The Record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1902-1904, 1903-07-24
OUR NATIONS BIRTHDAY
Observation-Disclosures NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. .


of American ideas and American free
dom is felt throughout the earth. The
United States was created fora purpose.
Her fate will not be that of the free
nations Of the earth who have gone
before rs. In times TO come the United
States will not 1e remembered simply
as "a school-boy's tale, the wonder oil
an hour.V We will not end as did the
free republics of ancient Greece. HIS
tory will not repeat itself as concerns
the future of the United States com
pared to the past of those dead repub-
lies. And while we cannot fully real
ize the trials of our country in the
past, while We cannot appreciate what
task it was not only 10 preserve but
to enlarge the union in the face of the
contempt and Jealousy Of the countries
of Europe. while we cannot adequately
honor and applaud the statesmen and
soldiers who have SO gallantly fought
for our country, what we can do is TO
look back with admiration aud graft
tude and resolve to do likewise. And
if we do likewise, if we emulate the ex-
ample and precepts of past generations
except insofar as changed times and
circumstances do not warrant, who
can say that our destiny is not to grow
and grow, to extend the teachings of
liberty and freedom to the innermost
recesses of the earth, until, like Eng
land, we can say that the sun never
sets upon our flag?
We are great nation, powerful
democracy, loved yet feared. And
eoincident with our greatness have
come difficulties, troubles, problems.
There are problems ahead Of us at home
and abroad, because such problems are
necessary for the working out Of a
great national career. This is the
penalty Of greatness and no nation as
great as ours can hope to escape it,.
We must meet the penalty as men,
eager for the fray and not as fools. So
long rs we play the part Of men in this
great living drama we will grow great
er aud stronger and happier, advanc-
ing our own cause and the cause of all
mankind. But let this race Of giants
degenerate into striplings and weak
lings and how sudden will be our fall!
Step By step, stage by stage,
we have risen TO the height of great
ness. II we lose our grip we will fall
at the rate Of a comet and our race will
be run. So we must take care how we
form onf characters, aad how We per-
Iom the duties of citizenship, for those
Two things IN the main determine
whether our government will stand or
fall Just now the doctrine Of siren
nosity as advocated by Theodore Roose-
velt, and which is only a high type of
stoicism of ancient times, is regarded
As the best means for the development
Of perfect manhood and noble woman
hood In some such manner rs this
must We compel the people to preserve
the fundamental principles of this gov
erment IN al their integrity aud to add
further principles when required
How difficult il will be for Us to deal
with the manifold tasks confronting
rs, but few OF us can realize a. few of US
can appreciate their magnitude and
significance. Our international prob
lens are becoming of wider scope and
more complicated; the troubles due to
the formation of the trusts and the
labor unions are showing more and
more far-reaehing effects as the gulf
between capital and labor IS growing
deeper and wider: the fact that the
bulk of our immigration is of the un-
desirable kind and no longer the
thrifty and energetic sort that has
built up the country shows that our
lax immigration laws are in urgent
need of reform; the corruption of ouI
rotten municipal governments de-
mands changes; while the defects in
our national and state legislative sys-
TENS and in our Judiciary must needs
be remedied if the boasted fabric OF
liberty is not TO settle and totter ano
crumble. Certainly, we might lei
things take their natural course and
await the climax, when the people, a
whatever cost and by whatever means
best and most eXpedient, will repossesi
themselves of their lost rights anc
remedy all defects to the best Of theil
knowledge But is that the eours,
which the enlightenment of civiliza
ton has taught us to follow? | tel
you, to let things go is not in aecort
with our traditional teachings nor is i
our modern policy as nation. Ii WI
cost us too much treasure and to-
much blood and give us to great set
back. Right here is where our paten
ce viii be taxed where our ingenuIt.
will stand us in good stead aud on
patriotism made our guiding stan
What does our plain duty as loyal