The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-07-05

The eastern nations sink, their glor,
An empire rises where the sun de
sends
and Yet. il could not be expeeref
ihat the old world would understand
The eighteenth century had nearl,
completed its cycle Of events before
that which had been the propber.s II
sion began To be considered seriously
by practical men. Suddenly the whole
World seemed 10 be keyed to q new
idea The revolutionary war was The
logical outcome Of the worlds thoup,r
Ia a work published Just before the
breaking out OF that war. occurs this
remarkable passage. An idea. stranga
as 1t IS visionary. has entered into the
minds of the generality OF mankind
that empire is travelling westward; and
everyone is looking forward. with eager
expectation. to that destined moment
when America is TO give the law 10 the
rest Of the world The destined no
ment came when the Declaration Of In
dependence was drawn and signed by
that heroic band. again in 81 and Vet
once again when the guns of our Amer
lean fleet Numbered forth in Manila
Bay their Notwithstanding message.
America was giving the law 10 the
rest OF the world
At the heart Of every great society
there is some vital actuatiug principle.
Among the Spartans, II was patriot
ism: among the Jews il was religion:
among the French, at the time of the
Revolution, it was liberty. Among the
Americans it has ever been-at least in
theorE-the idea Of equality. We hold
these truths to be seif-evident' reads
that great document. that all men are
created free and equal, and are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain /
inalienable rights. among which are
life. liberty, and the pursuit of happi- !
ness No word can ever dispIace that |
great utterance. That sentence stands 1
as the final expression of the American /
idea, which is that of equality
THE greatest battle of the worlds /
history is being fought out today. It |
is the battle for equality. We are try
ing. on this American continent. to do /
something that has never been accom- /
plished before-to upbuild a nation on !
this principle. Not people known TO /
history under whatever form of gov
eminent. despotism, monarchy, repub
lic-not one but has had its caste sys-
tenn. And Gods curse is on a caste
system. whether it be the aristocracy I
OF England. or the petty social distinc-
tions of country town. In spite OF
birth culture wealth, position, influ-
ence. no man is better than any other
man, unless he is better. Gods curse 4
is on all artificial aristocracy. His Il
benediction is on the aristocracy of
everywhere.
Loosely speaking. there can be but i
two types of government, the Aristo-
cratic and the Democratic: one found
ID upon the presumption of an inherent
the other upon the asser-
ion of a fundamental equality among
men. Every government of despotic or
aristocratic tendency assumes that
some men. by virtue of their belonging
% a certain race or class, are by ma
ure superior to other men, A Democ-
.acy assumes that all men are born
EQUAL. Every man has a right TO an
EQUAL opportunity with every other
nan in the pursuit of happiness; and a
Democracy is that form Of government
y flich undertakes to assure to every
nan that right. A privileged class is q
lirect violation of the initial principle
# Democracy, the reign of the people.
)ne reason why the Old World fats
oday TO understand the New World, is
because she has not yet grasped, even
the central idea arounc |
which we are organized 1t took us
eariy a century to get hold OF It our
elves. The Civil War is the price We ,
aid for the mastery Of our own idea. !
What now shall we say of the
oIden future? The past is no longer
\ our keeping We must move for
rard TO meet the grave issues Of to
borrow Our battlecry must be equal
-the universal brotherhood; TINS
, the new law We are to give the
rorId. The struggle has only begun
f only we can hold to our idea
nIy it is not lost through the greed G
selfish interests. or swallowed up III Z
ne whirlpool of party strife If only a
e can remember the old days, and the g
Id names. If only we can convince
1e world that we unsheath the sword II
NV in the sacred name of love. ana n
, the interest of humanity. If only q
e do not forget: then the vision that u
before our eyes tonight will become
le reality of tomorrow.
And as Egypt stands in history for
le idea n priesthood, Assyria for the
ea of empire. Greece for the idea OF
It Rome for the idea OF law Amer
a will stand for ever and ever for
e eternaIy-wedded principles OF c~
ghteousness and truth To this END l.
2 memorfalize this great day Of our h.
sst: and unite in the splendid refrain m
KipIing: Lord, God Of hosts, be with at
, vet. lest we forget; lest we forget
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