The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-16

as an Expert, the Former AttOr-
ney General ModestIy Suggests
That They Offer a Field for Work
by the Dominant Political Par
ties.
1T is grand to talk of giving good gov
eminent to the Philippines, but cur first
duty is to develop the American citizen
into the very highest type Of citizen,
SNIP declared Gen. Moses E.. Clapp, in
an address on Good Citizenship" de-
hvered at the First Methodist church last
evening. Gen. CIapp's remarks were
greeted with applause by the audience
that was irrepressible in spite of the
fact that applause In church is sometimes
considered bad form
The service opened with the singing Of
Tenting Tonight by the church quar-
tette, and then Rev. F. B. Cowgirl. the,
pastor, delivered short Introductory adj,
dress in which he stated that in view
OF the patriotism aroused by the visit of
the president and the return of the Thir>
teenth during the week he had felt that
patriotic meeting was demanded and
Gen. Moses E. CIapp and H. S. Fairchild
had consented to speak. Cen Clapp was
the first speaker introduced He said in
part -. ,f~,.f -,,,
Ibid YOU eNer9realfze athe pictures that
the one word, patriotism. might coniure
up? Did you ever realize the awful sac
rifices that man has made in order TO
enjoy civil liberty? It has been said that
familiarity breeds contempt, and this
truism finds its realization in the in
difference with which people treat the
priceless boon of self-government. The
American citizen, however obscure his
position, has the power to leave the i'm
print of his convictions upon the govern
1nent of his country through the ballot.
And it took 5000 years of struggle to give
him the ballot
THE Latin races look back on the glory
of their past and find contentment TIE
Anglo-Saxon is looking back only for its
lessons. He presses coura geously for
ward to solve the. problems that may con-
front him in the future. The American
citizen today is not only guardian of tia
veal of America, but is exerting a pow
erfu1 influence of example upon the whole
world. The first, duty of Americans is
to America in the. upbuilding of Amer
lean citizenship and of American ms itu-
tions. A nations foreign relations are
a great deal like a mans front yard. 1t
appears to take care of itself, while in
some unaccountable manner all sorts of
refuse gather in his back yard The
first duty of Americans Is to make their
back yards right.
ut is grand to talk of giving go d gov
eminent to the Philippines, but our first
duty is to develop the American citizen
into the very highest type of citizenship
The Importance of war in the develop
ment of national greatness is magnified.
1t is in times of peace that are soWn the
seeds of national greatness or decay.
"These are two classes of citizens The
first is familiar with practical politics,
sometimes RELOCATING the question of the
morality of questions to ignominy. The
second class is composed of good people
who want good government, yet they fail
in obtaining it.. Not through lack of zeal
or motive but because they do not ap.
preciate the manner in which it should
be applied.
The first thing that these men must
learn is the relation that they sustain
to the government. We are laborinS uIi
der tradition that government is an
identity, that 1t must be feared and
guarded against as monster or appea ed
to as the dispenser of favors. Govern
ment is the association of the citizens
and the creation of a mutual agreement
The American citizen wants to strip gov
eminent of the last vestige of majesty.
1.-The next lession that the good citizen
must learn is that under a monarchy
the government is first and the citizen
second. Under the republican form there
is no government until the citiz n gives
it being. Then the citizen is first and the
government secord. The government
will be as good as the American citizen
will make it or as bad as he will tolerate
it.
''The good citizen must also gain an
understanding of the scope and purpose
OF law, not written law, but the great
unWrittan law that is destined TO aid i'll
all great moral ana political reforms
Laws do not execute themselves. A law
that is not the crystallization of public
sentiment Is the deadest thing on earth
AS evidencing tho truth of this PROPOSE
ton the speaker cited the instance of
the sfeat of Gen. Grant, with all his pop
ularity. in his aspirations for third IN,
and the suppression of TIE t'itzsimmons-
Hall prize fight. He thought the good
citizen should attend the caucuses and
2upNe all awake TO q wider appreciation
of the practical side Of politics. All great
reforms are achievabie only through the
agency of party. but parties change. and
q man who Is earnest in his convictions
should not be despised for standing by
them nol called g renegade. in conciu-
sion. ne declared that the presnt condi-
tons are but a stepping stone toward
something better.
At the conclusion of Gen. Clapps ad-
dress, all joined in singing 1.-THE Battle
Hymn of the Republic" oIid IT S. Fair
child spoke briefly on the subject of pa
triotisrn. He. spoke of the return OF the
Thirteenth. covered with glory, as having |
renewed the fire of patriotism, and de-
eared that the people mltst rally with The
same fervor to defend the national INST
tutions against the corruption that he
said threatens TO undermine the govern
mort Eternal vigilance in this direction
he believed to be necessary.
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