The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-08-17

before arriving here They flourish in
our cities where it is possible with COM
parative safety to establish headquar-
ters and hold meetings. Our freedom,
or rather a misunderstanding of liberty
makes possible the most rapid growth
of anarchy. Liberty is a good thing
only for the man who knows how to use
it, and he who takes advantage of the
blessings of liberty to tear down all law
and authority is not worthy of free
country.
The beginning of this Republic was
unlike that of any other nation on the
face of the earth. The only immigrants
to oursshores, such as the Puritan, the
Cavalier, the Quaker, and the Hugenot,
in short nearly all the colonists came
with motives vastly different from that
whichlDrompts the present immigrant.
There is q vast difference between a
/ people going to new country because
of hungry heart, seeking a place In
which to worship Almighty God ac-
cording to the dictates of their own con-
+ sciences" and a vulgar horde coming
/ because their stomachs are hungry.
In the early days the emphasis was
placed upon inherent human rights
These ideas were embodied in the i'm
mortal Declaration of independence,
and little later type of government
founded on these principles was set
forth in the Constitution of the United
! States.
In the main all true Americans have
been patriotic, law abiding and liberty
loving. To perpetuate such a type
of government as ours three things
are necessary, viz: The free school,
the home, and the church. These
are the three pillars of our civili-
cation. Our laws, state and national,
foster these institutions. True, the
church and state are separate, but so
absolutely dependent is the state for her
perpetuity upon the church that the ut
most liberty consistent with our form of
government lhas been accorded the
church, leaving the various branches
free to prosecute their work of evan
geliZation as seemed best to the indi-
vidual ecclesiastical systems.
The state has gone on the assumption
that the ethical and religious principles
inculcated by Christianity are essential
to the well being of all the people, and
that without these, free government
must perish from the earth,
To argue here that the home is the
unit of civilization, so recognized and
defended by all nations whose enlghten-
ment is worthy the name, is not neces-
sarV.
The Importance of popular education
is recognized everywhere, and with a
liberality never before known in the
world Is history we are putting money
into educational institutions, thus bring
ing to every boy and girl in our great
land the very best facilities for an ade-
quate mental training.
The person or institution that would
destroy any or all Of these bulwarks
upon which the safety and security of
our nation rests is an anarchist 1t is
needless to say that many influences are
at work in this country to destroy the
safeguards of the Republic.
According to announcement and pre-
vious promise l am to deal with one of
these enemies this morning, viz: the
American Liquor Traffic | call it
American, " not to degrade that noble
name, but because there are some
phases of the Traffic here that are not
found in other countries.
The saloon as we have it is distinc-
tive American institution. am not
going to speak exclusively of the saloon,
but of the Traffic.
The chief, most aggressive, and ma
lignant foe of the Home, the School,
and the Church is the Liquor Traffic.
This is a severe Indictment, | admit,
but one capable of demonstration and
proof beyond the possibility of a doubt.
This great force and power was never
more arrogant in its demands, and
more.confident in its strength and re-
sources, than now. 1t holds political
parties and public men with iron grasp;
it muzzles the press, and seeks to silence
the pulpit; it bulldozes and vilIifies all
those who oppose it. The power of
slavery, great as it was, and great as
were the interests that upheld it, seems
child beside this giant of iniquity. 1t
goes into our schools and our homes.
and degrades and destroys our brightest
and fairest; it turks in wait at the door
of our colleges; it is working out ruin
and evil on every hand. But now |
must attempt to portray this evil which
is blasting lives, debauching legislators,
and officers of our Government, which
rules our cities and our State, which
buys apologists on the platform and in
the press, and sometimes in the pulpit.
The most thoroughly organized, defiant
and relentless foe of all that is best and