The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-05-25
Politics, Religion and Banking,
New Combination.
FINE TOAST BY C. L. TODD
SIayton Man EnIivens The Meeting Of
Financiers at Winn ,bago With
Something Choice.
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily
The following is the toast, Politics,
Religion and Banking" responded to by
C. L. Todd of Slayton, at the second dis
triet bankers convention, held at Win
nebago last Wednesday:
Politics, religion, banking. The trium
virate which moves the kaleidoscope
slides of commerce, hope and destiny.
Banking, that profession, that has for
its aim the conservation of that mea-
sure of value used in barter and eX-
change. demanding from the enfeebled
by years their confidence, the middle
aged respect, the youth veneration. In
the realm of human pursuits there is
heavily the mantle of responsibility OF
whose conscience feels more keenly its
weight.
Religion, that intangible something on
which the eye of hope fastens ntself and
lulls to sleep the fears of the visitation OF
death and robs the grave of its dull pail
of woe.
Politics, the power that governs. This
is no trinity of chance, accident, and
mistake. but allied and intertwined az
closely as is the warp and wool of mis-
ery and care 1t yields and has been
welding in its multipleX forms, the af.
fairs of man in all of its diversified
tons since first the mighty rumblings of
creative power produced the universe
that is and a reasoning being to inhabit
it.
Co-existent with the creation of man
and his beholdng, the blue of the firma
ment with the glory of the verdure of
earth. dawned the desire of the human
soul for the power to conquer and gov
ern.
When Adam and Eve inaugurated the
first domestic regime, there began in
its building form the growth of that
science, which since that time has been
called politics, or, the administration OF
and nation AS a first political effort.
Adam and Eve recognized the neces-
sity of one head from which should
come the authoritative statements that
must govern in the domestic economy.
From the first family as a basis, there
have been thrown out and formed into
communities, states and nations, the
integral elements that today make So
ciety and administer through represen-
Starting as it did, with the genesis of
man, it is in its purest form, a sacred
flame the exercise of which, fosters
and produces the crystalibation of pub
lie thought accepted as the governing
power of all ages.
1t is far from my purpose to associate
the word political, with the detestible.
intriguing rascality and chicanery that
ordinarily is accepted as the result of
political erudition. To my mind, a lie
told in politics, is as great lie, just
as damnable, and as uncompromisingly
dishonest, as was the action of Annanias
and Sapphira of biblical fame. There is
no middle ground in politics, there is
but one platform upon which to stand.
and that platform is strict honesty of
intentions. and absolute answering in
tegrity. when once an obligation is
created
1t is the blatent liar that brings mat
ters political into such disrepute and
deters honest men from mixing i'm af
fairs of nation and of state, feeling as
they Justly do, the communicating in
fuence of the muck and filth of rotten
so called politics. There is no reason
able reason, why mans word given
in matters political should not be as
morally binding as is the promise to
pay written upon the face of a nego
table note
The struggle for supremacy in and
control of human affairs is as old as
man and as natural as breathing, and
until time shall have merged itself into
the infnity of eternity this same pro-
cess will in it's myriad forms be with
and remain part of civilization. Al
times, the man of affairs doubts the ad
visibility of mixing with the compon
ent elements of government and remains
indifferent to the demands made upon
him by societies mandate, to preserve
and keep inviolate the basic liberties
which she so highly prices. But if the
best elements of society disregard their
responsibility because of the objection
able features attendant Herewith. and
shift the burden upon irresponsible
shoulders, they have only themselves to
blame for thievery, administration
and the wrecking of public interests. As
honorable men who have societies in