The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-17
HIGHER LIFE OF THE NATION.
JUSTICE BREWER BEFORE THE
PEOPLES FORUM.
We Are the Hercules Of Nations. He says,
and II W. Have Not a Hercules club at
Least We Have q BiE stick -Intellec-
tuaI Spirit .Leavenlng Our Crudeness

tuaI Spirit LeayenIng Our Crudeness.
Justice David j. Brewer OF the United
States Supreme Court spoke yesterday at
the session OF the Peoples Forum in New
Rochelle upon THE Larger and Higher
Life OF the Nation" He dwelt upon the
general scope Of national tendencies in the
political and moral life Of the American
people. He found some things to criticise
but expressed a optimistic view OF the
future.
The New Rochelle Theatre was well filed
Mt sis o'clock when Edward M. Shepard
introduced the Justice, who read his speech
from manuscript.
"rhe United States is the marvel OF the
noes." be began. 1T is the giant OF the
centuries. Not merely in its population
but by it's wealth, culture and achievement
this country has ~astonished the whole
world"
Tho Justice dwelt upon the material
welfare of the country. He cited numerous
quotations from the last general census to
show the progress of the nations wealth.
He read figures indicative OF the per capita
wealth Of the nation in terms OF bushels
of wheat, horses and mules and barnyard
fowls.
Ctd1ldIO VII SOihRoby bc
best examples OF the growth that has been
attained by corporations in America.
Think OF the Standard Oil Company"
said he, that corporation whose assets
are so great that they cannot be disclosed"
Laughter greeted this sally.
Il know OF no better illustration OF the
phenomenal growth that every where
characterizes the history of our national
life than that Afforded by the state OF
Kansas. When ] studied geography there
wa no such name on the maps OF our do
main. When l first went to the Territory
there was not a line Of railroad in II and the
people used to gather to see the pony
express dash by with its packet OF mail
for the people further west.
To-day there are one and one-half mil
ions of people within the borders OF that
State and its grain crop last year was large
enough to supply twenty bushels to every
family in the United States.
w stand out among the nations ike
a Hercules. II we don't have a Hercules
club, we at least possess a big stick in WASH
tngton." naughter.l
The speaker said that. though we are a
world power and may glory in our strength,
waist measure, though important TO the
tailor, does not necessarily distinguish one
as a candidate for the Hall of Fame.
Those responsible for all the greatness
of his country must answer further quee1
lions before our value to the world ana
before the world can be determined. The
real question is: Which way IL the country
looking? What are the ideals and the in
spirations of this nationp Is this republic
seeking only material development, os-
tentation and parade, or is 1t striving Tor
the higher life which shall benefit both the
nation and the people?
I'VE are building up a big navy; we are
now the fourth naval power. In all our
cities we vie in ostentation. We buy IL
braries by the cubic yard and art galleries
by the job lot. We want to have the biggest
and finest yachts, the most gorgeou prl-
vate castles. What does this all signify?
Justice Brewer answered this question
by pointing out what he believed TO De the
growth Of extravaganza in the individual,
the municipality and the nation, More
thar half OF the States are in debt heavily
he said. The nation is running deepe INTO
debt each year. Indebtedness, whether
of an individual, a corporation or a nation,
miaht indicate an expansion of business,
he said, and a prospect OF rewards for the
future, but unfortunately the Indebtedness
tina encumbers cities, States and the ma
tional Government. as well as the private
individual, has too much the asp ect OF
having been rashly assumed as a matter
I'VE are too often ready to rush into
debt for some Improvement which snail
be Of Immediate benefit TO ourselves, for
getting that the future will have It's bur-
dens for future generations. l believe that
each generation should pay its own debts.
Mr.. Brewer, quoting from Mashmgton's
farewell address. wherein the warnmg
against jeoparding the integrity 1t the
national credit Ia given, said that wash
hgton's advice applied to-day as strongly
as it did when first given,
Il am one who believes in George Wash
ington,' continued the Justice. L know
that there are many who subscribe 70 tnt
growing tendency to belittle the WISDOM
OF the father of his country and who say
that although Washington's words OF Wis
dom might have been all right for the day
IN which he lived the first President coulc
never be the man TO direct the larger and
newer life OF to-day. What Washington
said about paying debts over a hundred
years ago is sound principle to-day. 1 uS
not rejoice in a great national, debt.
do not like to see our great cities blankete e
with mortgages. This is the secret OF the
present day extravaganza in expenditure
Easy come, easy go.
Contrast the little red schoolhouse
where we older ones used to go 10 schoo
with the great buildings to which our cutie
now point with pride as being model school
houses. II these schoolhouses all o
the magnificent public buildings that ar
being erected were paid for az the tim
thew were built then they would he indeXe
Of the prosperity OF the people who bull
them; but IL they are not paid for then the
represent speculation with the future.
IL know how eager most cities are q
give municipal bonds in aid OF railway prof
ects. The bonds are given with an eye Il
the IuIuIt anu uIlucE bHC bChCt hh0N W =
come a railway centre will greatly assis
the prosperity of the town. But too man
times these expectations fail OF realization
As the records Of our courts show, contest
are too many times brought on the pay
ment of the bonds and too often the cite
feel that they have achieved distinction II
regulating the debit. Nearly all the lit
CATION in respect to municipal bonds ha
sunk 20 the level of legal clubbing, and
is not too much to say that the WHOLESALE
issue OF bonds by municipalities has no
only endangered the future but lowered tn
present moral code" so
The speaker continued With an optimistic
review Of what he though. were the new
and strengthening tendencies In American
life. He said that the growth Of the intel
Iectual spirit was gradually leayening tn
rawness and crudeness OF the people. HI
believed that the spirit OF charity was 81
strong in the land that il could almost b.
said that even among certain OF the care
less folk Of society II was a fad TO do hospi
tai work and to extend the college settle
ments into the slums Of great cities.
sv Justice Brewer thought that the way tn
negro and the Indian were being treaties
az the present time was sufficient earnes
for the nations broadening charity. HI
did not like the way Chinese were treaties
in this country and said that he was gla'
TO see that the harsh immigration inspection
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