Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1919-12-12

power and accept the creed of autoc-
racy, the creed of repression ana
force
Scheme Based on Force.
Mr.. President, l turn from this
scheme based upon force to another
scheme, planned 143 years ago in old
Independence hall, in the city of Phil
delphia, based upon liberty. like it
better. I have become so accustomed
to believe in it that it is difficult for
me to reject it out of hand. 1 have
difficulty in subscribing to the new
creed of oppression, the creed of dom
inant and subject peoples. feel
reluctance to give up the belief that
all men are created equal-the eter-
nal principle in government that all
governments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed. I
cannot get my consent to exchange
the doctrine of George Washington for
the doctrine of Frederick the Great
translated into mendacious phrases Of
peace. go back to that serene and
masterful soul who pointed the way
to power and glory for the new and
then weak republic, and whose teach
ings and admonitions even in our mai
esty and dominance we dare not disre-
gard.
I know well the answer 10 my con-
tention. It has been piped about of
late from a thousand sources-venal
sources, disloyaI sources, sinister
sources-that Washington's wisdom
was of his day only and that his teach
ings are out of fashion-thisgs long
since sent to the scrap heap of his +
tory-that while he was great in char |
acter and noble in soul he was I'M
trained in the arts of statecraft and .
unlearned in the science of govern Z
ment. The puny demagogue, the bar
rem editor, the sterile professor now
vie with each other in apologizing
for the temporary and commonplace
nxpedients which the Father Of our
Country felt constrained to adopt in
building a republic.
What is the test Of craftsmanship?
Is it the formation of theories, the
ltterance Of abstract and iucontro- !
7ertible truths, or is it the capacity
md the power to give to a people that
concrete thing in human happiness
allied free institutions and to estab-
ish over all and above all the blessed
md eternal reign Of order and law?
( this be the test, where shall we
ind another whose name is entitled
o be written beside the name of
His judgment and poise
n the hour of turmoil and peril, his
ourage and vision in times Of adver-
ity, his firm grasp of fundamental
his almost INSPIRED power
D penetrate the future and read there
he result, the effect Of policies, have
ever been excelled, If equalled. by 3
ny Of the worlds commonwealth =
uilders. %
Peter the Great, William the Silent, y
nd Cromwell the protector, these and u
lese alone perhaps are to be asso- "
ated with his name as the builders IL
states and the founders Of govern 81
ents. But in exaltation of moral ="
lrpose. in the unselfish character Of VI
s work, in the durability of his pol ~
les, in the permanency Of the insti-
tons which he more than anyone
Sc called into effect, his service to
ankind stands out separate and
art in a class by itself The work
these other great builders, where :,
e they now? But the work OF Wash Vi
gton is still the most potent inuu- d.
&c for the advancement of civiliza- W
IN and the freedom Of the race. II
For Union, Not confederaey. Il
Reflect for o moment over his :, .
He led the Reyom- 9,
nary army to victory. He was tae