The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-24

them and they Will carry out tho
principles for which they stand; they
will not under any circumstances be-
tray the trust committed to their
keeping.
This 10 tho IDEAL that tho Demo-
cratic party ought to have and 1t IL
an ideal high enough for every party.
There IL this difference between the
ideal and other things OF value,
namely, that an ideal cannot be pat
ented or copyrighted. We often see
things that we cannot hope to pos
sess. but. there fs no ideal. however
high, that cannot be ours II we de-
sire II. The highest ideal OF, human
life that this world has ever known
was that furnished by the life OF the
Man OF Galiiee. but It was an ideal
within the comprehension of the
fishermen of his day. and the Bible
says of Him that the common people
heard Him gladly. So with a high
party ideal. 1t can be comprehended
by all the members Of the party, and
1t can be adopted by every party. If
we can fight our political battles upon
this plane there Is no humiliation
about defeat. I have passed through
three presidential campaigns, and
many have rejoiced over my defeats,
but II events prove that my defeats
have been good for this country,
shall rejoice over them myself more
than any opponent has reJoiced. And
when l say this / am not unselfsh,
for II is better for me that my po-
litical opponents should bring good
to my country than that ] should by
any mistake of mine bring evil.
Not only must the party have an
ideal, but the nation must also have
It's ideal. and 1t Is the ideal Of this
nation that has made 1t known
throughout the world. You will find
people IN foreign lands who do not
know our population or the number
OF acres under our flag. You will find
people who do not know how many
cattle we raise or how much corn or
cotton we export, but you will not
find people anywhere who have not
some conception Of the nations ideal.
This ideal has been a light shining
out unto all the world and its rays
have illumined the shores of every
land. We have boosted Of this ideal
In tho past, and 1t must not be low
cred now.
A nation, like an individual. r.
strong in proportion as 1t possesses
virtue, and weak II It lacks It Char
acter Is the power of endurance in
the group as well as in the person.
The nations that have fallen have de-
cayed morally before they have failed
physically. II our nation Is to en-
dure, 1t must stand for eternal prin-
ciples and clothe itself In their
strength There are some who say
that we must now have the largest
navy in the world to terrorize other
nations, and make them respect us.
But II we make our navy the largest
in the world, other nations will In
crease their navies because we have
increased ours. and then we will
have to increase ours again. because
they will have Increased theirs. and
they will have to increase theirs again
because we have increased 'ours-and
there IL no limit to this rivalry, but
the limit OF the power of the peo-
pie to bear the burdens OF taxation.
There Ia a better, a safer and a less
expensive plan. Instead OF trying to
make our navy the largest In the
world. let us try to make our gov
eminent the best government on
earth Instead of trying to make our
flag float everywhere. let us make 1t
stand for Justice wherever 1t floats
for Justice between man and man. for
justice between nation and nation.
and for humanity always. And then
the people Of the world will learn
to know and revere that flag, because
It will be their protection as we'll as
ours. And then II any king raises his
hand against our ag the oppressed
people Of his own land will rise up
and say to him Hands Off That
flag stands for our rights as we'll as
the rights of the American people"
1t ia possible to make our flag rep
resent such an ideal. We shall not
fulfl our great mission. we shall not
live up to our high duty. unless we
present to the world tho highest
ideals In individual life, in domestic
life. in business life. in professional
life, in political life-and the high
est national ideal that the world has
ever known.