American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-07-06
PREPAREDNESS
Rev. ]. Wesley Miller's Address on
Preparedness ut the Methodist
Church Sunday Night Exceptionally
Coed.

last SUNDAY evening, very small
crowd turned out to hear Rev. Miller's
address on Preparedness" but those
who did venture forth we're well re-
paid for Mr.. Miller made an excellent
and very forceful address and one
which has received mary compliment
tary remarks since. For the benefit
of those who did not get to hear 1t,
Rev. Miller has kindly given us the
address in part as follows:
He prefaced his address with the
preamble of the Constitution Of the
United States: I'VE, the people Of the
United States, In order to form a more
perfect union. to establish justice. in
sure domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defense, promote the gen.
eral welfare and secure the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our poster
ity, do ordain and establish this con-
stitution for the United States of
America" After which he said in part:
The domestic tranquility, general
welfare and the liberty of citizens OF
these United States has been and is
now being interferred with. And 1t Is
the mind Of many people that we are
not prepared for the common defense
of the same. l am or the same opin-
ion, and though / will not look for
trouble away from home, nevertheless,
If the trouble comes to me I will do
my best to eliminate 1t, and believe
it is our duty as q nation to prohibit
Mexico from interfering with the
peaceful rights of our citizens, and
to demand that those who have been
guilty Of interfering with the same
shall be punished. for their atrocities !;
and that we shall see that our de-
mands are respected.
II we are to be prepared for an ade-
quate defense of our people we must
first have loyal citizenship; and q
we are to have a loyal citizenship we
must train our people and children 10
respect our flag; not because Of its
intrinsic value, as SO many square feet
of cotton, wool or silk, but because
of the principles for which 1t stands
as an emblem. We have in this coun-
try people who do not hold our ban
ner in the respect which they should:
1t has come to my notice that they
hold that the red flag and the black
/ flag have real value, as against the
worthlessness of the flag that we, the
citizens Of America, hold most sacred
And in one instance in a school In this
state l am told that the teacher held
stripes and said, Children. this is but
rag, with no value" and then told
them that the red flag was valuable
because it stood for the principles OF
equality and justice.
II we are to be prepared for the de-
fense of our citizens we must not al
low this spirit of disloyalty a place
within the borders Of our land.
Second: We must teach our people
the sacredness of law, for / am per.
suaded in my own mind that we have
large number who only obey the Law
because they fear the consequences
that will follow the disobeying OF thu
same, and we have some-altogethei
too many-who openly violate oul
laws, saying that they will not be gov
erned by them. l refer now more par
ticularly to our prohibition laws. w,
must also discourage the idea tina
this nation Is a dumping ground To-
the constitution OF these United State
grants everybody the right to WORSHIP
God according to the dictates OF hi
own conscience, but l also recognize
the ideals of Jesus Christ and when
ever persons would trample under foo
those sacred principres they are to-
dangerous to longer be allowed tn
liberty Of liberty-loving people, an
should be incarcerated behind on
prison walls. or deported to the place
from which they came. We have 4
this country a large class OF peopl
who refuse TO become citizens, VIII
simply remain here because 1t Is eas
fer for them to earn their daily breat
and provide for themselves and fam
ly livelihood II we could know tn
amount OF money that these peopl
are sending from this country
lands from which they came and
5 where they expect to return after
: while, we would at once become col
: vinced that we are allowing a danger
! ous practice; we must insist that pei
I sons who come here to enjoy the bent
d fits which this country affords sha
e become citizens OF the same and
d we deny them the right OF suffrae
a then we should deny them the rigl
IA to live among us. We must also loo
n well to the kind Of government "
have and purge our government fro
e graft. It makes me blush with shan
, when ! read in the daily press Il
: revelations Of graft In our own sta
n government, as well as other states
'e the union. II We shall purge our go
4, erumeut from, graft We ynuaf ceasa