The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-06-04
SCHMIDT SCORES
WITH GRAFTON
RenvilIe County Boy Gets
Honors In Contest At
Naperville
TRUE GOVERNMENT, HIS THEME
Predicts Political Reformation
Before Americans Enjoy
Full Liberty
TRUE GOVERNMENT, HIS THEME

Alfred O.. Schmidt, of Renville
county recently won second place in
a prize oratorical contest at Naper-
vile. H., where he is attending
school. The Grafton which Mr..
Schmidt gave has been very highly
praised. He said:
Reign of Despotism
when people bow to the rule Of
tyrant we have a reign Of despot-
ism. Louis 18th of France proudly
boasted, II am the state" His sue
cessor Louis 18th announcing to the
whole civilized world, In my per-
son resides the sovereign authority"
pitched despotism to it's zenith.
Here the man ruling was the sover-
ign and the people ruled the servants.
But sailing the Atlantic to Freedoms
reckoning shores we formed new
nation. And when the people in
general assembly said: eve do this
day ordain and establish a constitu-
ton. then the man ruling became
the servant and the people ruled the
sovereign. This relation of the peo-
pie ruling to the people ruled has
been supreme question in the his
tory of every nation.
The people ruled create the office;
outline the duties of the office; fix
the term of Office; therefore, this
office is a public trust and the officer
public servant. This is democracy
founded upon the eternal principle
of justice to all men. This IS the
child of the last few centuries. born
in the prayers of Plymouth; Graded
in hardship and struggle; nurtured
by labor and toll; upheld by its peer
less defenders in halls of debate and
fields of battle; this child is the
promise of the past, the boon of the
present. the prophet of the future.
Full Sacredness of Their Trust
First of all the people ruling
should keenly feel the sacredness of
their trust. They should feel the
responsibility like the hand of God
resting upon them. They should feel
that in his public trust even the pro-
gress Of Americas civilization is
realized. Then let US look for a
moment to a place where men truly
devoted themselves to the sanctity
of their trust.
After the Revolutionary War of
1776. the colonies keenly felt an ur-
gent demand for an immediate gov
eminent. They began to feel that
by some common union, frightened
by public opinion, they must be held
together, They began to realize
that In Union there is strength. -
The Articles of Confederation were
drafted. These Articles met the de-
mands for a time but soon proved
inadequate to meet the changeable
needs Of the people, Then to form
a more satisfactory government,
they again met in Philadelphia in
1877. At the head of this strange
assembly stood George Washington,
the father Of his country, first in
war, first in peace and first in the
hearts of his countrymen; general
whose established influence and ripe
judgment could repair the faults
then supposed to be characteristic
of democracy. There was old snowy
headed Franklin, past eighty years
of age, renowned throughout the
whole wide world as great Utilitat-
ian Philosopher, the experimental
scientist, the useful statesman.
There arose that emotional Hamil-
ton. feeling so strongly the need of
maintaining good executive, that
ne suggested that the head of the
state ought to be elected for life.
There sat those democratic minded
men Madison and Edmund Randolph.
Here was James Wiley. with his
exact knowledge on all points of
common and civil law. There too,
in quiet repose sat Pinchney with his