The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-07-10


welcome task to discover what are the
modern necessities and the best meth
DDS of virtuous rule in state or munich
pality. 1t should devolve upon us to
instruct the rising generation how they
may be a superior people to what we
have been, and as to how they may
avoid the mistakes we have made and
create for themselves happier, less
burdensome and more exalted con-
ditions than it has been our fortune TO
experience.
It is not any longer a question for
the American people, how 10 create a
stupendous free government, but how
to develop and purify the nations char
acter and its political existence so that
it may never be ravaged with domestic
fevers, nor perish from the earth with
corrupt diseases of the internal body
polite. We have passed through many
privations and dangers, and have crossed
the stormy sea of civil strife. We
greatly fear no foreign war, but we have
a momentous work at hand to subjugate
ourselves, TO develop the capacity of
imperishable self-rule, not so much by
valor in the field, nor by splendor OF
selfish genius, nor wealth, as by unad
liberated, honest, intelligent, sympath-
etc manhood. Let that be the stand
ard, and let not the question of rich or
poor enter at all therein. The dangers
we have to guard against are the lack
OF individual worth, the decay Of public
virtue, the weakening of faith, the
desire of power, and the love of gold.
The fate of every nation governed
by the people depends upon the indiy
idual character of its people, for every
thing in government is human, and in
the end depends upon the sense OF duty
of its citizens and officers. The latter
must have the same sincere interest as
the former. If they do not, constitu
tons and constitutional restraints mean
nothing in this country; and if the time
ever comes when our presidents, our
courts, our governors, and our legisla-
tive, judicial and executive officers in
general, are not men Of worth, OF in
dividual character, then will the Amer
lean system OF free government fail.
The decay of public virtue is a
species OF failure ofindividual character.
When the agent of government chooses
what is wrong and not right, whether
he does it for financial gain, for political
advancement, for the sake of power, or
vanity, or because of weakness of back
bone; then he adds to the state humil-
ity, increased taxes, general discomfort,
and feeling of distrust as to the success
of our national fabric, which cannot
endure unless public virtue shall live
and flourish.
Men of character and OF a true sense
of public virtue are in every well gov
erned state its best motive power; for
it is moral qualities in the main which
rule the world. Even in war, Napoleon
said, the moral is to the physical as ten
to one. Laws and institutions are but
the outgrowth of the morals of the
people, and in the just balance of
nature, individuals, nations and races
will obtain just so much as they deserve
and no more. We may admire men of
intellect, but something more is neces-
sary before you will trust them. Not
only their habits must be good, but
you must know that they are morally
sincere and consistent with their con
stituents, and with the supposed prin-
ciples for which they stand from one
year to another.
There can be no confidence in gov
eminent, no confidence in business, no
confidence in any of the affairs OF
humanity anywhere, unless both nations
and individuals will keep the faith that
inspires hope, assurance, and trust that
the word of man is enduring. In the
recent war Japan had the large sym
patty of the world because Russia had
earned the reputation of broken faith
a nation of covert secrets and preyar-
ication. When any man or any country
relaxes the bonds OF political faith, so
that his word is broken, or even his
action spells lie, then his sun is set
and his night is at hand. Woe comes