Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1900-06-28

try will be sought for as home by all
people, the object of our Puritan faith
ers will be attained, and perfect liber-
ty will ever be found where the Stars
and Stripes may float.
Yes, God stil leads us on, from Plymouth Rock
TO Philippines the grand triumphal march
or human liberty has never paused.
And through the mists OF coming years, see
Tn emancipated hosts on and up
TO those broad heights where all mankind
Shall stand before their maker, free,
And in the shadow OF the Stars rnd Stripes,
Find peace and happiness forevermore.
MAUDE BELLE SoUTIER
to whom was assigned the class poem,
gave the same in a style almost fault
less and very pleasing to all her
hearers.
A young ladies chorus "All Things
Are Beautiful" followed.
RENA MAY ANGELL
gave recitation "The Maiden Mar
tyr" in an unexceptional manner.
HARRY LEON GEORGE
chose as the subject of his Grafton
"The Genius OF American Liberty" :"
He said in part:
What is liberty? What is that un-
tangible something for which people
struggle? What is it that goes to make
up that condition of state and society
for which men have willingly laid
down their lives? Liberty consists in
the power of freely exercising those
rights which may be deduced from a
true idea Of the nature and destiny of
man. In the sphere OF n citizen it is
modified by "A correct idea of rights.
License is not liberty. Absence Of
rights makes a man slave. Our lib
erty ceases where the rights of others
begin.
History repeats itself, and now we
see another small, shall l say weak
country? No, for right and Provi-
dence are on its side, fighting against
the former oppressor of our nation.
We, who owe our liberty to the patri-
otism, devotion and self sacrifice OF the
men who fought upon the hard. con-
tested battlefields of the Revolution.
should sympathize with the Beers and
honor and respect a people who eXhib-
it such dogged perseverance, pertinaci-
ty and pluck in endeavoring to main
tain their liberty and defend their
homes against a foe many times their
superior, who is fighting not for the
maintenance OF liberty and rights but
because OF its greed for gold.
American liberty differs essentially
from that of any other nation. Espec-
tally is this true in respect to religion.
The constitution provides that there
shall be absolute religious freedom.
State and church are entirely separate.
In order that We may have true liber-
ty this must necessarily be so, for the
question of religion is one that must
be decided by each individual for him
self.
And what shall we say concerning
the policy of our government toward
our eastern possessions? Will not the
glory OF our beloved republic be en-
hanced by carrying liberty and civili-
zation to these poor, oppressed, down
trodden people? What achievement
greater could nation, conceived in
liberty and dedicated to the PROPOSE
tion that all men are created equal,
accomplish, than assisting its unen-
lightened neighbors to obtain the same
liberty that has been the means of
making it the foremost nation in the
world?
Yes, American liberty does have a
genius, a genius born OF oppression, OF
free schools, of freedom OF religion, and
OF speech. Who can say what glorious
future is in store for this country which
is not held under the tyranical sceptre
OF despot, but which has a govern
ment OF the people, for the people and
by the people.
Then came scene from the Mer-
chant OF Venice by Edith L. Spicer and
Evangeline French, followed by Miss
Agnes Spencer in a vocal number, "a
May Morning."
CARRIE LOUISE RANNEY
was the class prophet and much amuse-
ment did she create by her prophetic
visions. She said in part:
The revelation of the Th rec Fates-
Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, which
was given unto the class OF Nineteen
hundred, 20 show unto them things
that must shortly come to pass; and
the three sisters send and signify it
by their servant, Carrie, who bear re-
cord OF the word and testimony Of
Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos and Of
all things that she saw.
Carrie, TO the seniors which are in
Belding, rest be unto you and peace,
from them that stand above you in
authority, and hath made We all that
We are; to them be the glory and our
iitula farnvar man