The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-05-28

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first great victory for freedom OF this
nature. was gained AZ Runnymede in
Great Britain. where the contest for
the personal rights OF man was fought
out and the Magma Charta was ex-
acted from King John: while the first
great American victories for freedom
were gained at Saratoga. and York
town when this nation was born. The
last was won AT Appomattox, where
American liberty regulated by law
was perpetuated
The first and longest step taken n
establishing our government was the
adoption OF the national constitution
and the world has failed to produce
any document comparable with II
The fathers of this Republic did not
believe that a new system Of govern
ment could be hastily made to order
like q new suit OF clothes. and so they
acted with great elaboration. They
wanted to make and did made a con-
stitution more for future generations
than for themselves. They knew the
government must fit the people OF the
future as well as those of that age.
They were looking ahead. In fact
our constitution was not finally adopt
ed until 1889. some years after the
declaration of independence. By go
ing slow they improved upon the ex-
periences OF the past They sought
for examples from other nations
which had gone before. They were
fortunate in being in new country
untrammeled by the precedents OF
former governments. In framing the
constitution. there were no classes to
provide for, no rank or wealth TO
guard against, for neither rank nor
wealth could be found in the colonies.
All the material they had to form i
government of was men and so oiir
constitution was made to govern men
aS well as property.
The great tlouble then was that
the states were jealous of surrender
ing any Of the peculiar privileges pos
sessed by them, and this sentiment
survived for many years. So much
so that within this generation at
triennial convention of one of the
great churches OF our country. when
the prayers we're being amended, it
was debated long and seriously
whether or not this was full fiedged
nation; It bsing first proposed to ap-
peal to tue Creator by saying ooh,
Lord, blesseou nation" but from an
abundance If caution it was decided
to pray instead "Oh Lord. bless the
United States" and thus they avoided
the admission that this was nation
They thrust the responsibility upon
the Lord. and for 125 years He who
rules men end nations alike has held
dominion over this people.
The whole civilized world now rec
ognizes that we are nation; tn II
the American people are brave, self
reliant, intelligent and Christian peo-
pie, a people whose loss would be felt
| If omitted from the list OF nations.
But we are not likely to be left out.
We were not left out in Manila, in
Cuba or in China The American peo-
pie are confronted with too many
great problems not to take part in
making history Civilization cannot
afford to- lose tie ennobling influence
of this glorious pei pie. We are build
| ing empire and we must build it Wei
and govern t we'll 1t is true that as
new questions arise we may change
our course to meet new conditions,
| for "to live is to change, and to be
perfect is 10 have changed often" Thu
| man who never changes never I'm
proves: and the same may be said CT
nations.
/ Since the adoption of our -constitu.
ton, America has changed its views
on many questions of statecraft and
has expanded rapidly. Our expansion
has meant growth, not conquest. Sew.
| a. ~ rnnnfe he
long to the American nation. And
yet We have but one American Rag
and one american army and navv 10
defend it; one capitol of the country
one supreme court, one Congress
Il And while in the United States We
have two sers of governments, one 10
cal and the other national-in the
States a state government, in the ter
ritories a territorial government-yei
separate and distinct from each and
supreme over all, is the national gov
erEment whose power is broad and
far-reaching. This government repre-
sents the whole American people: the
! others are but parts of the nation
which go to form the whole. Like al
. other governments, since the begin
ming we have grown and changed as
men change. and this nation will con
. tinue to grow and change. There car
be no stand still point with this PEG
, pie. It must either advance or -e
trograde. II we only keep the foun
tains of government pure. no one neeC
fear our becoming too great or power
| full
/ 1t is said that somewhere and Ii
some form the influence of the deat
! survives. That no prophet Ia:
spoken. no martyr lied. no one in tbs
: pas htas fought for the right WHIT
has not left some impress of hi
: deeds on the pages of time We lool
) / at the Cross and are reminded Of Cal
: vary over nineteen hundred years aga
, we see the pyramids on the banks o
! the Nile and therefrom trace tn
story of Egyptian civilization through
! thousands OF years We gaze up1l
i the ruins of the Partkenon at Athens
, | and the Coliseum of imperial Rome
!. In the one we again see Socrates
: teaching the Athenian youth how q
; live better lives. and In the other /;
J thousand years later. we see oh
Rome IN her last struggle for life. he
: Ilegions gone. the masses corrupt m