The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-05
FRATERNITY
 IN CONGRESS
Thomas L. Reilly Tells B mai Brith of Fine Spirit in the
 National Body

The government of the United States was represented by Congress- man Thomas L. Reilly, of Meriden, at the banquet of the Order B'NaI Brith in connection with the conven- ton at New Haven last evening.
 Congressman Reilly spoke as fol- lows:
 What connection is there between the Congress of the United States and this occasion, the convention of a great fraternal organization and why should there be any reason for a dis cussion of Congress here? Is 1t for the purpose of accentuating a lack of fraternalism in Congress? I do not believe that many people believe there Is much fraternaliSm in the national legislative body. Many seem to think that there paternal:sm but not fra ternalism. As a matter of fact both are to be found but even my humble experience leads me to be ieve that there is a fraternal spirit existing in Congress that makes for the best i'm terests of the nation. There may be, and are, honest differences as regards policies to be pursued; there are strongly defined party lines, but back of it all, stronger than party fealty, more powerful than platform pledges, is 8 fraterral spirit that only needs the opportunity to prove it's existence and it's magnificent power.
 We Americans, and mean that in
 
 for @ hyphenated American, are broth CTS in the great national family. Ev- cry one who has taken the oath. of allegiance, no matter where he may have been born, and TO matter what religious faith he may espouse is just as true an American, so long as he lives up to that allegiance, as those who are born under the shade of Bunker Hill or Judge's Cave.
 That Is the great strength of our glorious republic and will continue TO be, just so long as the nation born realizes that the adopted brother is no step-brother, but an equal part of the great American family and as deerIy interested in it's prosperity and vel fare. In times of danger in the past, in times when the nation needed the aid of every son, these brothers of a family of American citizens have ra1- lied to the defense of the flag, prov ing in their loyalty. their bravery and herolsm, the highest types of their fraterna1ism. That same spirit which has in times gone by been manifested vii be shown again when occasion requires That devotion which per meates the citizenship of this country at large is just as firm and true in the national Congress as outside 1t:
 That spirit is not always in evi- dence in Congress; neither is it out side, but it exists just the same in one place or in the other and woe to him who is tempted to te~t it in the belief that it is only counterfeit.
 
 well as in the general membership, that spirit is found. There are times when it looks as if the brothers were warming and the tension is strong but it is only a division as to details and no vital principe of Americanis-n Is involved Each in his way is striving to do what he really believes to be for .the best interests of the country and there need never be fear that either side desires to do that which will be injurious
 '"The people should as a whole, I believe, have faith and confidence in Congress, and they will continue to have that faith so long as their rep resentatives truy represent them Whatever danger may threaten to lessen the faith of the people in their representatives in Congress will be due to the belief on the part of the people that for a time their national the representatives of all the people and not of a few Whenever that time comes the people always act promptly and nay be counted upon sentatives of their failure to keep the faith.
 s'It is the greatest safeguard of the nation that the men who are selected to make the nations laws are, a body, men possessed of a high degree of patriotism and loyalty to American institutions. They are men possessed of a. superb confidence in the great ness and destiny of our nation They are men who may differ in policies and in politics, but who are in one accord on questions of national honor and the real welfare of the American people when menaced from any source.
 Now and then a man finds his way | into Congress whose rieht to that honor and distinction may be ques- tioned. The same is true in the min l istry, the bank directory and other | professions and colleges. These ex- l captions but prove the rue of honest service and general integrity. The | spirit that actuates him and his con | stituents is found in the representa- a. | tion If that is high and lofty it will | be reflected in him and thanks be | to the God of nations it is of that 1 sort.
 ''The spirit that sees in the white | stripes of our flag the fulfillment o1 | the hores and aspirations of a great l just and ltberty-Ioving people; thai sees in it's red,. the blood that wor and underwrites that liberty; that sees in it's blue, with it's growing number of stars, the haven of res' for the weary and down-trodden oi all the earth is the spirit of al Americans and of the American Con ]