The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-12-15

That $50 years of training resulted In
greater strides for freedom than all
the ages preceding. Man at last mad
reached that pinnacle where he could
look out upon the world and declare
II am a man. will make my own
laws. 1 owe allegiance to no king. I
serve no master. 1 am free and If l
am to be free then all men must be
free"
Battle for Right.
I see a righteous and holy war. 1t
is a contest between liberty and de-
mocracy on one side and tyranny and
oppression on the other. Freedom of
speech, freedom of the press, religious
freedom, national independence and
recognition of the equality Of all men
before the law, were trophies Of the
conflict Never in the history of the
world did contending men battle for
such noble aims and purposes.
AS observe these scenes in the pic
ture 1 ask why these struggles, these
sacrifices of life and property, these
years of toll and hardship? And the
blood of patriots from hundred battle
fields gives answer most emphatically.
, To establish before the world the
truths of the declaration of indepen-
dence, that all men are created equal,
that governments derive their just
powers from the consent Of the gov
| erned and that governments are es-
| tablished to secure to every man the
right to life, to liberty and to happi
ness.
| Religious Freedom.
| This includes all that we hold dear
in governmental affairs. Every lib
erty which we enjoy today is provided
for in that declaration. There is a
freedom of speech not recognized in
any other government. There is a
freedom of the press not found any
where else. There is religious freedom
granted to all, be he Catholic or Pro-
testant, Jew or Gentle. There are no
churches of state to support by taxa
ton as found in England and other
parts of the world.
Where we have five voters, England
has but one. Four out of every five
Of her voters are disfranchised by
property and other qualifications. The
English are the freest people on the
ed with us in some respects they are
in bonds.
America Is Freest.
Freedom of speech. freedom of the
press, civil and religious liberty such
as we have enjoyed for $50 years has
not been reached by any other nation
of the earth even in the twentieth
century. Unless we stop and consider
we cannot appreciate all that was done
by the patriots of '76. They mad no
precedent to guide them. AS their
| fathers had opened up the primeval
forests so they with knowledge and
foresight unparalleled, with courage
sublime and a conscience in touch with
versal liberty.
Compare the liberties enjoyed by
other nations of the earth in 1776,
with those provided for us at that date
and we cannot but exclain, surely the
infinite touch of the God of nations
inspired the wisdom and the courage
found in the declaration of indepen-
dence
To see the truth is one thing. To
have the courage to utter it in the
face of world wide opposition is a
different thing. The wisdom Of seeing
and the courage of uttering were fun
damentals in the spirit of &c.
Spirit of '76.
The spirit of '76 enlisted the grand
father, son and grandson in the cause
Of freedom which was a part of their
lives. Is the cause of liberty less dear
to US than it was to your grandfather
and mine? Does the spirit of '76 con-
i tinue with us? Are we willing to lay
lay our fortunes on the altar of war
in order that liberty may be gained
for all? Or do We try to increase our
fortunes by sacrificing the liberties and
opportunities of the masses? The
spirit of rs declared that governments
are instituted to secure to every man
the right to life, liberty and happiness
Am 1 assured of my life, my liberty
or my happiness so long as the neces-
stiles of life are monopolized?
He who controls my necessities owns
me and all 1 have.
SIX DAY RACE NEARLY OVER.
/ wh>aI,o.u n,,l