The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-10

entage. The thing that has struck
me most has been the essential one
ness, the essential unity of our peo-
pie.
In the fundamentals I have found
American citizens to be just about the
same everywhere. In whatever local
1ty or the country We live. whatever
our fortune or occupation in life, there
exist just about the same essential
good qualities and much the same
shortcomings in any gathering of our
citizens. OF course, each community
has its especial temptations, it's espe-
cial shortcomings; and if it is wise
each community will try to cure itself
rather than to cause heartburnings by
railing at the shortcomings of a sister
community. There is ample field for
the reform energies of every one of us
in his or her particular sphere of
home and neighborhood activity.
Not only is all this true as between
one community and another, but it is
just as true between one class of our
citizens and another. Now and then
we meet well-meaning people who
have a genuine horror and dread of
all rich men and think of them as be-
ing set apart by peculiar vice and in
iquity- Now and then we meet equal
~ well-meaning rich men who have
an equally irrational dread of those
whom they style labor leaders" In
each case L think the hostility is in
large part due to a want of sympathy
caused by complete ignorance of the
men who arouse such diStrust or an
ger. AS a matter of fact, if we take a
given number of men of large for
tune and a like number of wage
workers, we find that in their essential
human nature they are all alike. In
each group we find men as wise and
as foolish, as good and bad as in
the other group. Such being the case
it is certainly we'll that, so far as
possible, when the men of given
group, as a whole, act in a way that
we deem contrary to the public in
terest. we should treat the action as
wrong to be remedied rather than as a
wrong to be avenged.
Weakness as Bad as Wickedness.
We ought not to tolerate wrong. 1t
is sign of weakness to do so, and in
its ultimate effect weakness is often
quite as bad as wici1edness. But in
putting a stop to the wrong we should
so far as possible, avoid getting into
an attitude of vindictive hatred toward
the wrOngdCer. He may be morally to
blame and 1t may be necessary to pun
ish him; but on the other hand the
be due to the existing condition of
things, to conditions under which he
has been brought up; and in such
case, while We must apply the remedy,
and see that there is no further chance
of harm to the community. it is neither
just nor farsighted to exact revenge
for what has been done. In short,
friends, let us realize that in very
truth we are knit together in ties of
brotherhood. and that while 1T is pro-
per and necessary that we should in
sist upon our rights. we should yet be
patient and coEsiderate in bearing
with one another, and in trying, so far
as in US lies, each to look at the pro-
blems that face us from his brothers |
as well as from his own.
During the last quarter of a century |
this nation has made astounding strides |
in ma&erial progress, and in no other |
section has this progress been more |
than in the south. While |
her agriculture has grown faster than
ever before, there has also been new
Iries-indeed, there has been growth of
every kind. But of course there is am |
pie room for further growth The |
south will be all the better for new |
of the right type, and
nope to see steamship lines carrying |
such immigrants established at ports /
ike Savannah and Charleston, just as
hope TO see ports like New Orleans
connected by lines of steamers with
he South American continent, the con-
.inent with which our relations should |
grow ever closer and mutually more
advantageous. In the south, as every
where through the Union, we need to
no matter what may be their
ace or color. Nor can we wisely per-
nit this education to be of a merely
literary type. More and more we are
rowing to realize that there must be
in education of the hand as we'll as
# the head.
More Schools Needed.
There must be agricultural and in