The Colorado statesman., 1918-07-06
DENVER, COLORADO. SATURDAY, JULY 1918

united for the purpose of being inde-
| pendent and free as nation. on
July 4, 1776. America gave to the
| world the Declaration of Indepen-
| dence.
Time will not permit me to read
the Declaration of Independence. How
ever, | shall read you the most inn
portant part, the foundation on which
this government was built, the ideal
of the American people. In the Dec
laration of independence, we find
these words:
I'VE hold these truths to be self-ev-
ident that all men are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Great
or with certain inalienable rights
Chat is, rights which men themselves
cannot give away or take); that
among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. That to secure
these rights, governments are institut-
ed among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned"
The Declaration of Independence
gave notice to the world that the
United States, consisting of the thif-l
teen states, took its place among the
nations of the earth as an indepen-
dent people or nation
The Declaration of Independence
states that life, liberty, and the pur-
suit of happiness belong to each hui
man being. and that only the Creator
can take these rights away. When
the Golden Rule is written in the
souls of men, then and not until then
will our government attain these
ideals.
The supreme law of our land, the
Constitution of the United States, be-
gins with these words:
I'VE, the people of the United
States, in order to form Hlore per-
feet union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility. provide for the
common defense. promote the general
welfare, and secure the blessings OF
liberty to ourselves and our posterity,
do ordain and establish this Constitu-
tion for the United States of Amer
ica."
Thus a democracy was established
"a government where laws are made
by the people themselves.
The citizens of this country have
tried and are still trying to perfect
their laws so as to give to each citi-
zen full life, liberty and freedom. 1t
is the opinion of the majority of the
citizens-public opinion-which be-
comes the law of our country. The
United States is today free nation,
in which every citizen has the right
and opportunity to direct his own life.
July 4th, Americans assemble to-
celebrate the birth of the United
States and again pledge themselves to-
live up to their Declaration of lnde-
pendence This Fourth of July, 1918,
with the Germans threatening the life
of the nation, every man, black and
white, must pledge his loyalty by
work, and not by words.
Go to your history and read how
man in the dim ages of the past Great
ed the first democracy-a government
in which the people made their own
laws. You will read of the trials and
tribulations which races of people as
well as nations have suffered as they
tried first this and then that form OF
government. All the time they were
trying to make a better democracy.
Some succeeded; some failed. Many
times it looked as though their efforts
were useless and they would never
gain that freedom they now possess
AS you read, you will be surprised
that man was not discouraged in his
efforts to have a government In
which all men should be free and have
justice. The spirit of freedom which
is in the souls of men cannot be
killed, for il goes marching on and on