Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-02-24
HAVE MEMS CLUB
Banquet Held by Members of
Broadway Presbyterian
Church.
ADDRESS BY DR.. HARLAN
"Municipalization of Patriotism" the
Subject-Says Best Rock ISL
ander is Best Citizen.

| Eighty-five men gathered last even
ing at the Broadway Presbyterian
church 10 attend the organization ban
quet of the Mems club of the church.
In the Sunday school, room of the
church II tables had been set, and
| there a fitting banquet was served by
the ladies of the church. The tables
were tastefuIly decorated. and candles
supplemented the electric lights.
Following the banquet Phil Mitchell.
who presided, introduced the speaker
of the evening. Rev. Richard D. Har-
! Ian, ID. D.. president of Lake Forest
college. DR.. Harlans subject was
The NATURALIZATION of Patriotism"
He made a very interesting address.
calling attention to the need of local
iZing patriotism. The keynote of DR.
Harlan's remarks was the sentence;
The best United States citizen in this
room is the best Rock Islander pres
emit"
Double Standard of Morals.
In opening his address Rev. Harlan
spoke to some length on the double
standard of morals for men in public
life. This double standard is readily
eAoLiAtNCus anu II 10 AOt 4Ol
it TO be said of a man that he is per
sonally honest" when in public life it
is known that he has stolen franchises.
corrupted legislatures, and deprived
the people of the right to govern them
selves. THE man who is personally
honest in this way is personally dis
honest in the most dangerous way"
said Rev. Harlan. The common thief
is labeled-everyone knows where to
find him-but the man who corrupts
legislatures is difficult to bring to JUS
tice.
TOO many men attempt to regulate
their morals by having a private COM
partment to lock their conscienceS in
when in public life said the speaker
We must demand the old-fashioned
principle of our public men. and not
admit of such a standard of honesty
Call things by their right name.
But the main point is that we must
have a new idea of practical patriot
ism. The common ideas of patriotism
is vague and sentimental; it is eXhibi
ted in frothy Fourth of July sort of elo-
Quence, or in cases of emergency when
the country needs men for war. 1t is
not difficult to find men to die for the
country, but to get men to live fori
their country; that is the more diff
cult and the more valuable mission.
Many men take a great interest in ma
tional affairs, but are useless when To-
cal betterment is undertaken" DR..
Harlan approved of such organizations
as the Mems club. saying that it was
left to just such groups of men to bring
about a new standard of morals for
public and private life.
"As Good Deserved"
I'VE get just as good government as
we deserve" said DR.. Harlan. I'VE
get the government deserved by the
large class of men taking active inter
est in practical politics. In the mis-
government of our officials we see our
own misgovernment. 1t is the bad cit
iZenship of good men, not the bad cit
iZenship of bad men, that works the
evil" Rev. Harlan said that, he would
substitute for the proverb. "A great
and glorious thing it is to die for ones
country" a prOverb "a great and fit
ting thing it is to live for ones city
If a man does not love his own city, |
how can he love his country?
"Rany Round Ballot Box
Concentration is the keynote of the !
new idea of patriotism. We need !
larger navies and coast defenses. but |
not as much as we need such groups
Of young men as this. TO battle against |
the foes of their own community" It !
should not be Rally round the flag"
but Rally round the ballot boxes" |