The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-31

have dared to defy these conquering
tyrants. Ruin is behind them, despair
is everywhere.
| But wait The blood of these martyrs
has enriched the soil where they fell.
In the twinkling Of an eye, almost in
a single night mighty peoples arise,
! armOured with the indomitable pur-
pose of God given rights, they hurl
back the invading hosts to everlast-
! ing destruction. The bones of these
soldiers of conquest have bleached on
many foreign strands and have gone
| to mix with their native element un-
honored and forgotten.
The names of the leaders are pre-
served to us in histOry's page as evil
dences of temporal grandeur which
oftimes faded from their sight ere
| their eyes were closed in the last
sleep. No memorial days exist to re-
call the memories Of these dead No
grateful people gather around the
tOmbs of these warriors to sing prais-
es for nations founded and preserved.
! In this great republic and in our
rights FOR frlnclpleS.
| day how different The American SOL
| dier from the beginning down to the
present time has fought for home,
country and father land. Fighting in
defense of equal rights and human
| liberty, he has advanced this nation
| to the position of the worlds greatest
power.
To the Prussian war lords, Won
Hindenburg and Kaiser Wilhelm,
commend the relentless verdict of his
tory. They who would conquer the
world in the name of German Kultur
must learn that the God of our faith
ers is not the God of the Kaiser and
his Prussians. Otherwise civilization
is a myth and christianity is an idle
dream.
We believe that the sermon on the
mount is a better guide for the des-
tinies of men and nations than the
policies of shreckleheit and frightful-
ness.
Our form of government is so good,
so just, that we of this generation who
are natives of this land do not real
ize the weakness Of other forms. In
fact, we have seemed to forget what a
democratic form of government
means.
In 1776 there was no great nation
on earth not founded on the divine
right of kings. The king was made
Master and the people were subjects.
The king could do no wrong because
he ruled by divine right The people
had no rights except what the king
chose to give them. When the king was
strong the people were weak and
rights obtained from weak king
were revoked by a sovereign of power.
England, the most advanced mon
archy Of the time, refused the right of
suffrage to a great majority of her
people. The parliament that taxed the
American colonies had no representa-
tive OF the common people in it's
number. Germany was a government
of princes and France was suffering
IN the throes of despotism that soon
would bring on the horrors of the
revolution. Republican form of gov
ernment was unknown.
When measured by the wears of re-
corded time the life of our nation has
been but span long, but when meas
ured by the achievements and pro-
gress OF a free people we are the old
est nation on the face of the earth.
Durlng the l4O years of this country's
life we have witnessed the most won
derful advance of human progress in
the history of mankind.
Ihe forces of earth, air and sea
nave been harnessed to the bidding
or man and government of the peo-
pie has reached the position of the
worlds greatest power.
Consider, if you please, the forces
| overcome and the institutions deve1-
oped since our forefathers first set
| 1oot on American soil. Difficult if is
TO realize that where we stand TODAY
| was once the native forest undisturhed
| by the habitation of man. Here the
pioneers hrst built their homes. The
| oppressed and friendless of nations
sought haven of refuge under the
| clear sky of new country. The
Roundhead and Cavalier of England
| at Plymouth Rock and Jamestown.
the Dutchman on Manhattan Island !.
the German amid the foothills of
| pennsylvania; the Scot mingling with
his Puritan brother in New England
and the French Hugenots in the Caro-
linas.
| March of Civilization.
| United by the ties of home and kin
dred to the fatherland, they counted
the cost and were ready and willing
to pay the price. Stouthearted men
were they, fearless of the trials thew
had to endure. With stern resolution
they took up the march of civilization
and progress.
| July 80, 1919, the first representa-
tive assembly met in Virginia and this
marked the beginning of self govern
ment in America. 1t is true that the
acts OF this assembly, were subject IN
the approval of the British crown hut
as long as the mother country was
generous with her children there
would be no discomfort.
What a remarkable coincidence if
was that the same year that saw the
meeting of the first legislative assem-
bly, there sailed into the harbor OF
jamestown ship flying the flag OF
Holland and unloaded cargo of ne