The Mankato free press., 1912-05-03
CRITIC OF THE RECALL
DEALS IN BODY BLOWS
Address Delivered BY Archbishop
John ireland, st, Paul.

Paul was the speaker on the oc.
casion of the General Grant memorial
exercises at Galena, ILL.,, Saturday.
He spoke on Some Problems of
Democracy" The Archbishop pre-
faced his treatment of the problems,
which he classed as "the economic
peril and the political peril" by
declaring, in permanency of Ameri-
can democracy, l have steadiest faith,
| because steadfast faith | have in
the patriotism and the good sense
of the people of America. But con-
| fidence in the abiding ability of
American democracy to pass safely
through every storm, must not beguile
us into somnolence and apathy
while the storm circles above it's
brow and the peril digs pitfalls be-
meath its feet. ..-.
Democracy Still in the Test.
Democracy is on trial in America.
Our land today is a spectacle to all
nations; the acclaim to America is
UNIVERSAL; America proves or disap-
of democracy"
Touching what he characterized as
the economic peril, Archbishop Ire
land said i'll part:
"The economic peril is well within
our doors; care is needed that it
does not penetrate further into the
interior of the household Whatever
leads to the disruption of social Or
ganism is forbidden; that also is for
hidden which ruins private property
rests the social structure, the very
core of life i'm human effort and hu.
man ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, whether in the
individual or i'm the collectively.
Eliminate private property. destroy
or minimize unduly it's rights, make
it insecure or profitless-you have
ruled that labor is not worth the
fatigue, that Incidence and improvi-
dence are privileges to be sought
for; you have stilled personal and
national progress, you have driven
back the human race to the chaos of
barbarism and Sayagery. -t ....
As to Equal Rights.
Cali men are born equal; democ-
racy is the government of the people,
for, the people. TherefOre-say some
there should be equally Of posses
sion; and the office of government is
to lend it's authority to the enforce
ment of this equality. Fatal miscon-
ceptions of the meaning of the
ence, of the meaning of American
democracy. #at
"All men are, indeed, born equal
equal in the meaning of the Declara-
tion of Independence-equal so far as
the laws of the land may reach, equal
in rights derived from government,
equal in such opportunities as gov.
ernment creates or is enabled to Gre
ate. But all men are not equal in
natures gifts, physical or moral, and
can create, no government is allowed
to pre-suppose.' -=
''In the battle for the possessions
of earth, the essential factors are
strength of limb, perspicacity of
mind, perseverance in toll, self-con-
troll in winning the prize, in holding
it when it is won. In all those en-
dowments, men by nature or willing
choice are utterly unequal; in those
endowments no law, no constitution
xyii1
The Field of Opportunity.
"And so, say what we will, men
will never share alike in the own
ership of the things of earth. De-
mocracy has this value over other
forms of government; it increases to
the individual the field of opportu-
nifty; with good reason, it may be
named opportunity, opportunity given
equally to all. ...,
"To attempt the use Of powers of
government, be that government
the freest of democracies, in order to
make the world of men other than
what nature has willed it, is the most
futile of tasks, doomed by nature to
failure, sure, if long pursued, to de-
stroy the government itself, and the
social organism in whose behalf it
was instituted.
Reward For Honest Toll.
"This may well be said to the hon
or of the people of America-it is no
wish of theirs that those who are
poorer shall be held to their poverty,
that honest toll shall be barred from
sufficient and adequate remuneration.
None in America will resent efforts
put forth in fair play toward the so
cial betterment OF any class in the
population, especially when that class
are those upon whom weighs most
heavily the burden of human life.
But what most usually are the
theories and the methods of social
ism? Here it is the absolute denial
of the right to private property;
property we are told it is theft
There it is such impediment to pri-
vate property, such control and limi-
tation that few or none will toll to
acquire it, few or none will be able
to retain it.
Theories of Socialism.
"These are the theories of social
ism; and the theories are preached
broadcast. 1t is the bitter hatred of
IL.