The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-23

I nFSS UWU
these saving virtues. When thus fore
warned II is the height of recreancy Tor
| MS obstinately to close our eyes TO the
| needs of the situation, and re1use au-
| mission to the thought that evil can over
| take us. If we are to deserve security,
we will carefully and dutifully take our
| bearings and discover If we can now
| far wind and tide have carrleu Us away
| from safe waters.
Selfish Depravity.
.'If we find that the wickedness OF de-
| structive agitators and the selnsh oe-
| pravity of demagogues have stirred up
| discomfort and strife where there should
! be peace and harmony and have arrayed
aPainst each other interests which should
| dwell together in hearty co-operation' IL
we find that the old standards of sturdy,
| recommending American honesty nave
| become so corroded and weakened by
| sordd atmosphere that our people are
| hardly startled by crimes In high places
and shameful betrayals of trust every
| where; If we find a sadly prevalent dls-
! position among us to turn from the nigh
| wa of honorable industry into shorter
| cross roads leading to irresponsible anu
| worthless ease; IL we find that widespread
| wastefulness and extravaganza nave as
| credited the wholesome frugality winch
| was orce the pride of Amercanlshi, We
should recall w dSnlHSlOH
| that harmony, industry and frugality are
essential pillars of public felicity ana
forthwith endeaVors to change our course
1T is our habit to affiliate with poht-
ical parties Happily the strength ana
solidity of our institutions can safey
withstand the utmost freedom ana ac
tivity of political discussion so far as II
involves the adoption of governmental
policies or the enforcement OF good al
ministration. But they cannot withstand
the frenzy of hate which seeks under
the guise of political earnestness 10 piot
out American brotherhood and 10 cum
ningly persuade our people that a cru
SADIE of envy and malice Is no more than
Jealous insistence upon their mahhoou
rights.
Political Parties.
Political parties are exceedingly hui
man, and they easier fall before tempta-
| ton than individuals, by so much as
partisan success is the law of their life
and because their responsibility is I'M
| personal. 1t Is easily recalled that po-
| iitical organizations have been quite will
ing to utilize gusts of popular prejudice
| and resentment; and l believe they nave
| been known as a matter of shreWd man
| agement to encourage voters to hope Tor
some measure of relief from economic
abuses and yet to stand pat on the day
| appointed for realization.
| 1--WE have fallen upon a time when II
behooves every thoughtful citizen whose
| political beliefs are based on reason, ana
| who cares enough for his manliness ana
duty to save them from barter, to reallze
| that the organization of the party IS OF
his choice needs watching, and that at
| times 1t is not amiss critically to OBJ
| serve its direction and tendency. rms
certainly ought to result in our country $
| gain; and 1t is only partisan impotence
| that condemns a member of political
| party who on proper occasion submits It's
| conduct and the loyalty to principle or
| its leaders to court of review, over
which his conscience, his reason and MS
| political understanding preside.
| Il protest that / have not spoken in
| spirit of pessimism. | have and enjoy my
| full share of the pride and eXultation
| which our country's material advance
ment so fully justifes Its limitless re-
sources, its astonishing growth. its UNI
approachable industrial development ana
| its irresponsible inventive genius have
made it the wonder of the centuries.
Unselfsh Fidelity.
'''The land we live in seems to be strong
and active But how fares the land that
| lives in us? Are we sure that we are do
| ing all we ought to keep it in vigor and
| health? Are we keeping its roots well
! surrounded by the fertile soil of loving
allegiance, and are we furnishing them
| the invigoratlng moisture of unselfsh
| fidelity?
"The land we live In is safe so long
as we are dutifully careful of the land
| that lives In us. But good intentions and
| fine sentiments will not meet the emer-
| gency. If we could bestow upon the land
| that lives in us the care it needs, 1t is
| Indispensable that we should recognize
| the weakness of our human nature, and
l tnt tnf1C n
| fluences that interfere with a full con-
ception of our obligations; and thereupon
we should see to it that cupidity and sell
| fshness do not blind our consciences or
| dull our Efforts
| Mr. Cleveland was the guest of honor
| tonight at a banquet at the Union
League club. sharing the honors with
Richard Watson Glider of New York and
Howard L. Smith. dean of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin law school. In intro
| ducing Mr. Cleveland Judge Cutting, the
| POSTMASTER. referred to the question as
to what the United States should do with
| it's ex-Presidents. and declared that the
solution of the difficulty stood before
them. \
1.-The only ex-President which the United
States possesses" he said. has so abso-
| lutely, so creditably. so happily disposed
of himself that there is nothing left for
the country to do in his behalf. What
| more could man ask than he has. lie
| has Princeton, he has a family of
children which he loves. and more
than all. he has Mrs. Cleveland"
When Mr.. Cleveland arose he was greet
ed with applause which lasted for sew
eral minutes
"Our POSTMASTER" said he, ''has re-
| ferred to delicate and tender subject,
| What Shall be Done With Our EXPIRES
| identS?
ut has been suggested that they be
| taken out in a five-acre lot and shot.
| 1t seems to me. however that an eX-
| President has already suffered that which
should give him immunity from any such
| thing. l think the best place for an ex-
| President is in the water, especially wa
ter where there are plenty of fish.
| Il have always understood that an
after dinner speech must be in kind
of merry and complimentary mood. Now
| | am an essentially sober man and |
| am not altogether to blame for this.
! Il thing the voters of the United states
are truly implicated as accessories before
the fact, because they put me In po-
| sition where I contracted solemnitY to
| a good deal the same as the boy who
| caught the measles by sitting next to
| IT, would not have all our people sober
| But | would have them thoughtful and
| l would have them patriotic. In tsse midst