Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-27

| ming will be our lot not three times a
year. but 1865 times a year. There is
enough work and to spare.
Il am not one of those who saw that
our country is going to the dogs: that
Boston. Chicago and New York are
hell and all the politicians and CANT
talists are little red imps with horns
| and tails that they dare not unfold
acting under the command Of Satan's
Majesty, the bloated money intoxicated
trust.
Nor do l desire Immediately to at
tack some vile motive to every action
on the part Of prominent statesmen.
who are Of another PARTY. But | do be-
liere there is more private as well as
pubic graft than our country really
needs. do believe that unless men and
women are true to the best in them
there will come crisis which will Dor
der on civil war.
"Dur political system demands re-
pair. Machine politics have thrown
thousands Of our best citizens out Of
gear. political clicks throw themselves
into office. they are the fruit gather
ers.
plies. with certain important excep-
tons chane of the clerks of every
bureau. Of the messengers at every
door Of the porters and carriers OF ev-
cry warehouse. of washers Of floors of
the makers Of fires in every public
building in the country. If free trade
administration comes in. in comes
new trimmer of lamps whose views
squint toward protection.
"Of the friends Of internal improve
n?pnts carry the election. and there be
Il noStmistress anywhere whose cousin.
who has a vote. is unsound on the
question Of town pump. there are plenty
Of ladies' quite rs capable as she and
whose cousins make themselves useful
on he right side at the polls.
This degrading scramble for plumber
and with today we arc only too famil
iar. is laughed at by other civilized
countries and sneeringIy called the
American system. 1t X this system that
la. withheld the patriots pride and
public spirit Of the citizen 1t is this
system that tends to make the Office
holder bully. and the government one
Of mere professional politicians. 1t is
this system that promotes the utmost
waste and extravaganza in the erVice
itself. They say our system is peculiar.
What do you think? There were graft
erS in the good old days and although
our fathers may not have been saints,
yet we know them to have been he
roes. They resisted this system success
fully, we have ANONYMOUSLY surren-
dercd. The bugle Of reform calls us to
renew the battle we have lost.
Fellow students and friends. in high ,
finance. in our postoffice system. in our
insurance corporations. yes. and even
in our filthy canned meat trust, there
has been and still continues to be a
movement towards reform. The graft
ers working in darkness have been
revealed by the light of publicity. They
realize that their only hope of exist
ence is in reform.
"Thcn let US keep the light turned
on Let us not be afraid to grapple with
the truth. Let us live life with all the
sincerity and vigor Of our being. Never
forgetting that the world grows bet
ter in proportion in which each indi-
viduol succeeds in crystallizing into
conduct some worthy ideal Of life.
which he ever keeps before him. ever
remembering that the world has adj
vanced on the mass of small deeds.
rather than a few mighty strokes Of
genius"
1t was with intense interest that ev-
eryonc listened to the prophecy by Miss
Ola Amantha Libby of Lewiston. Her
power of looking into the far. dim flu
ture was very nicely brought out and
no better wish could be bestowed on the
class of '06 than that everyone would
live up TO the ideals which were proph-
esied Of them by Miss Libby.
The farewell address by Wayne
Clark Jordan took their minds again
to the sad part of Commencement week
when they would have to leave her so
long sacred walls and hooks and all
the dear friends. some perhaps. never
to again return. Mr.. Jordan was very
strong in his delivery.