Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-12-27


Opening Session. "wednesday. 0 p. m
The flrSs meeting u the Sew Mex
leo Educational association was o.,
ened with = song by q quartette com,
posed If Mns- n c. Rankin. Miss 10
RI L. Holmes and MesSrs, ". T.
ThneSher ART H. r. LAEkin. Mra.
&. e.. Gas@ furnished the a~eeoanpani'
neht. The selectinn was nm excel
lent one and the singers we've heart.
by eneored.
Rev. II. Van yalkenberg, pastor 81
The Methodist Episcopal church a
Las Vegas evoked a divine BLESSING
upon the members and meeting u
the association.
Attorney W. q. Hayden then made
a short address Ut welcome taking
the place of Attorney E. W. q. Ward
who on account ~ duties out Of the
city. vas unable 20 be present. Mr..
Hayden stated that he was given
such short notice that he did not
have time 70 think what he was IN
say, but that President Vert, Of the
Normal university. told him that NIL
he had To do was to talk fer five
minutes seriously and welcome TIE
teachers 10 the city. Mr.. Hayden said
that he never talked otherwise AMI
proceeded TO tell a series Of funny
stories 70 illustrate his points. lie
wished the members Of the associa,
ton all q pleasant tlmo and said that
he was sorry he could not turn over
the keys Ut the city nm was convers
uonsl. but ha was not running the
town nj present and might get In
trouble. bue he stated that IL any
n Of them got run IN, his services
were at their demand. as an attor.
ney, but that he couldn't tell what
the outcome Of the case would be.
Mr.. Hayden's short talk was enjoyed
by everyone present.
The address OF the new president
Of the association. w. II. Decker, 80.
perintandeAt q schools Of Gallup.
New Mexico. was next on the pro
gram and follows In full:
Address Of President
Each individual has his own idea
u what a citizen should be-. and oil
the essential qualifications necessary
To good citizenship. Ii the question
wer asked: what constitutes good
citizenship" the W win wary
as widely as the occupations and en-
yironment Of those who answer. fol
In his W mind each person thinks
that he himself represents the high
est and the best that there In In citi
zenship. Tho church man holds ~
the standard OF The Golden Rule
the capitalist will toll you that the
best citizen is he who Ia able to nc
cumulate wealth. and he proves /,
too by sundry donations To Chart
able purposes: the political boss has
n standard that il unquestionable
which Is: Vote your ticket straight
There In another class Of men whose
citizenship consists principally oil
booze and It's attendants who will tell
you that the sooner a young mar can
take his whiskey straight and Ia able
to break the bark" the soone will
he be qualified TO take his place
among the GOOD citizens Of the mu'
nicipality.
Between these extremes there Is a
wide diversity OF opinion. yet there
certainly In n position. which. entirely
aside from religious or sentimental
considerations. should be the goal In
all training for citizenship. When
We take into consideration the cos.
mopolitan condition OF our society.
when we. consider that popala.
ton consists of individuals from ev-
cry nation on earth. and when we
consider that they have brought to
us, not only themselves but their
customs, many Of which are directly
opposed to the American idea OF gov.
eminent, we begin to realize the i'm.
portance Of training for citizenship.
This process OF citizen evolution has
been In operation ever since the PHI.
grim Fathers first landed on our
shores. and II In a wide swing OF the
pendulum from the standard contain
ed In the Blue Laws of New England