Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-17

but l think too little emphasis has been
placed upon the importance OF total alb
stinence. Whether a Christian can drink
in moderation without harm TO himself
is purely a physical question, and some
Christians have overestimated their abil-
fty to contine their drinking within safe
limits; but there Is moral question:
which is much larger. namely. can a
Christian afford 10 indulge the appetite
for drink il his example leads weaker
men to ruin?
Then. too we have not sufficiently CON-.
eidered mans social needs Man must
have communion with his friends. ana
we have left the saloon TO furnish about
the only meeting place In the cities ana .
towns Rooms should be opened where
men can meet with wholesome surround +
ings and free from the temptations that
are ever present where men meet IN
room provided by one who has pecunS:
larry interest in cutivating an Appetite
for drink.
Not only does the soul question spnesene 1
itself to individuals but It presents itself
to groups OF individuals as well. )
Let us consider the party. political
party cannot be better than its ideal-in
fact. 1t is good in proportion as its ideal
is worthy and its place in history Is de-
termined by its adherence to high pur- :
pose. The party is made for its mem- )
a party il useful. therefore. only as II -
a means through which one may protect
his rights. guard his interests ana pro-
mote the public welfare The pest serv-
ice that a man can render his party Is 20
raise its ideals. He basely betrays MS
party's hopes and is recreant to his duty
to his party associates who seeks TO
barter away a noble party purpose Tor
temporary advantages or for the spoils OF
Office 1t would be a reflection upon the
intelligence and patriotism OF the people
to assert or even to assume. that iastins
benefit could be secured for a party by
the lowering of its standards. He serves
his party most Loyalty who serves his
country most faithfully: II is fatal error
to suppose that a party can be perma-
nently benefited by a betrayal OF the ma
ton's interests.
In every act of party life and party
strife we weigh the soul That the peo-
pie have a right to have what they want
is fundamental principle in free gov
eminent Corruption In government
comes from the attempt to substitute the
will of minority for the will Of the ma
iority Every measure which comes M
for consideration involves justice and In
justice-right and wrong-and rs. there
fore. a question Of conscience. AS Justice
is the basis of a nations strength and
gives ii hope of perpetuity. and as the
seeds of decay are sown whenever in
Justice enters into government. pafriotism
as we'll as conscience leads us to analy1e
every public question. ascertain the
our influence, whether 1t be great o.
small, on the side Of justice.
The activities OF politics center about
the election OF candidates to office. and
the Official. under our system, represents
both the party to which he belongs and
the whole body Of his constituency. He
has two temptations to withstand first.
the temptation to substitute his own
judgment for the judgment of hts
constituents, and second, the tempta-'
ton to put his pecuniary inter-
ests above the interests of those for
whom he acts According to the ar1s-
tocratic idea, the representative thinks
for his constituents; according to the,
democratic idea, the representative thinks
with his constituents A representative
has no right to defeat the wishes OF those
who elect him, If he knows their wishes.
But q representative is not liable TO
knowingly misrepresent his constituents
unless he has pecuniary interests adverse
to theirs. This is the temptation to be
resisted-this is the sin to be avoided.
The official who uses his position TO
secure a pecuniary advantage at the ex-'
pense of those for whom he acts Is an
embezzler of power-and an embezzler OF
power is az guilty OF moral turpitude az
the embezzler Of money. There is no
better motto for the public official than
that given by Solomon: "A good name 10
rather to be chosen than great riches,
and loving favor rather than silver and
gold And there is no better rule for
the public official to follow than this-to
do nothing that he would not be willing
to have printed In the newspapers next
day
Permit me- in conclusion. to say that
the nation, as well the individual and
the party, must be measured by it's pur-
pose. its ideals and its service. Let
him who would be chiefest among YOU
be the servant of ALL was intended for
nations as well as for citizens Our ma
ton is the greatest in the world and the
greatest of all time, because IL is render
ing a larger service than any other nation
is rendering or has rendered 1t is giving
the world ideals in education in social
life. i'm government and in religion. II
is the teacher of nations. 1t is the worlds
torch bearer. Here the people are more
hold fast that which is good; ito know
the truth and to find freedom in tfat
knowledge No material considerations
should blind us to our nations mission.
or turn us aside from the accomplishment
of the great work which has been reserved
for US Our fields bring forth abundantly
and the products Of our rarms 81, ,u, ,,,i,,s
and looms supply an increasing export.
but these are not our greatest asset our
most fertile soil Is to be found IN ths
minds and the hearts of our people ana
our most important manufacturing plants
are not our factories. with their smoking
chtnnncyS. but SCHOOLS, our
and our churches which take I'm price,
less raw material and turn ont the mosI
valua BILE finished product that the wors0
has known
We enjoy by inheritance. or by chotces
tho blessings of American citizenships
lot ne not be unmndful of the obligations
which these blessings impose. Let US noe
hecome so occupied in the struggle TOT
u,ea,th or in the contest for honors as 70
repudiate the debt that we owe In those
who have gone before US and To th"se
who bear with us the responsibilities thtS
rest upon the present generation
Society has claims upon us; our
our Thought and our purpose We can
not shirk these duties without disgrace
TO ourselves and injury to those VINO
come after u.s. If one Is tempted to
complain of the burdens borne ny
American citizens let him compare
them with the much larger burdens
imposed by despots upon their subjects
I challenge the doctrine. now being
taught that we must enter into mao
rivalry with the old world In the build
ing of battleships-the doctrine that
the only way to preserve peace is TO
get ready for wars that ought never
to come! It Ia a barbarous, brutal:
unchristian doctrine-the doctrine OF
the darkness not the doctrine or the
dawn.
The enlightened conscience or our
no<;nc rhn,,ld prOclaim as the cOun-