Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1916-07-14

The constitution of our country is
animated throughout with the quicken
ing spirit of equal rights
This eternal principle of equal rights
this soul of the American constitution
is made manifest by giving to 81 the
equal protection of the law; by giving
to every citizen vote and voice in the
affairs of government, and eligibility to
hold office; by prohibiting the granting
of titles to nobility no dukes, earls,
counts, lords nor barons in the land of
equal rights; by abolishing the old law
of primogeniture, which gave to the
eldest son the exclusive right Of inherit
ance. In this country, under the law,
the children inherit alike, are treated
the same-all on equality; private prop
srty cannot be taken for public use
without just compensation, dollar for
dollar; all children, rich and poor, white
and black, all alike, have the same
equal rights and privileges to education
and training in the common schools.
In free government the great priE-
ciple of equality is ever present and
manifest. Its benign influence pro-
duces and brings forth laws which are
righteous, beneficent, humane. Among
such laws may be mentioned the law
that provides that no man shall be
deprived of life, liberty or property
without due process of law "a process
that secures to every man the pro-
lection of those fundamental principles
of truth and justice which lie at the
basis of private rights); the law that
gives to every man charged with crime
the right of trial by jury of his
peers-a most indispensable right to a
free man; the law that secures to the
accused speedy and public trial-no
star chamber proceedings are allowed
in free country; the law that provides
that every man accused shall be fully
informed of the nature and cause of
the accusation, shall be confronted with
the witnesses against him, shall have
compulsory process for his own wit
nesses to appear and testify in his
behalf, and shall have the assistance of
counsel; the law that prescribes that no
excessive bail shall be required, no
excessive fines imposed, no cruel and
unusual punishments inflicted; the law
that pr, vides that no man shall be
twice put in jeopardy for the same
offense; the law that provides that the
people are to be secure in their persons,
houses, papers and effects against
unreasonable searches and seizures, and
that no warrant shall issue but on prob
able cause, supported by oath and
giving particulars; the law providing
for freedom of religion, freedom of
speech, freedom of the press, the right
of the people peaceably to assemble
and to petition for redress of grievances;
the law that provides against the cor
ruption of blood or forfeiture-th
guilty only shall be punished, and not
the innocent Of his blood; the law that
provides for the right to writ of habeas
corpus, the great writ of personal
liberty; the law that provides for the
care and humane treatment of the help
less and unfortunate by the state; the
law that protects. the public health; the
law that provides for the education of
the young, and the law that protects
with liberal exemptions the homes and
families of the common people.
Such are the laws and ideals of gov.
eminent which have made our nation
grow and become great; with marvel
GUS rapidity her people have greatly
her material wealth enor-
mously increased, her territory vastly
and her influence among the
powers of the earth immensely enlarged.
To-day,she is the greatest, the grandest,
the best nation on earth. Not in the
number and strength of her armored
cruisers and battleships, not in the
vastness of her military stores and for
tifcations, not in the extent of her
landed domains, nor in the magnitude
of her trade and commerce, but in the
virtue and intelligence, the welfare and
happiness of her people, lies the true
greatness of the American nation.
After our government had been organ
lied and put in operation, it became
necessary to have Flag-an emblem
to represent the new nation. A nation
al flag stands for the principles and
policies of the government it repre-
sents; and if those principles or policies
are ever changed, the meaning of the
flag is thereby also changed.
Each color in the flag has language ::
the red speaks for valor, patriotism
and zeal for the right; the white for
,,,r;tv noace and good will: and the