Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-21
Senator F1etcher's Address.

"Polonaise Militaire.'' Chopin
Senator F1etcher's Address.
Director Donnelly presented the ora
tor of the day. Senator Duncan, in the
midst Of the musical program Sena-
tor Duncan said, in part:
with power goes responsibility. AS
the government is the peoples it is
their business to care for 1t. 1t is in
cumbent on every citizen to take a
reasonable interest in public affairs.
1t will be sorry day for the republic
when the citizen loses interest in the
government under which he lives. In
der monarchy the ruler controls and
the people habitually say. This is not
my business; it's a matter for the ad-
ministration.' But under a free gov
eminent the officers are agents of the
people and they administer the gov
eminent for the people whom they rep
resent. government. republican IN
form, is your affair. and the admins
tration is yours through your agents
whom you have selected.
Under an emperor or king public opin-
ion is passive 1t does not rally support,
but acquiesces in the authority which
exists. The people simply intuitively obey
q power which they do not realize stands
by their own permission. For instance.
does 1t not seem absurd to those who
u
eminent, that millions of people will per-
NIT one man to help himself to land,
property Of all kind. and dictate to them
and command obedience to his DEGREES?
Does 1t mot seem to an American
strange situation where millions of
strong, intelligent men will tolerate the
claims of one man that he. has been COM
missioned by God to rule over them and
he recognizes no other control or au-
thority?
nd ff eroys ont In
people think and act and express their
opinions with perfect freedom. and they
feel their supremacy. They learn to treat
their officials as their agents. and the Off
has made them and can unmake them.
The people do not leave themselves in the
hands Of a monarch to do as he likes.
They choose representatives who are
given specific orders and are subject to
removal on short notice, and who are not
wise men to govern as they may see mt
This popular will, this voice, of the
people. finds clear and emphatic express
sion at the elections. There is no APP
peal from the decision thus registered
Everybody must obey it. Here stability.
wisdom and effective force are attained.
and constitute some of the excellencies
Of such a government as ours. Such
thing as a king. Or ruler or president
taking to a ship to get out Of the coun-
try in order to save his life. as hap
pened in Portugal. would be impossible
under our government.
Social and Civil Standpoint.
From the social and civic standpoint
the best citizen is the most useful, the
most serviceable citizen. The flag which
protects us and the government under
which we live call for our faithful al
legiance and constant concern.
THE revered Washington. and the
mighty men associated with him set a
new standard of civilized government.
The work is advancing along the lines
marked out by them. Portugal. Persia,
Turkey and Japan have desired to enter
the family of constitutional states: The
English house of lords has lately confess
ed that the hereditary right to legislate
is gone. Home rule for Ireland truly
does not seem far off. At least China.
with five thousand years behind her,
many Of them wasted, now makes the
announcement, Therefore, the dowager
empress and the emperor hereby vest
the sovereignty of the ChiInese empire in
the people.
THAT the United States has demon
strated the new scheme of government,
for which Washington and the patriots
of the revolution stood. may be a pro-
nounced success. will scarcely be ques-
toned For this credit is due to the
wisdom of the people in choosing their
representatives and to their virtue. in
telligence and patriotism, without which
the experiment would have failed.
eve may reasonably indulge in some
show Of pride when we contemplate with
bounding enthusiasm the marvellous ma
tiona4 progress and development the coun-
try has experienced. Contributing night
ly to these results have been the just and
equitable lays passed in pursuance of
the Con stitutions respecting property and
individ uaAs rights and guarantees of free
thought. free speech and free conscience"
He referred to the growth of the coun-
try the more multiform and extensive
functions of government and the
weightier care and responsibility of the
citizen to see TO it that the limits and
safeguards of the Constitution shall be
observed and that the government shall
be honestly and economically admins
tered.
declaration Against War