Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-02-02


Ashes OF empire under ashen skies.
From ASHES OF Empire"
These lines refer to governments of
the human race that have faded and
passed away, their people not bound
together as they should have been by
ties of friendship, brotherly love or the
spirit OF fraternity that prevails Ia en-
lightened today.
In olden times II seems as though
every mans hand was against his
neighbour, all nations We're at enmity,
treaties were unknown, and crime and
persecution were rampant. Today the
morning OF the millennium appears TO
be dawning upon us when even the
Car of all the Russias is proclaiming
peace through the world, declaring
that all mankind are kin, and should
be accepted as such in the broad prin-
cple of fraternity.
And what is fraternity? A standard
dictionary of our time says: Ist, ERA
ternity Is the stated condition or rela-
tionship of brotherhood, hence that
sympathy and affection which should
characterize brotherly and sisterly re-
ations; End, A body of persons asso-
ciated or held to be associated together
by common interests or characters
tics"
And, what is government? The
same authority says it is the form by
which a community is controlled.
Moral, mental or physical control or
direction. Exercise of authority by a
parent, instructor or society, direction
aud control, as Of family.
Our race is one great society or fam
lily, and although under existing condi-
tions there are and cannot help but be
classes with lines more or less distinctly
drawn, still the great majority of all
conditions in life have the same objects
and the same aims; the paramount pur-
pose of each, hoDerer, being TO prOride for
himself or herself and those dependent
upon them. TO make this battle of life,
and for very existence itself, "a pleas
ant warfare" (if such a term can be
used) Is today the study and ambition
of the thinkers and statesman OF the
world. 1t will be agreed by all that a
proper government can in many ways
smooth the pathway of its people, but
almost every reform and every advance
ment must first be brought about by
the people themselves.
You have given me as a text ERA
ternity the Basis of Good Govern
ment," but l wish to qualify this some
what, and to speak if possible only of
the principles underlying Frate1pal
Beneficial Societies, suth as are repre-.
sented in this congress, principles
which we believe are the basis OF good
government and which are much broad
er than the limited features applied TO
fraternal societies of other classes,
some of which perhaps may be criticised
in permitting only favored few to
come within their exclusive portals,
thus prohibiting the great mass of peo-
pie from becoming benefciares of even
a lodge funeral, preceded by band of
music. Deeds of societies of strictly
social character are as a drop of water
in the ocean compared with the good
that can be and is accomplished every
hour in a broad realistic and substan
tial way by the fraternal beneficial
societies. Our orders not only supply
every social feature, every lodge fea
ture, every charitable feature advocat
ed by others, but we go beyond all thi.
and furnish for the homes of members
years after their passing away, the
necessities and even comforts of living
which he or she during life alone could
provide, and thus in this country
where the people are the rulers, We
are fast becoming the basis of gooC
government itself, by providing for the
needy, by caring for the aged or dis
tressed, and by educating the children
of the land.
In Michigan, my native state anC
present abiding place, we have recent
ly passed through political campaign
and fought over question upon which
there was really no division among the
people or between the two great par
ties; the orators of each proclaimine
equal tdTation" from every platform
throughout the entire state. am not
a believer in a strictly paternal govern
ment that would in. detail cover al
features of every business, every pro
fession, and every trade that can better
be carried on by individuals, but public
utilities and questions which affect the
general convenience and the comfort
of the masses, and particularly those
relating to the needy or the dependent
children or the aged, can be properly
brought under governmental control
and direction. Already two enlighten.
ed European governments, viz, Ger.
many and Switzerland, have instituted
protection like ours with government
machinery behind it..
In this great republic Of ours this