River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-04-28

as his own. Probably the best test of
| true love of liberty In any country is
the way in which minorities are
treated In that country. Not only
should there be complete liberty In
matters of religion and opinion, but
| complete liberty for each man to lead
| his life as he desires, provided only
that in so doing he does not wrong
his neighbor. Persecution is bad be-
cause it is persecution. and without
reference to which side happens at the
moment to be the prosecutor and
which the prosecuted. Glass hatred is
bad in lust the same way, and without
any regard to the individual who. at
given time. substitutes loyalty to a
class for loyalty to the nation. or SUBJ
stitutes hatred of men because they
happen to come in certain social
category. for judgment awarded them
according to their conduct. Remem-
Der always that the same measure of
condemnation should be extended to
the arrogance which would look down
upon or crush any man because he is
poor, and to the envy and hatred
which would destroy man because
he is wealthy. The overbearing bru-
tally of the man of wealth or power,
and the envious and hateful malice d.
rected against wealth or power, are
really at root merely different mani
festations of the same quality, merely
the two sides of the same shield.
The man who, if born to wealth and
power, exploits and ruins his less
fortunate brethren is at heart the
same as the greedy and violent dema.
gogue who excites those who have
not property to plumber those who
have. Of one man in especial, be-
yond anyone else, the citizens Of a re-
public should beware, and that is OF
the man who appeals t. them to sup.
port him on the ground that he is
hostile to other citizens of the repub-
lie, that he will secure for those who
elect him, in one shape or another,
profit at the expense of other citizens
of the republic. It makes no differ.
ence whether he appeals to class
hatred or class interest, to religious
or anti-religious prejudice, the man
who makes such an appeal should al
ways be presumed to make it for the
sake of furthering his own interest
The very thing that an intelligent
and self-respecting member of a
democratic community should not do
is to reward any public man because
that public man says he will get the
private citizen something to which
this private citizen Is not entitled, or
will crafty some emotion or ami
mostly which this private citizen
ought not to possess.
A Ranch Story.
Let me illustrate this by one
anecdote from my own experience: A
number Of years ago l was engaged
in cattle-ranching on the great plains
of the western United States. There
ere no fences. The cattle wandered
free, the ownership of each being de-
termined by the brand: the calves
were branded with the brand of the
COWS they followed. If, on the round
up, an animal was passed by, the fol
lowing year it would appear as an un
branded yearling and was then called
a maverick. By the custom of the
country these mavericks were brand
ed with the brand of the man on
whose range they we're found. One
day 1 was riding the range with a
newly hired cowboy, and we came
upon a maverick.
said to him: cit is so-and-so's
brand" naming the man on whose
range we happened to be.
He answered: That's all right
boss, | know my business"
In another moment / said to him:
Hold, on, you are putting on my
brand"
To this he answered.: "That's all
right; l always put on the boss
brand"
answered: ooh, very well. Now
you go straight back to the ranch and
get what is owing to you. don't need
you any longer"
He jumped up and said: why,
what's the matter? / was putting on
your brand"
And 1 answered: Eyes, my friend,
and if you will steal for me you will
steal from me-"
Now the same principle which ap-
plies in private life applies also in
public life. If public man tries to
get your vote by saying that he will
do something wrong in your interest,
you can be absolutely certain that if
ever it becomes worth his while he
will do something wrong against
your interest.
France and the United States.
And now, my host, word in part
ing. You and I belong to the only
two great republics among the great
powers of the world The ancient
friendship between France and the
United States has been, on the whole,
a sincere and disinterested friendship.
A calamity to you would be sorrow
to us. But it would be more than
that. In the seething turmoil of the
history of humanity certain nations
stand out as possessing peculiar
power or charm, some special gift Of
beauty or wisdom of strength, which
puts them among the immortals,
which makes them rank forever with
the leaders of mankind. France is
one Of the nations. For her to sink
would be a loss to all the world,
There are certain lessons of brilliancc
and of generous gallantry that she
can teach better than any of her sister
he fY.u