The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-07

sent to you an annual report on the
state OF the Union, found my
thought dominated by an immortal
sentence of Abraham Lincoln's.
Let us have faith that right
makes might, and in thai faith ie,
us dare to- do our duty as We un-
derstand ia sentence immortal
because it embodies in a form ol
utter simplicity and purity the es'
sential faith OF the na.lOn, the faitt
in which it was conceived, and with
the faith in which i, has grown te
glory and power. With tnat faith
and the birth OF nation
founded upon it, came the hope into
the world tlat new or0er would
prevail throughout the anairs o1
mankind, an order in which reason
and right would take precedence O1
covetousness and force; and l be.
lieve that l express the wish and
purpose of every thoughtful Ameri'
can. when l say that this sentence
marks tor US in the .plalnest man.
ner the part we should play alike
in the arrangement of our domestic
affairs and in our exercise OF infiu'
cnce upon the affairs of the world
BY this faith, and by this faith alone
can the world be lifted out of its
present confusion and despair. Il
was this faith which prevailed ovel
the wicked force Of Germany. YOU
will. remember that the beginning
of the end of the war came wher
the German people found them
selves face to face with the CON
science of the world and realized
that right was everywhere arrayet
against the wrong that their gov
ernment was attempting to perpe
trate. l think, therefore, that it i:
true to say that this was the faitt
with which our gallant men wen
into the field and out upon the sea:
to make sure of victory.
DemOcracy's Mission.
This Is the mission upon which
democracy came into the world
Democracy is an assertion Of ths
right of the individual to live ant
to be treated justly as against an!
attempt On the part of any combl
nation of individuals to make laws
which will overburden him. o.
which viii destroy, his equalit!
among his fellows in the matter o
right or privilege. and l think VI
all realize that the day has come
when democracy is being put upoI
its final test. The old world is JUS
now suffering from a wanton re
lection of The principle of democ
racy and a substitution of the prin
ciple of autocracy as asserted II
the name, but without authority ant
sanction of the multitude. This il
the time of all oilers when democ
racy should prove its purity and it!
spiritual power to prevail. 1t il
surely the manifest destiny Of thu
United States to lead in the at
tempt to make this spirit prevail.
Two Ways to Assist
There are two ways in which th'
Unite0 States can assist to accom-
plish this great object. First. b,
Offering the example within he
own borders of the will and powel
of democracy to make and enforc'
laws which are unqestionably jus
and which are equal in their ad
Observation-Disclosures which secur'
its full right to labor and yet a
the same time safeguard the integ
rity Of property, and particular!
of that property which is devoted
to the development of industry ant
the increase of the necessar!
wealth of the world. Second, b.
standing for right and justice al
towards individual nations. Th'
law Of democracy is for the pro
lection of the weak. and the influ
ence of every democracy in th'
world should be for the protection
of the weak nations, the natiol
which is struggling towards it
right and towards its proper recog
milton and privilege in the famil!
of nations. The United States cal
not refuse this role OF champion
without putting the stigma of re
lection upon the great and devotet
men who brought its governmen
into existence and established i
in the face Of almost universal Op
position and intrigue. even in tn
face of wanton force. as. for exam
pie. against the orders in council
of Great Britain and the arbitrar.
Napoleonic DEGREES which involved
us in what we know as the war o
1912. ! urge you to consider tina
the display of an immediate dis
position on the part of congress t
remedy any injustices or evils tha
may have shown themselves in ou
own national life will afford tn
most effectual offset to the force
OF chaos and tyranny which ar
playing so disastrous a part in tn
fortunes Of the free peoples of NOR
than one part of the world. TIL
United States is OF necessity tn
sample democracy OF the world
and the triumph Of democracy de
pends upon its success.
Part IL.
Recovery from the disturbing an
sometimes disastrous effects of tn
late war has been exceedingly slo,
on the other side of the water an
has given promise, l venture to 81!
Of early completion only in our ow
fortunate country; but even wit
US the recovery halts and is i'm
peded at times. and there are i'm
! mediately serviceable acts Of legis
latiOn which 1t seems to me "
ought to attempt. to assist that re
covery and prove the indestructibl
recuperative force Of . great gov
Iernment Of the people. One
these is to prove that a great de
mocracy can keep house rs sue
cessfully and in as business-lik
fashion as any other government