Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-23
GOOD DAY TO VIEW NATION
Governor Thomas Asks Has Washingtons'
Country Followed His Example,
MANIA FOR WEALTH LEADS TO EVIL
Addressing Omaha club at Annual
Dinner Colorado Statesman says
Present Conditions Are Not
Entirely New.

Present Conditions Are Not
Entirely New.
The Omaha club held its annual Wash
ingtons birthday dinner last night at the
club rooms. with former Governor G. 5.
Thomas of Colorado and William Hayward
Of Nebraska City as the guests and the
principal speakers. The dining hall at the
club house was decorated with American
flags, the purpose being to make the sur
roundings accord with the spirit Of the
day. Plates were laid for lsu. The din
ner was private and attended only by mem
bers OF the club and their invited guests
Those in attendance included the most
prominent business men OF the city. Be-
fore the dinner an opportunity was given
Tor them to meet the out-of-town guests
and an informal reception was held. Gov
ernor Thomas reached the city about 1
O'Clock and he visited friends in Council
Buns before going to the club. The din
ner began at 1880 and 1t was after o'clock
before the toasts began. President F. r.
Peck was toastmaster and introduced the
speakers.
Governor Thomas spoke on the subject
THY Brothers Keeper" On day dedi-
Gated to the memory of Washington. he
said. 1t was appropriate to inquire whether
all is well with the country and whether
his counsels have been followed. He dis
cussed the growth of property interests
and declared the huge aggregations of
wealth bestride the world. They directed
political organizations, controlled elections
selected rulers. enacted laws, construed
constitutions regulated conduct and
| moulded the destiny of the people. The
wealth of these aggregations. he declared,
to be growing faster than the wealth of
the nation at large. in time they must
include all. He said the causes for these
conditions were deep-seated and lie in the
mania for wealth Those who denounce the
trusts were apt, he said. to be qulckened
by the sense of injustice that is founded
upon exclusion from profits. Few of the
so. 100000 of people would not promote a
trust if they could. However, he COM
mended the spirit of investigation now
abroad
Conditions Apparent for Years.
He continued:
These conditions have not been suddenly
created. They have been apparent for
years. They have been evolved through
eHe,vppG the progrEss ;nSa Of time and their growth
tagion like that of a bad example which
may be followed with both profit and i'm
/
ship. with public servants it will not lam
| guish by extending the relation to private
the prcbascr ne Of csrTST the n middle
| Investigates have yielded to the spell OF
the same Influence. With all these in COM
bination the manufacture and distribution
| Of unsourd and adulterated products for
the Increase of profits at the expense of
the public health and safety have recorded
the zero of commercial integrity.
After commenting on the widespread pre-
valence of graft i'm different and sinister
| forms and the methods by which it is
maintained, he continued
The prevailing standard of ethics and OF
morals is determined by that of the indi-
vidual. Its rise and fall are rigidly regu-
lated by the units Of society. Like the
barometer, it marks and measures the
it faithfully reflects the image of every
man who looks into IL. Our imperfect re-
view of conditions, therefore, presents a
| problem OF which you and L and all of us
are the factors. We evolved, and we must
solve it,. 1t is the sum total of which every
man and woman is an integer. To discover
and portray the misconduct and short
| comings OF others is more often pleasure
shocked when confronted with the con.
sciousness OF our common guilt. And
do affirm that it tonight we invoke the
shade OF washington to Identify and excr.
else the proximate cause of our decadent
moral, social, Industrial and political In.
tegrity' his accusing gaze fixed upon each
OF US, and upon each of those similarly
gathered elsewhere, would reply. Thou
| art the man.
Turn searchlight Inward.
Is this not true? Let us exclude th'
guilty world and take brief account of our.
selves. In the exercise of our civic duties
have we needed or recalled the counsels ol
the example TX mp hod of wqshngtoR; Has our pre-
pay?' Has u loftier ambition than gain en-
listed our energies? Have we not profted b.
received no special considerations at the
expense of official virtue? Have we re
sisted, have we even protested against tn,
the rights of all? Have we not conniveC
at occasional violations of public dut.
that promised profit % benefit TO our
trust by those whose influence or authorit,
might be exercised for our benefit? Havi
TO reform palpable abuses; Have We de
uOunccd the growing union between tht
very rich and the very dissolute elasse
| of society? Have we hesitated 10 taxi
advantage of any inequality or discrm
ination that would advance our business
or we'll being, although at the expens
SHIPPED success for its own sake. an,
shut our eyes to the means OF its ac
complishment? Have we not by our prac
tees and conduct exalted the dollar abov
I and beyond all other objects and purposes
of life? Have We not measured our son
duct our duties. our pleasures and ou
achievements by its standard? Have WI
discharged or even recognized the obliga
tions and responsibilities of citizenship
| ellneI lIOln Nht poihN VI fNht SticId
welfare, the good of posterity. the require
ments of the day, or at all? Have w
, appreciated the ineStiItiabse blessings o
free government and the necessity of pre-
| serving thepa By the rigid maintenance o
all its conditions? Have We Tealized tha
! the debasement of our manhood is the de
basement OF our ideals? That tie com
, nandmcnts of our charters and Ceclara
tions are as essential to the purity of GU
} civic life and TO the persistence Of ou
permanent material prosperity as are thos
! on the tablets OF Moses TO our moral am
, religious we'll being?
Inhuence of Our Acta.
Above all, have we considered the tire
and omission may have eNerted upon thos
I members of the commuUity who look an
have a right TO look TO US examples
III we cannot answer these queries a
| conscience requires, then are We measure
| bly responsible to ourselves and TO 'soci
ety for the evils We deplore. The mot
may be in our brothers eye, but the bear
4 is surely in our own. We hear much O
/ | remedying existing abuses, of curbing an
furnishing corruption of scourging an
suppressing commercial immortality, of de
stroying and divorcing criminal alliance
between business and politics, and OF pure
ing and purifying society by vigorous prC
: hibitive legislation. This may be trans
irntly possible: IL cannot effect a permaneu
cure. The modern physician OF reforT
Is too apt to mistake results for cause.
to substitute the symptom for the diseas.
. an epidemic by devoting your sole after
| ton to those who are stricken. tn
sources OF the trouble must be ascertaine
: and the task of destruction directed