The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-07-24

the people deserve to nave. It Is q
peoples government, and 1t reflects
the virtue and intelligence Of the peo-
pie. As the people make progress in
virtue and in intelligence, the govern
me7t ought to approach more and
more nearly to perfection. Not that it
will ever be free from faults, because
it must be administered by human be-
ings, and imperfection Is to be expec-
ted in the work of human hands.
Jefferson said a century ago that
there were naturally two parties il
every country, one which drew to it.
self those who trusted the people, the
other those who distrusted the peo-
pie. That was true when Jefferson
said it, and it is true today. In every
country there is a party which is
seeking to enlarge the participation
of the people in government, and
that party is the governing party.
In every country there is a party
which is endeavoring to obstruct
each step toward popular govern
ment, and it is the dying party. In
this country the tendency is constant
ly toward more popular government,
and every effort which has for its OBJ
ject the bringing of the government
into closer touch with the people is
ure to ultimate triumph.
Our form of government is good.
Call it a democracy if you are a dem
ocrat, or a republic if you are a re-
publican, but help to make it a gov
eminent of the people, by the people
and for the people. A democracy is
wiser than an aristocracy because a
democracy al draw from the wis
dom of the people, and all of the peo-
pie know more than any part of the
people. A democracy is stronger
than a monarchy because as the his
torian, Bancroft, has said: ct dares
to discard the implements of terror
and build its citadels in the hearts of
And a democracy is the most
is built upon the doctrine that men
are created equal, that governments
are instituted to protect the inalien-
able rights of the people and that
governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed.
We know that a grain of wheat
planted in tne ground will, under the
influence of sunshine n rain, send
forth a blade and then a stalk, and
then the full head, and we know that
there is behind the grain of wheat a
force irresistible and constantly at
work. There is behind moral econo-
my and political truth a force equal
ly irresistible n always operating,
and just as We may expect the mar
vest in due season, we may be sur
that make the mans uplifting.
Have faith in YOU form of govern
ment, for it rests upon a growing
idea, and If you will but attach your
self to that idea, you will grow WITH
it.
But h subject presents itself in
another aspect. You must not only
have faith in yourselves, in human
ity and in the form of government
under which we live, but if you
would do a great work, you must
have faith in God. Do not call me a
preacher, for I am but a layman yet,
1 am not willing that the minister
shall monopolize the blessings of
Christianity, and / do not know of
any moral precept binding upon the
preacher behind the pulpit that is
not binding upon those who occupy
the pews. And l do not know of any
moral truth binding upon the Chris
tian whose acceptance would nOt be
helpful to everyone. I am not speak
ing from the minister's standpoint
day life when 1 say that there is a
wide difference between the desire to
that men will applaud you and the de
sire to live so that God will be salts
fled with you. Man needs the inner
strength that zones from faith in
God and belief in His constant pres
ence. The man who is trying to be
good so that men will see him is
sure to come upon the time when he
thinks that the world is not looking
and nat he take a vacation.
Then he falls. The man who be-
lieves that Gods y is ever upon
him and endeavoring to live as in the
sight of God, is not looking for a va
cation and is not so apt to stumble
We are weak enough in the pres
ence of temptation ven when forti-
fled by faith in God. How helpless
and hopeless we are If we do not ad-
NIT responsibility to a personal God.
Man needs faith in God, therefore,
to strengthen him in his hours of
trial, and he needs it to give him
courage to do the work of life. How
can one fight for a principle unless
he believes in the triumph of the
right? How can he believe in the
triumph of the right if he does not
believe that God stands back of the
truth? The man of faith, believing
fhof ouorv uord Sp0Ear for truth will