Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-04-22
0. ]. HENDERSON
OCCUPIES PULPIT
Delivers a Fine Address at COngrega.
tional Church, Attentive
Audience.

CONGREGATIONAL church last night and
was listened to by an attentive and
appreciative audience. Mr.. Henderson
enjoys the distinction of being one OF
the best public speakers in Hamilton
county and fully sustained his rep
utation in this effort. 1t was feast
for patriotism and real Americanism
and was greatly enjoyed by the
audience, as was abundantly attested
by the liberal applause. The Freeman
Journal cannot in it's brief space do
justice to this address but there are
a few points we wish to refer to.
The speaker expressed the belief
that great good would come to Am
erica out of this war in spite OF the
sacrifice in blood and treasure. For
years we had thought of America as
a land of great commercial possible
ties and place where democracy was
having a trial We were losing sight
OF many fine ideals and were allowing
. conditions to grow up that must
cause trouble to future generations.
This war has brought the people to a
realization that Americanism is
state of mind. 1t is not lands and
buildings and chattels, but ideals. In
f<> nj a.
ton is to be given to citizenship.
When the boys come home from
France they will be imbued with
strong democratic principles and the
division of wealth will be adjusted
and class distinctions wiped out
These boys know what patriotism is,
when equal justice is meted out, what
democracy means and they. will see
TO it that right prevails.
For many years the good people in
this country have been fighting
against the evil of the liquor traffic.
Progress was being made slowly and
the friends of temperance were not
discouraged. But during the first
year of our participation in the great
war all but the final blow has been
struck against this evil and in a
few short years it will be a thing of
the past. Congress last fall passed
the resolution for constitutional pro-
hibition and already eleven states
ratified it by such overwhelming
majorities that there can scarcely be
doubt that it will receive the en-
dorsement of the required number of
legislatures. This is a great victory
and with the saloons wiped out the
people will be better fitted to ex-
ercise intelligently the duties devolv-
ing upon a democracy.
Mr.. Henderson also expressed plea
sure at the advances being made in
the direction of universal suffrage in
this country. This war has demon
strated anew the patriotism of the
women of the land and their readi-
ness to do their part. They are per-
forming their duties we'll and are
doing work that men cannot do.
Thousands af them are in France as
sisting in tie hospitals and other
thousands are giving material aid
to the government in various fields
of endeavor. Nobody can give fair
reason why they should not have the
ballot. They have been denied that
privilege, simply because of pre-
JUDGE. But the nation is coming to
see the light and it will not be long
until the women, who have done so
much for the country and who are
capable of exercising the duties of
franchise, will be given full voice and
power in governmental affairs.
Out of this war is going to come
greater and better democracy and
keener realization of the privileges
and duties of citizenship. IF could
have my way about it," said the
speaker, mo foreign language would
be taught in our public schools and
no school of any kind would be per-
mitted where the English language
was not taught to children" This
expression was met with liberal ap-
plause, emphasizing the fact that the
people are thinking along new lines
of nationalism. Twelve months ago
such an expression as that would not
have been cordially received.
Mr.. Henderson has been unalter-
ably opposed to the theory OF univer
sal military training, but now de-
clares that after seeing its physical
benefits to the soldier boys and real
IL .g it's democratic influence he