Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-09-08

1
have no friends or relatives upon
whom they may rely, then it is the
| business of our government to pro- |
vide for them; but there is no provis- |
ion made, and should be no provision
made, for the parasite-those who live
upon the efforts of others they should
perish. Any man who will not rem
der some service for his support, for
the things which he derives from So
ciety, the food and drink and shell
ter which he enjoys. ought not to con.
tinue to exist in any civilized CON-
munity.
think it concerns every one of us.
from the president of the United
States down to the humblest manual
laborer in this community, to see that
as high standard among those who
labor with their hands shall be main
tanned as is consistent with what they
produce. All history shows us that
when the common population Of
country once deteriorates in charac-
ter or physique beyond the point
where they are able successfully to
resist oppression, that that country
is doomed. The poet Goldsmith said:
iii fares the land, to fastening ills
a prey,
Where wealth accumulates, and men
decay"
Manhood the Foundation.
Even to the possessors of wealth
it is most important that men should
not decay We can conceive a highly
: prosperous community in which there
is happiness, health and general we'll
being without very much accumulate
: ed wealth, but picture to yourselves
: the condition of any community whele
g there is vast wealth and an inferior
! class of people. We all make a mis-
, take, whether rich or poor. when we
4 elevate wealth above manhood. Man
II hood is the foundation upon which
T the structure of our government rests,
0 and in a country like ours there will
II be no government very long after the
n manhood of America has deteriorat-
l. ed beyond the point where it knows
I its own rights and dares to assert
d them. Now, let no one take this as
II an argument against wealth, we all
Y like wealth if we can get it honest
I. ~, and we should like it because its
e uses are manifold and great, but we
e should never make the mistake of ele
e waiting it above manhood, because
r manhood without wealth can very cas-
4 lily get along, but wealth without man
II hood will soon fall into decay and be
y come destroyed. Wealth is tempo
n rary; it lasts but a short time; Du
c manhood is enduring; it will survive
a. as long as this race survives-as Ions
g. ~ our Maker sees fit to allow man
If kind to nhabit this earth. We SHOULD
s. choose that which is eternal ra .he
4 >;x,1,
AZ Greatness Of America.
20 Now, why is America a great cOun
y Try? When people speak of the great
ness of America they will cite yO,
a., :" to her two hundred thousand mile
y of railroad, to her rich mines-th
- richest in the world-to her vast eA
u, tent of fertile country, to her flock
~, ~ and her herds. But, my friends, di
~ you ever stop to think that that i
~ ~, not the greatness of America? VIII
=. is America great? 1t is because tn
~ Americans have great qualities, an
80 for no other reason in the world
~, Take the population of the Philil
y pine islands and set them down i
"a. the richest and most fertile porto
-. 10 of the United States; would the
~, make great community? Far frol
- it. They would be sunk in degred;
-, ton just as they are now, just as the
~ probably always will be. When W
.e consider an illustration of this kin
~ we see at once that it is men thu
~ make country great, and not ma
vi ural resources. Take the richest i
ie- land of the Pacific. take the richie:
lis country in tho uorI5 .,horo -
ne not the men to use those resourc,
IA Of oil
W. kind has given us. and you will nevt
us find greatness. The ease with whio
as subsistence may be obtained is,
,a, TACT, only an additional incentive
.e' idleness. We want an aspiring rae
~ OF men, men whose thoughts reach {
w. high as the heavens, and there We
- Will have great nation, no matt,
" what your natural resources are.
~. nave often thought, and far great,
~ men imam | have often said that gre
- natural resources are often detI
,no ment 10 nation lit takes IA Stror
~ race 10 overcome certain diSadya
taSe conferred upon them by abun
~; ant natural resources. The history
49, many nations has shown that. Wht
-. Rome was poor she was strong: whe
~ ner cltlZenS were great she was grea
h. put when conquest came and the
- Iollowed the inflow of wealth fro
co all the countries of the east, the
dc Rome became stepped in luxury ar
in wealth and idleness and the Roma,
~. lost their great qualities and they b
r. came degraded race, and have ev,
.ts since occupied but a small and II
no important position on the world
os stage. Now, we do not want TO thin
that the laws of nature and the Law
,,t OF God are any different with regaI
ree to us than they have been with ar
an nation existing on this earth, and We
no VIII find it always true, as it alwa,
inc mas been true. that it is not materi
nd resources that make country grea
;c Therefore it would be well for ever
of. one, II those who have power. if thos
np who have wealth, if those who ha,
nv influence, could be satisfied with
he reasonable share of the production
re. THIS worlds goods and not reach OF
nv perpetually for more power derive
in solely from commercialiSm, derive
ne. solely from the use and the posse
ng sion of money.
he | tell you that the men who ha,
cry won distinction upon the BATTLEFIELD
ng, who have led armies TO glory are (;
tly more worthy than the great men
ma the present time who are rich, wi
Ou- are great simply because of the POI