The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-04-29

or anti-religiOuS prejudice, the man
who makes such an appeal should al
ways be presumed to make 1t 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 | 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
maverick. BY the custom Of the
country these mavericks were brand
ed with the brand of the man on
whose range they were found One
day | was riding the range with a
newly hired cowboy, and we came
upon maverick.
! said to him: 1T 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 we'll. Now
you 60 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 ! answered: "Yes, 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 a 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 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 a 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 a 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 loss to all the world.
There are certain lessons of brilliance
and of generous gallantry that she
can teach better than any of her sister
nations. When the French peasantry
sang Of MalDrook 1t was to tell how
the soul of this warrior-foe took flight
upward through the laurels he had
won. Nearly seven centuries ago
Froissart, writing of time of dire
disaster, said that the realm of
France was never so stricken that
there were not left men who would
valiantly fight for it. You have had a
great past. l believe that you will
have a great future. Long may you
carry yourselves proudly as citizens of
a nation which bears a leading part
In the teaching and uplifting of man.
kind.