The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-06-02

by the fathers was a tremendous
step in human progress. 1t was a
radical departure from existing con-
ditions. To many it was an expert
ment, to the favorable outcome of
which there were grave doubts. The
period that followed the War of In
dependence proved the soundness of
the plan as a whole.
1T was the pioneer period when
men were working out their ideals
of government with the new machin-
cry and at the same time develop
ing the wonderful natural resources
of this great land. There were some
differences of opinion as to the pow
ers of the federal government as to
whether it was in fact as in name,
a United States, permanent and in
divisable or merely a confederation
of sovereign states from which any
state had the right to secede. This
controversy was intensified by the
feeling between the north and the
south over slavery. Like every prob
lem it had to be ultimately solved,
but ii required a great civil war to
bring this about, the results of which
were equal to the cost, for today
We are united people with a per-
manent government for all under
which all men without regard to
creed or color are free. AS the Rev
dictionary war was the beginning of
the first great period in our history
as a nation, the Civil war was the
beginning of the second great pc
riod.
Half century has passed since
the first shot was fired on Fort
Sumpter, and in that fifty years more
similar stretch Of time in the known
history of man. 1t has been a won
derful period of material develop
ment and achievement, the whole
life of the individual has been revo-
lutionized. From simple, hard
race given to agricultural pursuits
and personal and direct trade rela-
tons with our fellow man we have
become nation of intensified and
highly concentrated industrialism.
Fifty years ago four per cent of
our population lived in cities, today
60 per cent are city dwellers. This
shifting of population and the con
centration of capital in the develop
ment of highly organized industries
has created new problems and
brought us face to face with new
conditions, the settlement of which
means another change, and the be-
ginning of the third great period in
our history.
THE problem today is whether the
few men who own these highly or
ganiZed industries and so much of
the wealth of this country, shall also
control the government and it's SER
wants, or shall the liberty loving
people of this nation control and
manage their own affairs, i. e., this
government and at the same time
control and regulate these same
great industries. | think the question
is well defined and the result de-
ponds upon the capacity of our citi-
zenship to understand and see this
problem as it really is-then the an
swer will be easy. For | can not
believe that the spirit that founded
this nation in '76 and saved it in 81
will ever permit it to be destroyed
by those whose interests are selfish
and unpatriotic. AS | see it the ques-
ton is simply this: Shall this gov
eminent continue to be for the peo-
pie, OF the people, and by the people
and shall we continue to develop our
free institutions adopting such
changes as are necessary to protect
the individual citizen and give him
greater participation in government
or shall we permit purely selfish in
terests to predominant until like the
Republic of Rome we become a plu-
tOcracy under which liberty is dead
and our pretentiOns to being a free
people only farce. The question
is up to you, my fellow citizens, and
the answer depends upon what kind
of stuff you are made of.
TOO often you hear men say,
haven't the time to give to politics
and it is too much of personal
sacrifice for me to give any atten-
ton to the affairs of government. 1t
is this very Indifference and fear
of sacrifice that has made it posi-
BILE for the enemies of free govern
ment to get into control 1t has
created the bossism of the hired SER
want of special interests instead of
the bossism of all the people. The
next time that you think it is too
much of a sacrifice to give a little
of your valuable time to the cause
of good government, just stop for
moment and think of the men of
fifty years ago who sacrificed the
four best years of their lives to pre-,
serve this Union. If they had thought
then as you. do today, my friend
where would this country be and