The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-06-05
In Mr.. Kittredge's Decoration day
speech at W~oonSocekt in 1907. he said:

III MT. h~lttredSe'S decoration day
speech at Woonsocekt in 1907, he said:
The temptations in business in this
g are so great that it demands the
est brain and the most genuine man
hood that can be enlisted
Mr.. kittredge was addressing his
observations largely to young men, in
tending, as he stated at the outset. to
apply his remarks especially to those
Just engaging. or about to engage, in
the activities of a business or profess
slonal life. or in the industrial pur-
suits of the farmer or the mechanic.
E~laborating the idea, the senator con
tinued:
The man who is dishonest in his
personal dealings wants only the op-
portunlty of public position TO become,
in the parlance of the day, a public
instead OF a private CRATER There is
no such thing as impersonal dishon-
esty. Let us remember that the cor
nerstone OF our governmental struc-
tnre is Intelligent personal integrity.
Upon it depends the endurance of the
republic"
1t is only through the elevation of
the highest type of manhood to posi-
lions OF trust that any nation, any
state. any municipality, can maintain
its standing as a representative gov
ernment-representative in the same
sense hat our forefathers had in mind
when they sought freedom from the
disease of official corruption that per-
meated the mother country across the
sea.
Had it not been for the moral de-
generacy of the governing forces of
the parent nation there might possibly
have been no United States of Amer
lea. England became purified, in a
measure, through the shedding of
blood following the Declaration of In
dependence.
With the advent of the new born
era in commercialism in America
there has seemingly crept into our
body polite a decisive propensity to
conditions.
We're basei upon reflection and obser-
walton, and but conform 20 the teach
ing OF history. I'm the long run" he
said, Our public morals reflect the
composite character OF our people and
our legislation is moulded by public
opinion. If that composite character
is high, on public morals will be
wholesome. If public opinion is form
ed by intelligent thought and moral
conviction, u legislation will be wise
and equitable" But perhaps no more
forceful point was made in the sen
Z . MOpllooNhSl dutilSSS llldl tudl
contained in the following extract:
Integrity without intelligence will
accomplish little. On the other hand,
it may serve as a fruitful field for
exploitation by the CRATER. The indi-
vidual must have discriminating jurg-
ment. He must be able to Judge the
true from the false, the good from the
bad"
Senator Kittredge was not deliver
ing a political speech, but nevertheless
some of his deductions might be strik-
ingly applied to present conditions in
South Dakota. That vice invariably
seeks the protection and concealment
of the garb of virtue is one of the
human misfortunes. Holy wars in
variably have bred greedy suffers.
camp robbers and a noisy horde of
men whose predatory purposes are
sought to be concealed by a v%ocifer-
erous but spurious patriotism" Pc
litically speaking. this fact is aptly
set forth by another extract from the
senator's address. as follows:
"~ParadoXical as at first it nay seem.
there is nothing that the accomplished
CRATER likes better thar to associate
himself with a crusade for moral bet
terment. To him it is 'opportunity.'
1t matters not how ~shockingly he may
nave offended morality, he expects his
noisy professions to cause him to be
recognized as virtues champion par
pyca]lancen