The Green Forest tribune., 1907-02-22

lives in it is separated by a long dis tance from the angels of heaven. The writings and orationS that would put us beyond criticism explode against some very hard facts and let out upon the air a great deal of stiffness. Our politics are not so absolutely pure that seraphs wing could graze them without contamination. Our ideals of greatness and glory are closer to the ground than they ought to be.
 Our reverence for the sacredness of law that should be as firmly fixed, in our nationa! conscience as Pike's Peak is firlAly fixed in the soil of Colorado, is not beyond the cavil and complaint of those who study the foundations of our institutions.
 But of one thing we are persuaded, and that is that the virtues of our country over-balance it's faults.
 There are more angels than devils among us.
 The devils are making the most noise, but the angels are doing the most work. The man who believes that righteousness is losing it's grip upon this nation is a woefully mis- taken man. l heard a speaker the other day who proclaimed that we are falling from bad to worse and from worse to worst.
 We do not believe him.
 We believe that we are rising from good to better, and from better to best.
 One of the chief roots of our patrioA- ism is gratitude, the realization of an immense debt to those who battled about the cradle of our national ex- stence and won our freedom and in- dependence at the points of their swords.
 Here we are because the men of '76 put us here.
 Here we stay because the spirit of '16 has kept us here.
 Stormy Atlantic, mild Pacific, sleep ing lakes, waving forests, tree-crowd- ed mountains, gold mine and silver mine, storms out of whose tempest driven hearts have fiuttered the white feathered birds of peace, fiery bap- tisms through whose flames have crept forth the eyangels, gave ever- lasting covenant When we think of these things, when we stand upon the mount of vision, and the splendor of our country breaks upon our eyes, when the song of the reapers comes up to us, when we hear the hum of industry thrilling along the ground, when we see the gleaming rivers curying and winding like silver threads through vast gardens, what account of ourselves shall we give to ourselves if we take not the cup of praise and thanksgiving in our hands and pour it out to the heroes whose patience, faith and courage ushered in the dawn of our splendid prosper ity?
 They were fighting for the future, for the country that was coming. So are we fighting for the future-for the country that is coming As we look into the faces of our little children we cannot feel that for us the battle is ended. We have won country for ourselves. But we must win country for them.
 And love of country and love of children run together with the ambi- tion to win a better country for them. Home and patriotism are linked to- gether. The children will help to make the nation. But the nation will help to make those children.
 That little dimpled cheek will not allow you to take off your uniform for a single day.
 You must bI;ld his home. You must fight for his inheritance. You must put your life into the moving and marching forces Of righteousness that are trying to win victories for him.
 The next generation will live in the country which this generation is mak- ing for it. And each ore of us is help ing to make it. All of us are nation