Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-15

So
Of Seuator-elect James Hamilton .
Lewis as the guest of honor at the .
dinner al the Iroquois club, LaSalle
hotel. Chicago, last Saturday night.
After referring 70 the obligations he
was under 20 the club and his indebted }
ness for many friendships extended
him by RS prominent men and leaders
particularly mentioning Governor
Dunno. Mayor Harrison and others
he proceeded 10 the subject of his
toast. The Duty o. the Hour"
Since mankind began the struggle
for the supremacy Of man, the prob
lens OF government among men have
been about me same, varying only in
the detail Cicero in his de Republica
reprOduces an extract OF letter from
his friend AtticUs. In this he asserts
thar 'commonwealths, like all organic
Cd creations, live or die by the same
.aNs thar apply 70 the flower by the
ledge or the mountain leaning against
-he sky Each and all survive through
care or perish by neglect In the re-
public uf Judea. as in the republic Of
for the just distribution Of powers
among the citizens-and the fair dis
triDution OF possessions among those
who create and those who obtain
en- America, founded settled and
sustained by hereditary children of
these ancient forbears Of the Roman
and the Saxon, the questions have re-
NAMED The same for the spirit Of man
transmitted has been the same. The
needs, the longings. and the hopes
and aspirations are transmitted ones
through a chain Of centuries, and are
the same Thus is the law Of the
holy prophet fulfilled. proclaiming that
there is nothing new under the sun.
The contest Of the plebians OF
Rome. led by the tribunes, Caius and
Tiberius Gracious, against the patri-
clans, led by the consuls and Roman
generals--each fighting from their
point Of contention for a share in the
government and a participation in the
earnings Of those who toll. the contest
Of the plebians or the people against
the masters and the rulers for their
share and interest in governm ent-
produced the conflict then which is
now duplicated in kind by the efforts
Of the masses OF mankind in America.
voiced by Lincoln. later by Bryan,
Roosevelt and Wilson Il is again the
contest against the oligarchy OF wealth
and the corrupt use by consolidated
power in the control Of judges. the
bribery Of legislatures. and the cheat
ing Of the people out Of their own, as
declared by them az the ballot box +.
and all Of this by the ancient trick of
intimidation Of the weak. the purchase
Of the corrupt
The struggle remains the same, for
the reason that the prizes remain the
same ana the opportunities 10 obtain
hem, as 10 centuries before remain
the some
The one great error OF all the times
frs the error OF our time. and that is
the Indulgence Of the belief on tha
part ~ our citizenship that govern
mcnt is divided into two Ciasses-one
the prosperous and wholly corrupt
tho other the oppressed and only pa
'r.Ct.D. The leaders OF each conflict
waEou before the peoples. oeaselessly
cd ,1re This unjust issue into the
hearts Of the multitude. Let us bt
both frank and just and declare thai
our society Is not divided into two
parts, each arrayed against the other
10 is nor true that one Is cap'aiued by
rich rorues and manned by The trait
ors 70 liberty and enemies Of justice
Nor Is there the other. as is charged z
be that the poor and the toilers ar
an army % incendiaries manned b,
demgEoEuos inspired by lavlessness
and directing malicious violenc,
against the prosperous America ha
her patriots in every class and divi
sion Of life. and she has her criminal
I'm the highest order OF the privileRet
class as surely as she has the craze
offender IN the lower grades Of life
arrangement The educated and ricI
criminal is the criminal OF deliberat
parpetrat on and is the arch enemy o
liberty. the destroyer ~ fee govern
m,Dt The offender among the poo
and ureducs.ed Is the product OF hi
surroundings and the voluntary victir
Of his ignorance OF his misguidance
Both iniure themselves Each Nrec
with disorder the house that the
dream 81 maintaining in peace We
these offenders are the exception
among our citizenship. not the rule
The rule ia America among all GU