Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-13

ton, Frank Andersen and Edgar An.
| derson. An Old Song was the title OF
| beautiful poem by Mrs. Laura E
| Richards, the delivery of which was
roundly applauded.
Miss Wadsworth and the school,
| children rendered in spirited fashion
| The Star Spangled Banner"
| "Old Glory was the title of a nat
rlotlc poem read by Comrade G. E
| Joy, which was much appreciated.
selection was rendered by the
| quartet. Judge A. NJ. Spear was then
introduced as the orator of the evening
Judge Spear said that he would
speak on American Citizenship, Its
Sources and Purposes" of which Alb
| raham Lincoln was a great example
He said in part:
We are all able to select notable in
stances of great citizezns The great
majority OF great men have come from
the farm. On the other hand We have
but few instances of heredity inf the
cases of those who have contributed
most to the growth of the nation.
Wealth tends to produce Incidence,
ldlencss and conceit. The life of the
farm is calculated to produce the best
results.
Idle ness is undoubtedly the most
damaging endowment which 4 parent
can bestow upon his boy. My expert
cnce is that character is the endoW-
mem of nature. The distinction be-
tween the rich boy and the poor boy
is the advantage of the sturdy disci-
pline of the one over the enforced idle
ness of the other.
Tho speaker commended to the at
tcntion of his hearers the qualities Of
courage and fearlessncss.
H said that the past % years have
witnessed greed and political agrees
sion such as never before been seen
IL the history of our country.
Ii is the unlawful combination of
power to which objection is made Ev-
erytnirg seemed to be going by de-
fault. The concentration Of wealth
had become so great that it had as
sumed position of naughty defiance
even to the government itself
The speaker then paid tribute TO
President Theodore Roosevelt for the
stand which he took in this eXigency.
Judge Spear counted three epochs
in the history of our country: The
stormy period through which the ma
ton was piloted by Washington; the
period which witnessed the service of
Abraham Lincoln, and that epoch eX-
listing at the present time.
Courage and fearlessnesS are the
most necessary attributes in the dis
charge of civic duty. Ee sure you are
right and then go ahead.
Considering the tendencies of the
tines, Judge Spear said that members
of corporations do acts collectively
which no one in his individual capacity
would think of doing. What is the duty
of good citizenship in checking and
correcting our errors?
1t is necessary for the public con-
science to be educated Perhaps the
strongest word in the dictionary of the
English language is the little adverb
"No" To say "No" to the doing OF
wrong is to say Yes to the doing of
right
The speaker then cited instances
from history. The most comprehensive
embodiment of the principles of good
citizenship is found in Abraham Lin
coin.
The speaker closed with an eloquent
peroration.
The band played medley in whicl!
patriotic and popular airs We're min
gled, and the audience, particularly
the younger portion, arplauded almost
continually for several minutes until
the band responded with a march.
The audience Joined with the chorus
in the singing of America" and the
program closed with the pronouncing
of the benediction by Rev. l.. H. Nc
Kinney.