The Minneapolis journal., 1902-08-28
THE DAY AT BANGOR
The President Meets His Old Friend
and Employe Bill sewall,
the Guide.
An Address on the Forces That Make
Farmers Boys Leaders
of Men.

Bangor. Me-, Aug. 2S.-When the pres
ident arrived here yesterday, he asked for
Bill Sewall of Island Fallss Me-, who had
accompanied him on many hunting eXpe-
ditions and who had for time been en-
ployed on his ranch in Dakota. The tall,
duced.
Il am glad to see you. Bill said the
president, whereupon Bill replied: You
Ein't no gladder than l be-
While at the fair grounds some ono
suggested to Sewall, who was seated on
the platform with the president, that he
should go to Washington and secure an
appointment as postmaster. but Bill had
already received this honor and said to
his nQustor: Il be postmaster Already.
In his speech yesterday the president
said:
Il am glad to greet the farmers of
Maine. During the century that mas closed
the growth of industrialism has neces-
sarly meant that cities and towns nave
increased in populat tion more rapidly than
the country districts
And yet it remains true, as 1t has al
ways been, that in the last resort the
country districts are those in which We
hre sureSt to find the old American spirit.
the old American habits of thought and
ways Of living. Conditions have changed
in the country far less than they have
changed in the city, and in consequence
there has been little breaking away from
the methods Of life which have produced
the great majority of the leaders OF the
republic in the past. Almost all or our
great presidents have been brought up
in the country and most of them worked
hard on the farms in their youth and got
their early mental training in the healthy
democracy of farm life.
The forces which made these farm
bred boys leaders of men when they had
come to their full manhood still at
work in our country districts. Self-heip
and individual initiative remain to Pc
culiar degree typical Of life in the coun-
try. life on a farm, in a numbering camp,
on ranch. Neither the farmers nor
their hired hands can work through COM
binations as readily as the capitalists or
wage workers Of cities can work.
Each of us. unless he Is contented to be
O slumberer on the earths surface, must
strive to do his life's work with his whole
heart Each must remember that, while
he will be noxiOus to every one. unless ne
do his duty, he must also strive to do his
duty by his fellows. The problem OF how
to do these duties is acute everywhere
1t Is most acute in great cities, but 1t eX-
lists in the country, too. man to be a
good citizen must first be a good father,
/ hope, the father Of many healthy chill
dren-just as a wOman's first duty Is to
be good housewife and mother
THE business duties. the home duties.
the duties to ones family. come first. The
couple who bring up plenty Of healthy
children, who leave behind them many
sons and daughters fitted IN their turn
to be good citizens-such couple en-
pha tiCally deserves we'll of the state.
But duty to ones self and ones family
does not exclude duty to ones nelghbOr
Each of us, rich or poor, can help his
neighbor at times; and to do this he must
be brought into touch with him, into sym
pathy with him. An effort is to be well
coined that brings people close together
The man who lives simply and justly
and honoraby, whether rich or poor, is a
good citizen. Those who dream only OF
ttlleneSs and pleas who hate others ana
fail to recognize the duty OF each man
! to his brother these, be they rich or poor,
are the enemies of the state. The mis-
use of property is one manifestation OF
the same evil spirit which under changed
circumstances denies the right OF property
because this right is in the hands OF 9TH
ers. In a purely Material civilization the
bitterness of attack on anothaf's position
is only additional proof Of the eXtraordl-
rary Importance Of being regarded as
valuable foundation on which happiness
may with wisdom be built. IS mistaken
for happiness itself. so that the materla
prosperity becomes the one standard, then
alike by those who enjoy such prosperity
In sloth criminal ease and by those
who, In no less evil manner, rail at, envy
and long for 1T. Poverty is held to be
shameful, and money, whether we'll or III
gotten, to stand for merit. Material pros
peritv without the moral lift toward right
eousness means diminished capacity fof
hardness and a deba ased chara cter. The
worth Of civilization is worth Of the mar
at its center When this man lacks mora
rectitude, the material progress only
makes bad worse, and social problems still
darker and more complex.