Evening journal., 1912-11-01


speech in full at Madison Square Garden
Wednesday night
Friends, perhaps once in a generation,
perhaps not so often, there comes
chance for the people of country TO
play their part wisely and fearlessly IN
some great battle of the age-long war
fare for human rights
To our fathers the chance came in the
mighty days of Abraham Lincoln-o OF
the man who thought and toilcd and sur
fered for the people with sad. patient
and kindly cndeavor. To our iorefathcrs
the chance came in the troubled years
that stretched from the time when the
first Continental Congress gathered 20
the time when Washington was inaugu'
rated as first President of the Republic
To ms in our turn the chance has nov
come to stand for liberty and righteous
ness MS IN their day these dead men
stood for liberty and righteousness. Our
task is not as great as theirs. Yet Vt IL
wcll-nigh as important. Our task is to
profit by the lessons of the past. and to
check in time the evils that grow around
ms, lest our failure TO do so may cause
dreadful disaster TO the people.
We must not sit supine and helpless.
We must not permit the brutal selfish
ness OF arrogance and the brutal selfish
ness OF envy each TO run unchecked its
evil course. IL we do so. then some day
smodering hatred will suddenly kindle
into consuming flame. and either we OF
our children will be called on to face a
crisis as grim as any which this Repub-
lie has ever seen.
BE WISE IN TIME.
II is our business to show that nine.
tenths of wisdom consists in being wise
hin time. Woe to our nation if we let
matters drift, II in our industrial and po-
litical life we let an unchecked and ut
terly selfish individualistic materialism
riot to its appointed endl
That end would be widespread dis.
aster, for it would mean that our people
would be sundered by those dreadful
lines OF division which are drawn when
the selfish greed of the haves is set over
against the selfish greed of the havenots
There is but one way 10 prevent sucl
a division, and that is to forestall IL by
the kind of a movement in which we ar'
now engaged.
Our movement is one of resolute in
sistence upon the rights and full ac
acknowledgement of the duties OF every MAI
and every woman within this great lane
of ours. We war against the forces o.
evil. and the weapons we use are th'
weapons of right. We do not set gree'
against greed or hatred against hatred
Our creed is one that bids us be just L
all, to feel sympathy Tor all and to striv
for an understanding OF the needs Of all
Our purpose Is to smite down wrong.
But toward those who have done tn
wrong we feel only the kindliest Chart.
that is compatible with causing IN
wrong TO cease. We preach hatred TO n
man. and the spirit in which we work
as far removed from vindictiveness a
from weakness. We are resolute 10 d
away with the evil, and we intend I
| proceed with such wise and caution
sanity as will cause the very minimum
of disturbance that is compatible wit
achieving our purpose.
TO BUTTREsS CHARACTER BY Law
DO not forget friends, that we are n,
proposing 20 substitute law for charai
ter. We are merely proposing to buttres
character by law. We fully recogni7
that, as has been true in the past. so
is true now. and ever will be true. I'll
prime factor in each man or woman
success must normally be that man {
woman's own character-ch character, th
sum of many qualities. but above all {
the qualities OF honesty, of courage an
of common sense.
Nothing will avail nation il Shei
is not the right type OF character anon
the average men and women, the plai
people. the hard-workiug, decent-livin
,4tr. L.. L.,
| great bulk of our citizenship. | kno
my countrymen; , know that they al
of this type. But IT is in civil life as IL
in war In war it is the man behind tl
gun that counts most, and yet he cann'
do his work unless he has the right kin
OF gun.
In civil life, in the everyday life of o,
nation. it is individual character whis
counts most: and yet the individu
character cannot avail unless in addtiC
thereto there lie ready TO hand the soci
weapons which can be forged only by Ia
and by public opinion operating throul
and operated upon by law.
PROPOSING NO NEW PRINCIPLES.
| Again, friends, do not forget that v
are proposing no new principles. The do
trines we preach reach back 10 the Go
den Rule and the Sermon on the Noun
They reaeh back TO the Commandment
delivered at Sinai. All that we are d
ing is to apply those doctrines in q
shape necessary TO make them availah
for meeting the living issues of our ON
day We decline TO be bound by Il
empty little cut-and-dried formulas
bygone philosophies-u once, pc
haps, but useless now.