The Washington herald., 1914-06-29

i Just beginning TO form, which made oui
4 Independence possible. There were a few
men who saw clearly. The enactment
tof obnoxious laws had set many people
thinking with the eagerness and un.
easiness OF those who seek by some
means to defend their liberties" James
Otis. with his impressive eloquence had
said that he spoke in the name Of aoo(
I. freemen who counted upon being
heard" but In truth there was no soil
darity Of opinion. no united front tc
present an irresistible resistance. The
colonies were scattered. Courage was
not always equal to putting patriotism
above immediate material well-being.
There were ''darkeneB OF counsel and
the need OF the day was for something
that would unity public sentiment The
from Samuel Adams. when he suggested
that in every commonwealth. in every
colony. there be organized committees
of correspondence. IF our design for
these committees succeeds" he said.
there will be an apparent union Of SEN
timents among the people of this prov
ince which may spread throughout the
continent The idea OF the organization
of these committees was POPULAR the
members were indefatigable in their
work. The result was the forming Of a
pODhS OplIllOn upOH WHICH was
built the Independence Of America.
United We stand.
Is there not here an idea that we could
adopt today. and is there not in this
gathering the illustration of how TO do f.!
Let our committees Of correspondence oe
the chambers OF commerce OF the Unile1
States. Let US unite them In the work OF
creating an informed and sound public
opinion. Let the work OF doing that be
parceled out with the genius that you
who know the value Of organization, OF
cooperation OF the subdivision OF labor.
In the management Of your own affairs,
have proved you possess. See that the
wisest and ablest men of your commu-
nifty are glazed in the executive positions
Of your organizations. Make o. your
selves such earnest and able lieutenznts
that the detail of organization may be
complete and effective. Understand fully
that this means self-sacrifcing service;
that It means an expenditure OF time, and
that 1t means constant, cooperative
effort
Through your organizations, see to It
that every misstatement OF fact, whether
made in Congress. in the press, or in any
public utterance. II challenged. Let men
understand that loose statement, that
on. Have every page OF the Congressional
Record read and every time a misstate-
ment is printed there challenge the man
who made It: challenge him so publicly
that an answer will overtake a lie. II a
man is a demagogue, If he clothes nalf-
truths in language that appeals TO preju-
dice. 90 into his district and answer and
expose him. II R-Hewspaper Is ill-in-
formed. see to II first that II has every
facility for correct Information. and then
II II is stin unfair. publish its unfair
ness in a way which will make unfair
ness Improbable, and you will have no
more of IL
1 do not need to elaborate this idea
You are all too familiar with what or
ganiZation can do to need more than q
suggestion. But know that some of you
will answer that your lives have not been
lived in the forum: that you cannot
write; that you have not the power OF
speech so developed that you could with
success publicly defend your views. In
that believe you are wrong. You DO
not know your latent powers. You can
do 1t. You must do II. You need no
tricks Of rhetoric. no magic Of eloquence.
Just a plain. clear understanding of facts
and principles, and a frank exposition OF
them.
You may think that the contribution