Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05
RECEPTION. T0Y.P.C.U.
Delegates Entertained at the
Church of Our Father.
PATRIOTIC SERVICE HELD
w. ]. Ogden of Baltimore Speaks at
Afternoon Session.
ANALYSIS OF DECLARATION
ANALYSIS OF DECLARATION
Equal Rights for All and Special
Privileges for None Will Pre-
vail, Declares Orator.

A greater part of the delegates to the
twentieth annual convention of the Young
Peoples Christian Union of the Uni
versalist Church, now in session in this
city. witnessed the fireworks display upon
the Monument grounds last night.
The delegates were afterward accorded
reception at the Church of Our Father.
18th and L streets northwest. where the
sessions Of the convention are held. The
reception began shortly after o'clock
and closed at IL o'clock. Many left be-
fore the reception was concluded to view
the illumination of Pennsylvania avenue.
A patriotic service was held yesterday
afternoon at 100 o'clock. Prof. Arthur
W.. PIERCE, of Massachusetts presided.
Chaplain Henry n. Couden of the House
of Representatives delivered the opening
prayer. w. j. Ogden Of Baltimore de-
livered an address.
Analysis of Declaration.
This day. one hundred and thirty-two
years ago." he said. the report of the
committee Of f1ve-John Adams, Roger
Sherman. Robert r. Livingston, Benjamin
Franklin and Thomas Jefferson-on a
Declaration of Independence. was adopted
by the representatives Of the British colo
MES in Congress assembled at Philadel-
phia.
The gist of the Declaration of indie
pendence is equal rights to all men, con-
tanned in the immortal sentence. we hold
these truths to be self-evident: that all
men are created equal: that they are en-
dowed by their Creator with certain in
alienable rights: that among these are
life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness;
that to secure these rights governments
are instituted among men, deriving their
just powers from the consent of the gov
erned.'
This first great principle Is indeed
self-evident truth, and no amount of
false logic or cunning word phrasing can
ner-stone of this rennbfie. The lowest-born
is equal to the htghestborn before this
law. The untutored ignoramus is the
equal of the learned and influential scholar
the equal of the virtuous judge before
this law. 1t is not self-contradictory. as
some would have it appear for it does not
offend the sight or any sense or reason.
THE declaration says to the ignorant:
No man shall treat you unfairly. TO the
weak it says: Fear NOT the strong. TO
the criminal 1t speaks in mercy and
says: Your liberty is only restrained that
the liberty OF others shall not be denied,
and within the confines of the prison you
consistent with the equal rights of your
fellow-men.
Contest of the Ages.
Around this central self-evident truth
the contest OF the ages has ragged. For
men will abuse power. And even those
gifted with. knowledge and wisdom. aye,
even those hc.d;ng the keys OF heaven
itself, have, where this law was ignored,
used :heir great power to Cypress the ig-
rorant.
But the assertion of this fundament al
truth is the hope of the ignorant and the
weak. The old abuses and expressions
that grow upon complacent people are
presently brushed away by a revival or
this eternal doctrine.
Before it's Burning light the darkness
Of superstition has given place to a re-
lIfziost v orfhy Of AL acceptation. The nat
u: al tendency of priestcraft is checked by
the light that 'lighteth every man that
cometh into the world. BY this truth men
demand their right of consent to every
form of teaching, whether 1t be by
THE dominion of the church is sub
ieCt to it. The power of the press has
found its master in an Independent public
opinion THAT refuses to be formed by mis-
representation of facts and false reason
ing. 1t is the test of every political Ques-
ton. All parties accept 1t as an axiom
even though their corrupt leaders deny it
IN practice.
= John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
were respectively the original republican
and democrat. Yet both subscribed to the
decia, alton that all men are created equal.
Slavery was inconsistent with it and was
abolished.
The doctrine Of, states rights was
evoked to save the institution of slavery
but in vain That doctrine is simply a
broad expression Of the higher and grand
er Ir.nt iple, that all men are endowed
hy their Creator with equal rights to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The states had the unquestioned right
to regulate their domestic affairs But
this great principle rested upon and grew
out of the fundamental doctrine that a
man had right to own himself. The
SCI tn went down in the conflict of its own
contradiction of ideas.
Predatory Wealth Must Fail.
To-day the doctrine of equal rights to
all men is denied by that strange thing
known as predatory wealth. But just as
Adams anu Jefferson united in the as
sertion of its truth so, today, Bryan and
Roosevelt. the living opponents of the
democratic and republican parties, stand
together as against the forces that with
out regard to party or politics are allied
to plumber the people.
And again the grand old doctrine Of the
reserved rights of the states is held I'D
as a shield to mask the designs of those
who deny its first and all-important ex-
prcssion-tne equal rights of all men,
Railroads are a public function. Their
corporate powers are granted to per-
form a great public service. They have
abused their delegated powers. Rebates
Illegally granted to favored shippers have
built up gigantic trusts that ruthlessly
destroy their weaker competitors and
charge extortionate prices to the people
who are forced by the conspiracy to deal
with these monopolies.
The recent exposures have astonish ed