Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-29
'AMER|CANISN IS THEME Of
THANKSGIVING DAY SPEAKER

Oregon, stretched out 10 embrace
California with its 1900 miles of sea
coast (Which should have included the
Lower California peninsula, and may
soon include il If Mexico does not be-
have better) and then with rich Span
ish sections completed our southern
possessions. Even continent could
not contain its fullness, An overflow
came to the islands of the Atlantic
and the islands Of the Pacific This
vast expanse Of territory was neces-
sary for the growth Of Americanism
Jefferson could find nothing in tho
constitution except implied powers"
to justify the all-important Louisiana
purchase, and Mckinley had the same
experience in taking the Philippines
under our flag: but both were done
wisely and well to give larger scope
for the growth Of our national spirit
Expansion or death-was the alterna.
tive. We must grow in our institu,
lions or wither and die. 1t is heresy
then to measure the present move
ments by the standards of one hun
dred years ago. The fathers were
not tied to the past but merely took
counsel of it. We would be untrue to
the fathers if we stood still merely to
honor their memory. New problem,
complex and numerous, have arisen,
and our government must expand to
meet them and solve them or Amer,
icanism will shrivel and expire.
The expansion now going on may
look like paternalism or socialism but
it cannot be retarded. Human rights
rather than mere property rights are
now first in Importance. All parties
have taken the slogan Social and In.
dustrial Justice" Since our last
Thanksgiving one state has started
State Life Insurance, several have
provided incomes for widows or inn
proved their statutes touching the
liability of employees, or passed law
prohibiting child labor fixing the
hours of labor for women, or gone as
far as establishing a minimum wage.
The heavens are all aglow with a
galaxy of new and inspiring ideas.
We have not gone so far as Germany
or England, but We are fairly started.
The constitution was declared by the
eloquent Webster to be merely can
instrument of government" The per.
tinent. inquiry today is who holds
found in the first seven words of the
constitution 1--WE, the people of the
United States" The people made the
constitution. own the government both
federal and state, and we nave the
power of controlling and OF modifying
government by due and orderly pro-
cesses. The appeal must be made to
the people and they must themselves
finally determine what they need and
desire in every department of govern
ment. At first they quickly passed
ten amendments; then we passed 9TH
ers more slowly and cautiously Re-
Gently success in securing two amend.
ments, has given imptlse to the de.
mand for even easier methods of re.
vision. The American people do not
intend to let the reinsAof government
slip again carelessly from their hands
as for many decades past but to i'm.
prove legislation by expansion of gov
ernmental powers to meet present de.
mands. The growth Of the Monroe
Doctrine illustrates what we may ex
pect. =
Cohesion.-If expansion meant diff
I fusion and dissipation of our ener-
r.,
but it has standing side by side an
| other pillar that strongly supports it.
A mighty cohesive force has been evil
dent from the beginning. 1t is the
Anglo-Saxon element which is all
pervasive and all-controlling. Gath
ering from all nations the most d.
verse elements, We would have dis
order and defeat, were there not this
Cnifying element. Laws, institutions,
, language and customs are Anglicized,
bat Anglicized after the American
mold. The high-mettled, chivalrous,
serious, enterprising Anglo-Saxon
Spirit that leads Europe has been the
mlghtiest agency in conqueI:ng other
national types and in coalescing all
| into an Americanism which is dis
tlnctive. DR.. Butler suggests inter
state migration as a cohesive force.
Men and women of New England find
their children peopling the Middle
west and find their grandchildren on
the Pacific Coast or the great South
west. This movement of our own PEG.
pie from one section to another
! breaks down all barriers and creates
unity. The churches with member
! ship scattered over the whole nation,
and the great political parties after
! the same manner as the churches,
bring about national unity within
their own ranks. The great public
school system with nearly 100000
teachers and nearly 100000 stu
dents, is the mightiest of all unifying
| forces. Aided by our great UNIVERSE
ties and private schools, the public
schools are bringing all races within
our borders into one. All teaching
should be done through our own Ian
guage, and still closer unity will thus
be promoted, and a truer American
ism fostered
Optimism. If you should ask me
What's the matter with America"
would give but one answer in New
York, Chicago, San Francisco or Ho-
nolulu, and in these words: America
has bad attack of the blues" Pes