The Goodland republic., 1907-02-22
The SPIRIT OF '7s


TIE SPIRIT OF rs .
CBy ". J. McKittrick)
In our near approach to the ami
Versary OF Washington's birthday Il
behOOves US al to be very grateful to
God and the revolutionary fathers for
the nation which they gave to Us
Away with the man who does not
love his country.
It has its faults
It is no better than the best man
who lives in it, and the best man who
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 up
on the air a great deal OF Stiffness
Our politics are not so absolutely
pure that a seraph's wing could Craze
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 national conscience as Pixies Peak
is firmly 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 its 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 its grip
upon this nation is a wOefully mis-
taken man. I 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 pat
riotism is gratitude, the realization Of
an immense debt 10 those who battled
about the cradle Of our national ex-
istence and won our freedom and in
dependence at the points Of their
swords.
Here we are because the men Of rs
put US here.
Here we stay because the spirit Of
'76 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 huttered the
white-feathered birds Of peace, fiery
baptisms through whose flames have
crept forth the evangels, gave ever
lasting covenant When we think Of
these things, when we stand upon the
% vie Nd 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 cleaning rivers
curving 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
fty?
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 a country for
ourselves But we must win a coun-
try for them.
And love Of country and love Of
children run together with the ambi-
ton 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 on your uniform for
a single day.
You must build 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 max
ing for it And each one Of US is help
ing to make it. All OF US are nation
builders. Every time we cast a bal
lot for an unclean office-seeker we are
committing an outrage upon the fu-
ture.
Patriotism can never be selfish It
can never be bound up and roped
round in its own pleasures and com
forts.
It can never stand still, looking
backwards.
It can never cont snt itself with
making a noise.
In WashingtOn's farewell address
we see the prayers Of q great soul
embracing a nations pOsterity. The
pen that wrote the emancipation
proclamation was tracing on the pa
per a hearts desire for a long process
sion OF centuries.
And out Of this love OF country and
this guardianship OF our children will
come the patriotism OF service.
The Roman soldier cried out sit is
beautiful TO die for ones country p
Our country does not want anybody to
die for it now, but il does want all
the multtudes OF Its people to live
Tor it to do their bi g best or their lit
tie best to serve its highest and noblest
intents, and pass rs along to the fu-
ture cleansed, purified, sweet to the
heart and sound fct fna -o-a