The daily sentinel., 1907-10-03

| ism, business, and private life. and
to war against them with all our
nearts. But it is rank folly to regard
these as the only. or chief, types in
our national life. 1t was not of much
consequence whether Dickens made
such an error or not. but II would
be of great consequence If we our
selves did; for a foolish pessimism
is an even greater foe of healthy
national growth than foolish op-
timism. 1t was not that Dickens in
vented characters or scenes that had
no basis in fact; on the contrary,
what is said was true, as far a S 1t
went; the trouble was that out OF
maLy such half truths he made a
picture which as a whole was absurd;
for often half truth is the most
dangerous falsehood. 1t would be
simply silly to be angry over Martin
Chuzzlewit; on the contrary, read 1t.
be amused by it. profit by IL, and
don't be mislead by it, Keep a live
ly watch against the present-day Po
grams and Bricks: but above all. dis
trust the man who would persuade
you to feel dowLhearted about the
country because of these same Pc
grams and Bricks, past or present.
II would be foolish to ignore their
existence, or the existence of any
thing else that is bad in our national
life; but it would be even more
foolish to ignore the vaster forces
that tell for Righteousness. Friends.
there is every reason why we should
fight whatever is evil in the present
But there is also every reason why
We should feel sturdy and confident
hope for the future. There are many
wrongs to right; there are many and
powerful wrong doers against whom
to war; and it should be base to
shrink from the contest, or to fail
to wage it with a high. a resolute
will But | am sure that we shall
win the contes.. because | know
that the heart of our people is sound
Our average men and women are
good men and women-this is true
in all sections of our country and a.
mong all classes of our countrymen.
There is no other nation on earth |
with such vast natural resources, or
with such high standard of living
and of industrial efficiency among
workers. We have as nation an
era of unexampled prosperity ahead
Of us; we shall enjoy ii. and our
children will enjoy it after us, The
trend of well-being in this country is |
not downward: and this is |
the trend in. the things of the soul as
well as in the things of the body
Government in its application is
often a complicated and delicate
work. but the principles of govern
ment are. after all. fairly simple, liz
a broad general way we should apply
In the affairs of the national admin
which deals with the inter-
ests of all our eighty-odd millions
Of people. just the same rules that
are necessary in getting on with our
neighbors in our several nelghbor-
hoods; and the nation as whole
should show substantially the same
qualities that we should show in
dealing with his fellows. To Illus
trate this, consider for moment two
phases of government action
The president then at length illus
trated the last statement by, first. |
the governments relation to inter-
national affairs and then as to iomes-
tice affairs. In this illustration and
discussion Mr.. Roosevelt brought out
many strong ideas and dealt with
many of the great problems of gov
ernment, especially the control of
trusts and railroads.