The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-06-08
The Spirit Of America
BY Joseph F. Llaharee

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BY Joseph F. Laharse
Europeans get their impression of
America largely from American trave-
lers. Afew foreigners like James Bryce
who made political study of Amer
lea and Tocqueviile who made a phiIo-
sophical study really know what they
wrote about. But these men spent
years in our midst and were men of
wide comprehension.
One can hear in Europe or read in
current literature by foreign authors
that Americans love the dmighty dol
lar more than the English love the
pound; that America is lawless land,
that in America we have no social or
der, that America is an accident born
of circumstances. One can hear or
read also the opposite, that Americans
are spendthrifts, that America is
governed by ridiculous laws which
govern the speed of the automible and
prescribe the number of workman's 8
hours; that in America Social distinc-
tions are sharply drawn. that America
is definite political experiment so
far fairly successful. These things are
all true in some sense but not in a
complete sense.
The spirit of nation is hard to
circumscribe. 1t may be found in part
in our self-reliance, our spirit of fair
play and in our literature. Perhaps
we are best known in Europe for our
energy which lies behind our self-reli-
ance. Our strenuous life is typefied by
Theodore Roosevelt whodoes everything
and goes everywhere. We are a stren-
uous people in contrast with Eastern
people. We have little time for vaca-
tion or leisure. We are more or less
enslaved by our restless activity, or
chise for material wealth, our reduc-
tion of the wilderness and our creation
of gigantic enterprises. Have we not
subdued continent? Have we not
thrown off English leading strings and
written Declaration of Independence?
Have we not kept the Monore Doc
trine inviolate? And finally did the
Civil War keep us divided? We were
a self-reliant people and we are. Our
ancestors braved a wilderness, built
homes and made living. They came
by process of natural selection. Col
onists, pioneers are always a hardy
race, strong wilied, resolute unflinching.
independent, shirking no hardship, &C.
cepting any risk. They left the feeble,
the timid, the lazy, the indifferent
behind. They broke old ties. They cross
ed the seas. They faced lonliness and
solitude.
The spirit of self reliance rejected
foreign guidance, and assumed the
right of self direction. 1t has persisted
through two centuries and remains to-
day vital factor in the spirit of Amer
lea. Also the spirit of Fairplay is a
compelling force in America.
President Roosevelt's square deal
struck a responsive chord in the hearts
of the American people. 1t explains
his popularity. The objector asks,
Does not the rule of the boss in the
cities destroy democracy and the square
deal? The answer is, "Good men too
often allow bad men to CONTROL A
weakness in our system does not indi-
cate permanent sickness. Men will
have good government as soon as
they want it.
1t is again asked Do we not have legal
delays, miscarriage of justice and failure
to convict the guilty in America?" We
have, but it is the exception which
proves the rule. What country has
not? What country has less?
Democracy does not follow a rose
bordered path. Liberty is the price of
eternal vigilance. The spirit of fair
play early took form. This is found in
our constitutional Book of Rights.
They cannot be repealed. They are
beyond the reach of our state legisla-
lures and of congress. The English
Bill of Rights may be repealed by Par
Lament. The decision of our Supreme
Courts are inspired by them. Fair
Play is found in our Declaration of
Independence. There is written '.just
powers are derived from the consent
of the people. Men are endowed by
their creator with certain inalienable
rights. Special prerogatives of rulers
are not of divine origin. All men are
created equal In opportunity. Every
man shall have a chance to rise; every
man shall be free to pursue his happi-
ness, protected in the enjoyment of
his liberty and secure in the possession
of his life.
The spirit of fair play is shown in
our religious liberty, the highest kind
of fair play. Tolerance was early