The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-27

A little less than twelve years ago a
great Republican ratification" was
held at Saiina. After two years of
PopuIist rule. Major E. \. Morrill, had
been elected governor. Joseph L. Bris-
tow was secretary of the Republican
state committee. and the great ratif-
cation of the victory was held in his
town. It was more than a local DEM
onstration and Republican leaders
from all over the state were in attend
ance, among them Cyrus Leland, the
chairman OF the state committee. un-
der whose direction the victory had
been achieved.
The principal speaker of the even
ing was recognized as one Of the most
brilliant campaign orators Of the state.
He had a wide reputation as a public
speaker, and the place of honor in
that ratification meeting in 1894 was
given to him.
He chose as his subject the "Par-
able of the Ten Talents" in the Bible,
and from it he preached a scholarly
sermon. It was a. mastery address.
The application was made not only to
individuals. but to political parties and
to governments. He showed how each
must improve its talents-its oppor-
tunities-in order to grow; that the
political party or the government that
uses its opportunities to wrong ends
or that fails to act for the welfare of
its citizens must stagnate and fall to
pieces just as surely as the individual
who fails to exercise his talents and
improve his opportunities viii go
backward.
It was such an address as would
have commanded recognition on Chau-
tauqua platform It was filled with
strong truths pounded home by good
logic and made impressive with flights
of oratory. It was really a hrst-class
sermon on civic righteousness as
viewed at that time.
Yet we preachers do not always
practice what we preach. The man
who delivered that mastery sermon,
last Monday, entered a cell in a Mis-
souri, Jail for the misuse of his talents
and the abuse of his opportunities.
He aspired to a seat in the United
states senate, and in 1901 he achieved
his ambition. Endowed with unusual
oratorical ability he had before him
great opportunities for usefulness.
But he debased his talent to evil pur-
poses and used his opportunities in a
way that brought shame upon him,
his friends and his state, and before
his first term as senator had expired
ne was stripped Of his power and sent
to prison.
Never was the curse pronounced in
the Parable of the Talents more strik-
ingly enforced than in this instance.
Failing utterly to use his influence and
his great opportunities for right ends,
those opportunities and that influence
were taken from him and he was sub
jected to punishment.
But Notwithstanding his own falling
away, the truths which J. R. Burton
uttered in that assembly twelve years
ago wero never more forcible than at
the present moment. The individual
who is given great opportunities must
improve those opportunities for good,
or he must expect them to be taken
from him and given to another. Po-
litical parties and political leaders
flourish only as they do right by the
masses of the people. GOvernmen ts
cannot last, except as they advance.
If they do not utilize their talents
their opportunities-to work out the
great destiny Of mankind, to advance
the race and secure more of justice
! between man and man, they will stag
nate, crumble and fall 1t is a tremen-
dous lessen.