Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-03-14
THE AwAKENINa-AND AFTER

THE AwAKENING-AND AFTER
 The country turns its face toward the morning. Its hopes and it's courage are high. It faces great problems which demand constructive genius. It believes that this genius for constructive work will characterize the new administra- tion. It gives its sympathy, encourage ment and material aid to the men who are to bear the heavy duties of the next four years.
 Often has 1t been said that the con- science of the nation has been awaken ed by the events of recent years. To this awakening many occurrences and many men have contributed. For a gen eration there has been growing a reali- zation that the national conscience had been dulled by stupendous national sue cesses. Ever since the civil war the mighty growth of wealth, individual and collective, had diverted the minds of vast numbers of men to its own allure ments and away from the contemplation of the fundamental relations of life. The smart man was admired; the
 successful" man all but worshipped. Ten years ago men who now are regard. cd with aversion were celebrated as models for aspiring American youth. For period following the war with Spain the country reverenced the god Sue cess, whom it had created in its own image. Filled with the pride of con quest, the nation leaping into a new place as world power, became intoxi- cated with speculation and gave itself over to the excesses and delusions which follow great draughts of riches. Then there came the inevitable reaction, and, to some degree, repentance.
 For the evils which accompanied the prolonged debauch some men were sing led out for ctntumely and punishment, But it must be remembered, else the lesson is wholly lost, that the "captains of industry the "barons of insur- ance" and the "kngs of finance. {" were not alons at fault. A great part, very great Iart of the public was with them, eager t, share in the gains of the day, only too willing to bet on results, only too ready to get-rich-quick, ever too credulous in the belief that 0x1, ,OoO means million. The country, on the whole, was willing to take chances. It took them. As revelation after revela- tion broke upon it, as scandal after scandal burst, as loss after loss had to be paid for, there came a change of spirit, of opinion. The conviction grew on all sides that reform was necessary. and that conviction expressed itself in rapid right-about-face of public opin- ion. The conversion was quick enough after the hopelessness of the game had been demonstrated on a gigantic scale, and many men once honored had fallen to disgrace. The conversion was for the most part, sound and real, but it had to be, as so many human teachings have to be, the fruit of experience.
 The public has new view now. What it once admired, and tolerated when it did not admire, it now rebukes. Men it once followed with laudation it now distrusts. The history of the race abounds with instances similar in char. acter. The great awakening, which is now so famous was, of course, a period l of tremendous outcry, violent denuncia- tion, torrents of distrust. In the annals of this land nothing like the violence of distrust and abuse which broke over a contry of fallen idols had been known save in the fearful conflict of secession. Long will men differ as to the courses which were and might have been pur- sued. But the period has passed. The dust of destruction is blowing Gway, the air is clearing, the fragments of the t-o--cn idols are swept aside, the foSn-