preparing to awaken
deeper insight and to collect us back
from the dissipations of material:sm.
Our late experiences win cause US to sus-
pect illusions OF spirit which too often
have passed as expressions of patriotism.
l sincerely desire, and hope with some
confidence, that we may yet, after our
youthful vagraucy. come back to our
historic task of administering govern
ment humbly, without ostentation, In
the interest OF our common people; that
the world may have set before it in US
the quickeuing object lesson OF what may
he accompishe IN the way of popular
/ veal through unpretentious laws that are
/ conceived and executed in the fear of
God and the love of the nearest man in
need.