The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-05-17

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Now. l viii not assert that In mod
srn civilized society these tendencies
have been wholly overcome. but there
has been a much more successful eff
fort TO overcome them than was the
case in the early civilizations.
Wealthy men still exercise a large
and sometimes an improper influence
In politics. but IL is apt TO be an IN
direct Influence. and I'm the advanced
states the mere suspicion that the
wealth Of public men is obtained or
added 10 as an incident OF their public
careers will har them from public life.
Speaking generally. wealth may very
greatly influence modern political life.
but II Is not acquired in political life.
The colonial administrators. German
or American. French or English. OF
this generation lead careers which. as
compared with the careers OF other
men Of like ability. show too little
rather than too much regard for money
making. and literally a world scandal
would be caused by conduct which
Roman proconsul would have regard
ed a. moderate and which would not
have been especially uncommon even
In the administration Of England n
century and a half ago.
Great Men Come From the Poor.
on the whole. the great statesmen
of the last few generations have been
either men Of moderate means or. II
men Of wealth. men whose wealth was
diminished rather than increased by
their public services.
What IS the lesson 20 us today? Are
We 20 go the way Of the older civiliza-
lions? The immense increase in the
area 81 civilized activity today. so that
Il is nearly cotcrminous with the
worlds surface. the Immense increase
In the multitudinous variety Of its &C
tivities. the immense increase In the
velocity OF the world movement-are
an these 90 mean merely that the
crash VIII be all the more complete
and terrible when Il comes?
Personally l do not believe that our
civilization will fail think that on
the whole We have grown better and
not worse. think that on the whole
the future holds more for us than even
the great past has held But as
surcdiy the dreams Of golden glory in
the future viii not come true unless.
high ~ heart and strong OF hand. by
our own mighty deeds we make them
come true
We cannot afford to develop any one
set 81 qualities. any one set OF activi-
ties. al the cost OF seeing others equal
| ly necessary atrophied Neither the
! military efficiency Of the Mongol. the
extraordinary business ability OF the
Phocnlcian nor the subtle and polished
intellect Of the Greek availed 10 avert
destruction
What We Need.
We. the men Of today and OF the fu-
ture. need many qualities II we are TO
do our work we'll We need. first OF
all and most important OF all. the
qualities which stand at the base OF
individual. % family life. the funda-
mental and essential qualities-the
homely. everyday. . important viz
tues
II the average man will not work. n
he has not IN him the Will and power
20 lie a good husband and father. II
NV HAfhA - NNAAAA - AfiA II Enffn
housewife. good mother Of many
healthy children. then the state will
topple. will 20 down. no matter what
may be its brilliance OF artistic de
velopmont or material achievement
Unjust war Is 70 be abhorred. but
woe 70 the nation that docs not make
ready to hold its own in time OF need
against all who would harm IL. and
woe thrice over 10 the nation In which
the average man loses the lighting
edge. loses the power TO serve rs a
soldier II the day Of need should arise.
The Dream Of Civilization.
II IS no impossible dream TO build
up a civilization in which morality.
ethical development and n true feeling
Of brotherhood shall all alike be di-
vorced from false sentimentality and
from the rancorous and evn passions
which. curiously enough. so often ac-
company professions Of sentimental at
tachment 10 the rights OF man, in
which a high material development In
the things OF the body shall be achieved
without subOrdination Of the things
OF the soul. in which there shall be a
rNHNAAN ANNAit AtA peace anu JUSTICE
without loss Of those virile qualities
without which no love Of peace or
justice shall avail any race. in which
the fullest development Of scientific
research, the great distinguishing fea-
ture of our present civilization. shall
yet not imply belief that intellect
can ever take the place of character.
for from the standpoint of the nation
as OF the individual II is character that
is the one vital possession.
Finally. this world movement Of
civilization, this movement which Is
now felt throbbing In every corner Of
the globe, should bind the nations OF
the world together while vet leaving
unimpaired that love Of country in the
individual citizen which In the present
stage OF the worlds progress is essen
tial TO the worlds well being. You,
my hearers. and l who speak to you.
belong TO different nations.
Under modern conditions the books
we read, the news sent by telegraph
to our newspapers. the strangers we
meet half OF the things we hear and
do each day, all tend to bring us into
touch with other peoples
Each people can do justice to itself
only IL 1t does justice to others. but
each people can do its part in the
world movement for all only II it
rirst does its duty within its own
household. The good citizen must be
a good citizen OF his own country first
before he can with advanfare he n