Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-04-26
TEACH THE BOYS TO STAND
AGAINST LANLESSNESS.

The Savannah High School has insti-
tuted the custom of having well known
citizens address it's students on topics
that will tend to awaken higher i'm
pulses in the student body, to give
them a clearer view of the duties and
responsibilities of life, and, above all,
to show them the pathway to true and
useful citizenship. The idea is an
excellent one, one that other high
schools might we'll emulate. Take
Americas, for instance, and one can
appreciate the benefits that might ac-
crue from having men of the type of
Judge Littlejohn, Rev. DR.. Burrows,
and others whose names readily sug-
gest themselves, address the high
school boys and girls along lines cal
Culated to give them a clearer concep-
ton of what life really means, or
should mean, and to remove miscon-
ceptions and perverted notions that too
often take possession of the minds #
the young and all too frequently lead
them astray in later life.
Judge Samuel B. Adams addressed
the Savannah high school students this
week His remarks were timely and
just as applicable in Americas as in
Savannah They constituted plea for
giod living and for good citizenship.
and for righteous and determined
stand among the coming men and Wo-
men against lawlessness of every type.
Said he in part:
Even if We're true that there is
no hereafter, the most sensible thing
to do would be that which is right. A
man must be right in his purposes,
motives and plans Education and
learning help in this, but | do not be-
lieye that education is a panaCea for
all ills. Unless education develops
character it would be better that We
did not have it. 1t would be better
for the vicious man that he is not ed
ucated.
You cannot be a good citizen I'M
less you love your city, your state and
country | do not mean by this a
maudlin sentimentality that calls for
Fourth of July oratiOns and admira-
ton for deeds of yalor in battle only
that stir the minds of the young, but
mean that sort of feelingthat C ONES
to a man to really love his city, state
and nation.
There is one sign that | regard
with d,sfayOr, and that is the mini
MIXING of the Importance Of the state
and giving too much to thenation. The
man who loves his state first is bet
ter American. The purpose of the con-
constitution of the United States is to
preserve the rights and dignity of the
state as a unit. If you are to be a
| true American you must be first atrue
Georgian. If you purpose to be a good
citizen you will be informed of the
duties of good citizenship. You VIII
appreciate the fact that the duties of
Igood citizenship demand service N
| times of peace as we'll as in times of
war. The man who is absorbed COM
| pletely in the making of dollars loses
sight of his duty to the state and is a
bad citizen. | believe completely in
theduty every citizen to vote, and
vote conscientiously, to serve on the
jury and serve worthily. These are as
much his duties as for the duty of a
man who is a church member to go to
Church or to support his family.
The idea that affairs of the state
are to be reIegated to the politician, or
those with axes to grind, is not only
selfish intheOry, but works out bad n
practice. The peril if perils and
the evil of evils, as l view it, is now
the spirit of lawlessness. 1t is abroad
i'll the land. The statistics of this
country, as compared with those of
older countries, are disgraceful, But
in the South this matter ought to be
particularly stressed. When we read
the records of lynchings we ought to
hang our heads in shame.
IF the large body of citizens be on
the side of laWlessness, then anarchy
will be at our very doors. Let every
citizen array himself against lynch
| law, against defiance of the tribunals
of the land. We must not encourage
the thought of disrespect to the courts,
and to what has been termed the law
delay Human life ought not to be
taken away without a fair and com
plete deliberations