The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-07-18

tation. To me the thought is repulsive o
painting myself as a shining light. as
colossal Ego. the center Of a system
with multitudes of men and things re
volving like satellites around me. I hav'
done the State some service, but I re
main conscious Of the fact that thai
service is not so exceptionally conspic'
uous as to warrant me In lifting myself
by my own bootstraps to the admirine
gaze of mankind, nor yet SO nlustrous
as to obscure the achievements of Other
men. I am content to be a plain, blunt
] man-an average c~itizen-neither better
I nor worse than any other man who loves
his country and strives to do his duty,
1 am not endowed with special omnisci-
ence, virtues or powers. and 1 know
am afflicted with the foibles of my kind.
All I can do is to do my duty as I see
it. and contribute whatever I can to the
progress of my country and the better
ment of mankind. I am not a pessimist-
I believe that most men are honest, con-
scIentious and courageous. I believe
through the passing centuries the world
has been moving and stnl moves along
a mounting way. I believe that the
average of intelligence, morality and
citizenship rises from one generation to
another. That the world grows better
from year to year I have no doubt But
to say that we are upon the verge OF
the millennium. is, I think. wholly Wis
fonary. I do not believe that we have
lust emerged from a fresh edition OF
the dark ages into the light of a new
dawn which is ushering in an age OF end
less perfection. We are simply moving
as did our fathers IN past ages with
measured step forward and upward.
Men. right-thinking men, are striving
now as in the past, to suppress evil and
promote the good. in this ever-forward
movement the individual man. free TO
act on his own initiative. Is the safest
reliance. The creates liberty of Thought
and action consistent with good order is
the best. Now and then, and here and
there. there will be intrigue, lawlessness.
turbuienca and crime. Against all these
the relentless hand of public authority
must be raised. But crime is excep-
tional. not the rule. The rule is progress.
So It is now, has always been, and will
be to the end. II this were not so the
tremendous strides the world has made
would have been impossible In the work
men do for progress I have striven In
my day to perform my part, as 1 shal
strive to do in future. But I shall not
hang any anners upon the outer wall
nor blow any trumpets from the parapet-
Nv work. whatever it may be, great or
smalI. I shall let stand to speak for IT.
self.
] turn now, my fellow citizens. from
these reflections. which to some extent
and Of necessity have been semi-personsl
in character, to other things I have
said practically all / have to say OF a
nature. I come to you as a
Democrat to talk democracy. 1 am not
here to speak for myself. but for the
Democratic party: not to arraign Demo
Gratis and SOW the seeds OF dissension,
but to attack the Republican party and
its unworthiness; not to pro-
nounce a biographical eulogy on myself,
to discuss great questions OF party
5iaerence in which the people of the
and Nation must inevitably be pro-
interesteI. We are entering upon
/ campaign of unreasonable import to
he American people. The two great
parties have promulgated their
,ationa1 platforms and nominated their
candidates. And now once
gain these two old combatants. the
democratic and Republican parties
,eady for the fray. confront each other
Ike eladiators IN the arena of the Ma
ion. Today 1 shall talk chiefly Of ma
iona1 candidates n national questions
'ater on. after the state tickets have
cen nominated end the State platform
.dooted. 1 viii devote more attention TO
,tate Questions and discuss them at
.rcater length than on this occasion