The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-27

powerful man who would disregard the
storm of obloquy sure to be aroused by
what he did to get it to work Such
man was found when Tom Reed was
made speaker Now we may dlner
among ourselves as to what course the
government should follow, but If we
nossess any intelligence we must be
unit. If government cannot go on 1t is
no government. If the legislature can
not enact laws, then there Is no use
of misnaming it legislative BODY, anc
If. according to principle. the majority
is to rule, some method by which 1t can
rule must be provided. Government by
the ma jOrity in congress mad practlcal-
ly come to a stop when MI Reed became
speaker Mr. Reed, at the cost of IN
finite labor, at the cost or nercest at
tack succeeded in restoring that old
principle, and now through congress we
can do as well or i'll. according as the
people demand, but at any rate we can
do something. We will be that mucn
ahead, and we owe it,, more than to any
other one man, to your fellow citlzen,
Mr. Reed. And it is great thing Tor
the CITY a great thing for any man, to
be able to feel that in some one crisis
he left his mark deeply scored for good
in the history of his country ana rom
Reed has the right to that feeling.
Now word or two more was
greeted here not only by your mayor,
not only by other men standing high,
but by you, general turning to Gen.
Joshua L. Chamberlain, to whom u
given at the supreme IHOuleHl VI
the war to win the supreme reward OF
a soldier. All honor to the man, anu
may we keep ourselves from enVyinS
those to whom came the supreme good
fortune of winning the medal of honor
for mighty deeds done in the mightiest
battle that the Nineteenth century saw
Gettysburg. l see everywhere 1 stop
men who in the times that tried the
nations worth rose level to the nation, S
need and offered up life gladly to the
nations altar, the men who fought III
the great civil war from 81 to ia. Iney
taught US much by their life in war
time, and they have taught US as mucn
by their life ever since. They were SOL
diers when we needed soldiers, and they
were of the very best kind, and when the
need was for citizenship IN civil lie
they showed us they could give the
highest kind of citizenship. Not merely
did they give US a reunited country, not
merely did they leave US the memory or
the great deeds they did, to be forever
after an inspiration to us, but they ieIt
us the memory of the way the deed was
done All the time, gentlemen, we have
people-often entirely well meaning
who will rise up and tell US that by
some patent device we can all be saved
in citizenship or in social life. NOW
general, and you, and you (pointing),
who wear the button. when you came
down to the root of things in war time,
you had to depend upon the qualities
of manhood, which had made good sol
of Israel marched out of Egypt down.
Rifles now instead of bows then, bull
the man behind the rifle is more i'm
portant than the rifle itself. So with
our laws. We need good laws. We
need wise administration of the law
an upright and fearless administration
of the law But the best legislation ever
devised by the will of man and the best
law that was ever put on the statute
books will not avail to save us If the
average citizen has not in him the roo'
of right living.
Il believe that this nation will rise
level to any great emergency that may
meet it, but it will only be because now,
| in our ordinary work day, life in times
! of peace in the times when no great
| crisis is upon US. we school ourselves
| by constant practice in the common
place, every day indispe nsable duties, sc
| that when the time arrives will show
| that we have learned Alright the pr1-
| mary lessons of good citizenship"
Carriages were then taken for a drive
| to points of interest about the city
| From the Union station the party drove
! up Congress street the entire length OF
| the city to the eastern promenade anc
Fort Allen park, when a fine view o.
| Allen the line was reversed and pro
| ceeded about the city. visiting the sew
| eral public parks. a stop was made
| at the Longfellow mansion. where thu
| president inscribed his name on thu
guest register. A short call also wa.
| made at the residence of Thomas B
1 Reed, at the Cumberland club and a
! the home of Captain John Parker, U. S