The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-07-20

iSho, ail VuC Mig . duNlSOTS VI CdUlHeC
may be enemies to his views of govern
ment. In the emancipation of our
slaves we recognized the common
brotherhood of man and we established
the principles of free government.
trust you will pardon me if quote from
book written by an American citizen,
John Lathrop Motely, for many years
minister at the Hague, and also at Brus-
sells, the title of which is "The Rise of
the Dutch Republic" In this book he
said the rise of the Dutch Republic
must ever be regarded as one of the
leading events of modern times. With
out the birth of this great common
wealth the various historical phenomena
OF the sixteenth and seventeenth and
following centuries must either never
have existed or presented themselves
under essential notifications. Again
he says, so much is each individual
state but member of one great inter-
national commonwealth, and so close is
the relationship between the whole
human family that it is impossible for a
nation even while struggling for itself
not to acquire something for all man
kind. And again he says to the Dutch
Republic even more than to Florence in
an earlier day, is the world indebted for
practical instruction in the great
science of political equilibrium. Again
he says to all who speak the English
language the history of the great agony
through which the republic of Holland
was ushered into life must ever have a
peculiar interest, for it is a portion of
the records of the Anglo-Saxon race,
essentially the same, whether in Fin
land, England or Massachusetts,. But if
we, as part of the great wave of
human progress, have overcome many
inconsistencies; if we have> crushed and
outlived many evils we must not mag
inc that our task is finished. If we
have destroyed the aristocracy of titles
and of political supremacy of color and
race we have not overcome the aristoc-
! racy of wealth. quote from speech
from one of the greatest trust lawyers
in our country, man who has done the
legal work of some of the greatest
trusts in existence, James B. Dill, be-
fore the graduating class of Oberlin col
lege. Mr.. Dill says no intelligent man
or woman can fail to realize that the
smoke on the political, financial and
social horizon indicates fire. Some
thing is wrong. The great aggregations
of capital are the centers where such
evils become apparent, but they are not
the cause; they are the symptoms but
not the disease. The evils lie in men
In character we are not honest, and
say to you that we never will be honest
until we punish the big thieves as well
as the little ones: until we punish men
who steal homes and fortunes as we'll as
men who steal chickens. horses and
other small things. Until the govern
ment becomes honest enough to punish
| high officials, men who admit their guilt
and boast Of it should be subject to the
laws that regulate and govern such
crimes as well as others. And for any
man who occupies position that gives
him power to prevent such punishment
or trial, or use that power in wrong
theory of administering law. Men
who steal the fruits of labor from the
toiling millions are thieves whenever
they violate law that says they shall
not take property that way, and should
pay the penalty the law requires. IL
give one illustration, Henry Miller, 6
German, came to this country in 1850
became naturalized citizen and today
he holds of the public domain 14,2OO,OO(
acres acquired by fraudulent means ant
the connivance of government officials
For comparison, Belgium has less thai
100000 acres of land and supports
population of over 100000 people
more than all Greece. 1t is the custom
at Fourth of July orations to speak onl,
of our good conditions and say nothing
of our bad ones, but the advance of tn,
human race comes only through over
coming these conditions that are bene
fitting few at the expense of the man,
Buckle says the unequal distribution O
wealth is the most prolific source o
social discomfort, but believe that tn,
intelligence of the American people will
Overcome these evils as they have man,
others. Let men forget that they ar
republicans, that they are socialists, o
that they are democrats, and let then
become again Americans with one objec
the good Of all.
i In conclusion let me say | have pass
ed in review as briefly as possible few
Of the causes that brought the govern
ment of the United States of Americ
into existence, and let us ask ourselve
what has it done for us; what is tn,
evidences of the civilization that aros
on the ruins of Roman civilization, ant
1r,h1, Tho ,ax,, ou1on 60 IL ~ -, 40 1,