Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-04-26

so much of humanity's lot Is hard,
are apt to complaint against the con-
ditions as being solely due to man
and to speak as If life could be made
easy and simple If there was but a
virgin continent in which to work.
It is true that the pioneer life was
simpler, but 1t was certainly not
easier. AS a matter of fact, the first
work of the pioneers in taking pos
session OF a lonely wilderness is so
rough, so hard, so dangerous that all
but the strongest spirits fail. THE
EARLY IRON DAYS OF SUCH "A
CONQUEST SEARCH OUT ALIKE
THE WEAK IN BODY AND THE
WEAK IN SOUL. In the warfare
against the rugged sternness of pri-
meval nature, only those can conquer
who are themselves unconquerable.
II Is not until the first bitter years
have passed that the life becomes
easy enough to invite a mass of new
comers. and so great are the risk,
hardship and toll of the early years
that there always exists a threat of
lapsing back from civilization.
Duties of the Present.
We, too, In turn, must prove our
truth by our endeavor. We must
show ourselves worthy sons of the
men of the mighty days by the way
in which we meet the problems of
our own times. We carry our heads
high because our fathers did we'll in
the years that tried mems souls; and
WE MUST IN TURN SO BEAR OUR
SELVES THAT THE CHILDREN
WHO COME AFTER Us MAY FEEL
THAT WE, TOO, HAVE DONE OUR
DUTY.
We cannot afford to forget the
maxim upon which Washington in
sisted that the surest way to avert
war is to be prepared to meet It
Nevertheless the duties that most
concern us OF this generation are
not military, but social and industri-
al. Each community must always
dread the evils which spring up as
attendant upon the very qualities
which give Il success. We OF this
mighty western republic have to
with the dangers that spring |
from popular self-government tried |
on a scale incomparably vaster than |
ever before in the history OF man
kind, and from an aboundlng mate
rial prosperity greater also than any
thing which the world has hitherto
seen.
Abuses of Property.
We are steadily bent on preserv-
Ing the institution of private prop
erty; WE COMBAT EVERY TEND
ENJOY TOWARD REDUCING THE
PEOPLE TO ECONOMIC SERVI-
ruDE; and we care not whether the
tendency Is due TO a sinister agita-
lion directed against all property, or
Il is due to the actions or
hose members OF the predatory
'lasses whose anti-social power is
increased because of the very fact
hat they possess wealth
Above all, we Insist that while fac
ng changed conditions and new prob
ems. We must face them In the spirit
which our fOrefathers showed when
hey founded aud preserved this Re-
,ubllc. The cornerstone OF the re-
,ublic LIES IN Our TREATING
EACH MAN ON HIS WORTH As A
NAN, paying no heed to his creed,
his birthplace, or his occupation, ask
ng not whether he Is rich or poor.
whether he labors with head or
land; asking only whether he acts
iecently and honorably in tn yarl-
'us relations of his life. whether he
behaves well TO his family TO his
leighhors. 10 the state. WE BASE
DuR REGARD FOR EACH MAN on
rHE ESSENTIALS AND NOT THE
ACCIDENTS. WE JUDGE HIM NOT
N HIs PROFESSION, But BY HIS
BN his CONDUCT, NOT
N WHAT HE HAS ACQUIRED OF
This WoRLD'S GOODS. other re-
lublios have fallen, because the citi-
Tens gradually grew TO consider the
interests OF a class before the inter
'sts OF the whole; for when such
VAS the case II mattered little wheth-
'r II was the poor who plundered
he rich or the rich who exploited the
,oor; In either event the end OF the
was at hand. We are reso-
ute In our purpose not TO fall into
such pit. THIS GREAT REPUB-
lie or OURS SHALL NEVER BE