The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-04-13


deceive yourself by supposing all the
people believe in democratic govern
ment, because they do not. You have
only to listen TO the utterances of very
distinguished republican speakers TO
see that they do not believe and do
not pretend to believe in representa-
tive government. They will tell you
they do not believe the judgment Of
the people can be trusted And are
you going to take counsel from these
gentlemen as to the preservation Of
our representative institutions when
they don't want them to represent the
great body Of the people?
l don't know whether was born
so. or learned so. or what happened
to me. but know this. that the deep
est conviction have, arising cut Of
observation and experience. is this,
that would rather take the judgment
of the rank and file than the judgment
of the men who have become absorb
ed and successful leaders in greas un-
dertakings
And | want to ask these gentlemen
this query: What sustains business
in the United States? What is it that
makes the United States prosperous
is it that We have great captains of
industry? What would they do with
out the cunning and skill, the musmle
and the indomitable aspiring hope of
the American people? If these peo-
pie were to find hope dying out of
their hearts, they would become dumb
driven beasts, and your enterprises
would fail for lack of the very breath
that sustains them.
If you want to find whether a ma
tion is prosperous ask the men who
are on the make what they hope and
what they fear Go to the country
districts and ask anxious fathers, who
are looking for openings for their sons,
where they expect to get them in
where they find doors open and where
they find doors shut. Go through the
places where men are making earn
ings and see whether they dread or
confidently look forward to the future,
and then you kill find whether Amer
ica is waxing or waning, for if these
men are confident. full of hope, if they
know they are going to get fair treat
ment wherever they go, then America
can conquer the world of enterprise in
their hope.
But if you find, what you do find,
men everywhere asking themselves
whether the doors of opportunity have
not been locked in their faces, then
YOU will nave to take new reckon
ing as to the future of America.
II only those who are chosen at the
top have the right of way in, what is
going to happen to America? Did you
ever hear of nation that was renew
ed fro mthe top? Did you ever hear
of nation that was not made Grille,
that did not account for its youth by
renewal from the bottom? Did you
ever hear of tree that drew its sap
from its flowers? Does it not draw
it from the dark and silent places of
the soil? Does not a nation draw its
power of renewal and enterprise and
all its future, from the ranks of the
great body Of unnamed men?
If you are going to discourage these
men; if you are going to put the chill
of fear in their hearts, then Ameri-
can captains of industry can whistle
for their future; and they will whistle
in wilderness.
l am the friend of American busi-
ness because know where its founda-
tons are laid and where they are
weak.
These foundations are solid only
when laid IN the confidence OF the
common people.
A democrat? Why, a man does not
understand history who isn't demo-
crat, A man doesn't understand enter
prise who isn't democrat. And let
me say this, democracy is not merely
a matter of programs-it is matter
of sympathy and insight. 1t depends
upon whether your heart is in connec-
ton with the great heart of the peo-
pie. 1t does not depend upon whether
you can cunningly devise a platform
that looks first and good You can
build fiimsy platform and stand on
it successfully, provided its basis lis
in the right kind of spirit
1t is matter of seeing-not from
your eyes out, but from the eyes of
other men in. Getting the vision that
is in the back of the other mans head