The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-06-07


After a thorough sitting CT all con-
ditIOns that go to form the creative
parts OF this the greatest government
beneath the sun Of the living God, the
true philosopher has deduced the
truth that in the education Of the
masses rests the safety or our instltu-
lions and the p%erpetuitY of republican
forms Of government. Par Po1RH vox
DG belongs exclusively to American
institutions, for 10 no other country is
man, individually, free, and the
masses of men sovereign.
1t is written in the Declaration Of
independence that all men are born
free and equal and upon this theory
was our government given a place
among the nations Of the world. 1t
was young and crude when this
declaration was penned by Mr.. Jeffer-
son, but through the power Of right
as against MIGHT it has grown until
today 1t has blossomed forth in full
bloom as the purest, sweetest and
dearest flower that adorns the gov
ernmental bouquets Of all the nations
Of the earth.
While yet u government was in
its infancy-while the bud had not
unfolded its beauteous leaves to be
kissed by the dews of morning and
made strong by the sunshine of noon
tide we were merely at the pioneer
stage Of a glorious civilization to fol-
Iowa future that no king could
darken 0 despot dim, even though
his ruling passion may have been or
is a hungering for conquest at the
mouth Of the cannon or the point Of
the bayonet. King George Of England
was taught this lesson of American
independence and freedom by our
fOrefathers whose blood-stained foot
prints In the SHOWS Of Valley Forge
are to us a sweet memory-a
patriotic heritage that must abide
with us SO long as the nation may
live, ven unto the end of time.
Though victory was written upon
the banner Of right at that early
period Of our country's blessed history
ard the proud monarch.of a~ristocratic
Europe was made to learn the lesson
Of American hardihood and reap the
just reward that always falls to the
lot Of the cruel and the heartless;
though the world marveled at the
proves Of the intrepid patriots under
the leadership Of the immortal Wash
ingtOn-wondered that a mere hand
full Of country-lovlng citizens could
grasp the tall Of the British lion and
twist him from his very throne Ia the
throes Of ignominious defeat; could
the world at that day have read the
future Of the American people they
would have been enabled then and
there to foresee the downfall Of kings
and crownheads and a return, at some
time in the future, to that condition
when man shall rule and when the
people shall be sovereign.
Conditions then we're not what they
are today. Sparsely peopled this
country, the government was more
easily controlled and the masses more
easily handled. The brilliant light Of
she American star, however, in the
national armament, beckoned to our
shores down-trodden peoples Of the
old world, who came here to escape
the governmental theory of divine
right to rule, and to drink of the free
dom of a country where each man is
a sovereign, blessed with the constl-
t%utional privilege Of free thought,
free speech and the undisturbed
pursuit of happiness.
AS u country grew 10 population
conditions became more complex and
thought leaders 10 the channels Of
political economy discovered the fact
that upon the education OF the masses
depended the perpetuity Of our insti-
tntion. They solved the ploblem, 1.
e.; that ignorance is fatal to good
government and that If we live and
thrive we must educate.
Out Of this governmental policy
sprang our splendid public school
system, the pride Of every patriotic
American citizen and the rock Of
safety to which the barque OF state is
moored-a moorlDg from which it
cannot be shaken by the laundering
guns OF all the nations OF earth, nor