The daily sentinel., 1907-10-04

/ of them, to refuse to proceed dsa4HS'
the men who have victimized them.
1t is just such a case as would occur
II an unscrupulous man with couh-
terfeit money visited some remote
!. village, spent his money, and disap-
peared. The local innkeeper and Nv
cry stable keeper, the shopkeeper
and the neighborihg farmer, would all
have been victimized; they would
have lodged and fed the man, have
supplied him with goods from the
store and the farm, have hired horses
and wagons to him, and in return
/ would find themselves loaded with
counterfeit money. If, under such
circumstances, the Government found
out what had happened it would have
no alternative save to stop the cir
culation of the counterfeit money.
though those possessing it were in
hocent. 1t would, of course try to
secure the conviction of the thief, but
If he had escaped the jurisdiction OF
the law, it would nevertheless be I'M
possible to let his innocent victims
| continue to pass his by no means
innocent counterfeit money. Well,
just the same thing is true
the law against business men
lated it. People are always beseech-
ing me not to enforce 1t against them,
because Innocent outsiders may bel
hurt.o only to enforce II with a
gentleness that would prevent any
body, good or bad, from being hurt. |
1t is not possible to comply with such
requests. even when they are made in
good faith. This is a government of
law, a law which applies to great and
small alike. l am sorry indeed when
1t happens that big men who do wrong
have involved smaller men with no
bad intentions to such an extent that
they suffer when we force the undo
ing of the wrong. But we can not
hold our hands for such a considera-
ton. The responsibility for the suf
ferlng of those innocent outsiders
lies, not with us who put a stop to
the wrong and punish the wrongjoers
but with these wrongdoers who mis-
lead their victims.
In conclusion, friends let me i'm
press upon you one thing. Good laws
can do much good; indeed, they are
often Indispensable. There is urgent
need that we should have honest ami
efficient legislation and honest and
efficient action by those whose pro- ,,
vince it is to put the legislation into
effect. But there is infinitely more ,,
need of high individual average of
character. The only permanent way
10 help any man is to help him to :
help himself. To teach him perma-
lently to depend on anything save ,
MS own powers is to do him harm d,
and not good. Let no man persuade :
'ou that laws by themselves, no mat
er how necessary and beneficial, will :
make any community happy aud pres :
)erous, or be even the chief factors :
n securing such happiness and pros ,
1erity. In the last analysis the vital :
actor In each mans effort to achieve ,
success In life must be his own char ,
acter, his own courange and upright
ness and intelligence. In this aud
ience are many men who wore the
gray in the great civil war. In every
audience | have spoken to on my
trip there have been men who fought
ih either the Union or Confederate
Army, and often representatives from
both armies. Now, you men know
that while in time of war there is
need of good generalship heed of
good organization, yet the determin-
ing factor in the regiment, the bri-
gade the army, is, and must ever be,
the individual character of the indi-
vidual soldier, his prowess his hard
ihood, his unyielding resolution, his
stern fidelity to duty, his capacity to
act on his own individual RESPONSE
bility when necessary, and yet to
serve over or under or with others
in perfect harmony ard obedience. 1t
Is the character of the man In the
ranks which primarily determines the
failure or success of battle and cam
paign. In the great civil war our
armies, northern and southern alike.
won their high position forever and
al time in the undying regard and
admiration of their fellow-citizens, be
cause the average man in the ranks,
the average men who carry saber or
rifle. had his high standard of per-
sonal quality. Just as 1t was liz
time OF war. so is 1t now in time
OF peace. If man has not got the
right stun in him then no law can
possibly get 1t out of him because
u Is not there to get out. All that
the law can do is to punish evil. to
encourage what is good, and to Sc
cure so far as possible. an equality
OF opportunity for all men to show
their strength of body. mind, and
soul in the hard struggle of life.