The Alaska citizen., 1915-11-22
Phone 262 Phone
OUR INVOCATION THIS DAY.

Look We'll 10 This Dayt
 For ft is Life. The Very Life of LHei "In fts brief course lie GH the
 "VeritieS and Realities of our Erisf-
 enCe.
 The Bliss of Growth, the Glory of
 Action
 The Spiendor of Beauty.
 "For YeSferd0y is bur Dream,
 And TOmOrrOtp is Onlp Vision. "Buf Todag ,peH Hued makes
 "Eveyy Yesterddy Dream of Happi-
 ness.
 And Eoery Tomoryop Vision of
 Hope
 Look We'll therefore 10 his Dap."
 IL would 5t perfectly glorious If We could have this Day. in these United States of America-a system Of government so pure and just in every conception as to surpass all other governments of the world in benignant yet firm authority and generous plenitude of utility.
 It would be IDEAL, indeed, il every citizen could be educated to make honor and purity of pur pose the basis of character If We could be taught to love and revere the institutions, the spirit and dis cipline of our government. not only because our country is parent of us all but because the greatest purity of purpose, the most keen and subtle wisdom is required to frame such statutes, and erect such a fabric of Justice and Equity as will result in the everlasting estab lishment of so vast an Empire
 Today our invocation is: Look We'll to this Day." We are joyous and optimistic today Why? First because We are the most free and favored, among all the great Broth erhood of Nations that encircle th; Globe, and also because every fea- ture of our political and civic life
 
 AS striking evidence of this our noted politicians and others in high places are acquiring the moral courage, and learning the wisdon to speak the truth to the plain peo- pie.
 That must have been a most in- spring scene before the convention of distinguished Publicists that re gently met in New York to rewrte the Constitution of the State. And that was indeed a great speech by the Hon Elihu Root when a mem Der of the convention offered th- resolution in favor of SO radical a change as the concentration of State Government in the hands of respon- sible authority. MT. Root is regard ed by a majority of his fellow citi- zens as a great man. He is today one of the very ablest leaders in the Republican party, and is, one may say. a master Of his profe sSon He Is profoundly versed in National and International Law, and will more than likely be the standard bearer of his party in the contest We hold quadrennially for the cleo tion of the executive head of ou Nation-which contest will next oc- cur in 1916.
 But notwithstanding this honor able gentleman's rare degree of pro- fundity, despite the fact that many of us regard him as most capa- ble and well qualified to serve his country in issues of large moment yet there be those, and in great number too, who, while admiring his talents and versatility believe that all his fine endowments have in the past been devoted exclusive ly to the complete establishment Of the power of predatory trusts and large financial interests of the grievous and damaging to any man, however stalwart may be his men, tai attainments, and we can only hope the opinion is erroneous and the thought undeserved. We can well afford to brush this particular charge to one side and wait for more evidence. But now we can, and do say. that MT Root never, ir all his brilliant career, made a more splendid effort, or one O: more vital interest to the plain peo- pie of his country than when h. arraigned the Bosses and Boss rule before the Constitutional Cor vention in Albany, New York, Au, 3Oth, 1915. The inspiration of his very plain yet able address was the resolution to reduce very material ly the number of elective officers of the State. and limit specifically the existing departments (said to be 152) to seventeen compact groups, each one headed by responsible official, with the Governor at the center of power. And the follow ing are a few of the coura geous things he said:
 The government of our cit
 ies-why, gentlemen, twenty