The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-06-04
BIG FAIR OPENED
ON TUESDAY
ALASKA YUKON EXPOSITION
STARTS UNDER AUsPICIoUs
CONDITIONS.
PRESIDENT TAFT PRESSES KEY
AT WASHINGTON AND
WHEELS MOVE.

OSdIIlSJ WdSu., y uue l.-fToSlQ0uL
William Howard Taft in the white
house at Washington this afternoon
placed his hand on telegraph key
made of Alaska gold and sent a
spark across the continent and put
in motion the wheels of the Alaska
Yukon-Pacific exposition. The ex-
ercises on the grounds were carried
out with military precision. The
only serious deficit in the display at
the time of the opening was the rep
resentation from Hawaii and the
Philippines. A feature of the pro-
gram was the address of James J.
Hill, who during his remarks took
occasion to say that the greatest
service to the nation, to every state
and every city would be the sub
stitution for a term of years of law
enforcement for law making.
Tells of Four Great Words.
The speaker said that there are
four great words that should be
written upon the four corner stones
Of every public building in the coun-
'ry with the sacredness of a religi-
ous rite, equality, simplicity, econ
omy and justice" Continuing he
said in part:
"These words are interviewer with
every fiber of the national fabric.
To forget or deny them will lead
20 every misfortune and every pos
sibility of destruction that rises now
threatening in the path of our coun-
try's greatness.
Equality before the law is an
embodied promise of the United
States. 1t is the first principle sought
to be established by the federal con-
stitution. In so far as we have been
faithful to it, we have not only
grown great and prosperous but
have commanded the respect of
others because we respected our
selves. In so far as we have de-
MED it, in so far as there is any
where a special privilege or an un-
equal restriction, any decree of legal
governmental favoritism whatever,
we have changed the government
of the fathers and turned backward
toward the old, evil tradition whose
trail of blood and oppression runs
through all history.
Heroism is Needed.
ut needs heroism, it. involves the
shaking off of ostentations follies
that have already warped our earlier
ideals, it may even require con-
siderable readjustment of our whole
industrial system and a reform in
our every conception of the relation
between a government and its citi-
zens before the severe standard of
absolute equality before the law can
be restored. 1t demands new
standard of economy in both our
public and private expenditures.
"It demands the repeal of many
laws and the suppression of many of
the bills presented to state and fed
eral legislatures. So many are there
framed to give to one an undue ad-
vantage or take away from another
fair field and an equal judgment.
1t demands abolition of that most
hateful and corroding element in a
republic that is called class con-
sciousness. To steer the ship of state
among these shifting and conflict
ing currents now full speed ahead
and now full speed astern, is task
of extraordinary difficulty. Yet, un.
less we can follow the course OF
| equal justice laid down on the chart
shipwreck lies somewhere ahead.
Educational System Superficial.
Frequent use of the phrase
our complex civilization creates 6
vague impression that simplicity ha.
been banished necessarily from the
modern world by a kind of natura
evolution. Whereas it remains now
as always, the normal rule Of {
4 wholesome national life.
1--WE have complicated our edu
cational system and made it sup
erficial. The just complaint every
where is that there is no thorough
ness, no wholesome mental disciplin,
for the young.
Eve have complicated our socia
life until natural human intercours
is overlaid with thick stratum o
vulgar prodigality, luxury, displa
and insincerity.
I'VE have complicated our law
making until, despite the high stand
ards, the administration of justic
is difficult and sometimes uncertain
.'We have complicated our finar
cial system until it encourages tn
widest speculation at one mome1
! and at another sinks into bushes
! collapse.
I've have complicated our IL
dustrial organization at both enc
Of the scale until the great middl
class, which represents labor III
. combined, q fine energy and mode
! accumulations OF capital, finds mar
of Its rights invaded 0r destroyed.
Mr.. Hill declared this to be II
most wasteful country on earth
e its administrative features as we'll
Il In its treatment Of natural resource
Is and said that the discarded standa
. q economy IN its affairs must
lEastogeA sss