The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-07-05
RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE
NATIONS BIRTHDAY.

the Fourth of July glorious We're a
type that seems to have almost van
ished from the land. The Republic
they brought into the world in the
midst of storm and peril, has indeed
become the greatest and strongest of
nations, but we fear it has not grown
in grace as it has gown in strength.
1t has waxed gross in its greatness and
declined in moral grandeur as it has
increased in physical power.
We do not by any means believe that
virtue and patriotism are dead among
the people but that they have almost
ceased to control or influence the peo-
pies government is too plain to admit
of honest denial 1t is also to be feared
that the low standard of conduct and of
motive that prevails in the affairs of
government, is gradually debasing the
popular conscience to its own level.
This government was launched by
broad minded, humane and enlightened
statesmen like Washington and Jeffer-
son. 1t is to-day guided and con-
trolled by men like Mark Hanna
coarse, ignorant, vulgar money -getters ;
to whose low and sordid minds the
fathers of the Republic are creatures
to be laughed at and despised.
To speak the language of those who
established free government on this
continent, is to be jeered and scoffed
at. To have any respect for human
rights, to believe that crime can not
be justified by the plea that there is
money in it, is to be a dreaming, i'm
practical sentimentalist.
This is the natural result of the
growth of plutocracy. The men who
have gained control in such large
measure of the country's industrial
system have gained control of its poll
tics. In their business methods they
have been brutal, criminal and cor
rupt. Fraud, perjury, bribery, VIC
lence, organized conspiracies to de-
bauch Legislators, judges and people,
or to violate just and wholesome laws
conspiracies to ruin honorable bust.
ness competitors by dishonest and Grim
inal practices have been the
methods by which many of our multi.
millionaires have amassed their for.
tunes. And such men to-day are mas
tiers of the Republic. They make and
administer its laws and they bring tc
the affairs of government the same
: standard of morality they have set III
in their business dealings, the same
contempt for human rights, the same
callous indifference to human suffering
What does the Fourth of July signify
to these brutal, purse proud vulgarians
About as much as it would to 1
sand dagger or burglar. They know
of no way of measuring worth excep
by market price. They think of tn
Fourth of July simply as day off
They have heard of the Declaration o
Independence, but as it is never name,
in the market reports it never attracte,
their attention. If they could stocI
and bond it, they might condescend t
treat it with respect-but what is
thing worth which would not be &C
copied as collateral even for small
loan2
To this standard, the Standard Dollar
everything is brought to be measured
A leading newspaper tells us tina
there is no room for Sunday schoo
theories in this practical age. Presi
dent Mckinley puts down the "Decla
ration of independence" with tn
sneer that markets are better tina
maxims "a gold dollar is bette
than the golden rule; a balance i
bank is better than the Sermon on tn
Mount a criminal millionaire is bet
ter than a Christian gentleman.
Is there hope that this state q
things win pass away and the countr
return to the noble principles of il
earlier history Il would be treaso
to despair but we must realize tn
enormous difficulties in the way. L
the first place, il Is difficult to resis
any powerful influence without a fire.
press. g. warn. 81 instruct. To summo