Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-18
AMERICAN SPIRIT
HIGHLY lAUDEO BY
ASSEMBLY SPEAKER
Continued from Page ~

where the civilization of one set OF
Americans mingles with the ciyilizl.
ton of other sets of Americans and
out from the general spirit there
comes something that is not going to
be Yankee a southerner or west
erner. but an American.
We talk about America first Does
that first mean America all alone?
In order to be first must there be no.
body else? My idea of firstness Is
there are others, and that all the ma
tons are going tc grayitate together
America can't be alone. although II
would be delightful to have all the
commerce of the world and not come
in contact with the world. The Amer.
lean spirit in operation for the last
forty or fifty years Is essentially A
cooperative spirit-a recognition OF
the rights OF other folks who are
doing what may be termed the think.
ing or planning, What was the first
constitution ever organized by any
nation in the world? The first writ.
ten constitution was that given to the
world by the United States of Amer
lea. and yet ii was not constitution
which was the invention of any given
man, II has been erroneusly said that
the American constitution was the
greatest ever struck off at one time
by ono hand.
The American constitution was the
gathering together of the rights and
experiences of the people down in
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia
and New York The greatest difficulty
with that first constitution was the
bringing of histories into unity. and
the two great compromises were the !
election of Congress and the recogni- |
ton of slave states. The spirit OF
America Is that of cooperation IN .
such a way that the rights of the |
parties cooperating are preserved
1t is always easier to fight for justice.
than to give justice.
Il suppose YOU know what the Mon.
roe Doctrine is. | will not describe
t. Great Britain backed us up in the
Monroe d0ctrine-the British fleet
made Il possible The cross of that
branch of Anglo-Saxon democracy
With our branch of democracy has
helped to keep this continent free
rom monarch. But we must see that
he weak nations are defended as
veil.
We were going to celebrate few
ears ago 100 years peace between
he United States and Great Britain,
nut at that time Great Britain was at
var and we We're neutral. so we didn't
rave public celebration. By 100
ears peace | don't mean we haven't
lad any trouble. There isn't a foot of
.erritory but what we have had our
rouDles about-there isn't Goldfish
IN the banks of Newfoundland that
hasn't been arbitrated over-but we
haven't fought,
Take our American attitude in its
Iealings with the weak nations OF
'ther parts of the world. When | was
II Japan | was proud | was an Ameri- I
no other citizens on the +
ace Of the earth could say with re.
ard to our attitude to the Asiatic
eople.
rms is not period that is pathG- Z
'gical. Don't think that the restless.
ess of the world is an evidence OF =
IN. 1t is the restlessness of adde's.
4nce-'the restlessness of life
When we turn to America and see
ow this American spirit in operation Z
as been gradually working out this r
leory of giving rights to other nj.
ons, you will get a new conviction r
nat we not only a history but we
ave future, He who believes In r
istory believes in a future. He who +
elieyes in God believes in a better =
ord order | believe history is the r
ay or human progress, and Just be. .
luse we can trace this great develop. n
ent of our nation in the past do we .
ire believe that we are on a course =
Id that the future is not matter -
chance" II
Miss Ham in Recital. Z
The afternoon program. which was =
n