The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-01
PRES. HARDING AT


a cdOaclySIn1cal war. Reaco IS Drlng-
ing its new assurances; and penitent
realization and insistent conscience
will preserev that peace. Our faith
I is firmer that wars causes may be
minimiZed and. overburdening arma-
ment may be largely diminished. And
these, too, without surrender OF the
nationality which has inspired or the
good conscience which has defended.
THE international prospect is more
than promising and the distress and
of early recovery. Solvent financial
ly, sound economically. unrivaHed in
genius, unexcelled in Industry. reso-
lutte in determination and unwavering
in faith. these United States will
carry on"
"Nccd Religion in Government"
In the course of his speech Mr..
Harding praised particularly the part
religious freedom and other New Eng
land traditions had played in develop
ment of the nation. He also took &C.
casion to deplore the common ten
decency to concentrate government au
therity in Washington and to reAffirm
his faith in religion as an essential
element of good government.
The president said in part:
1T is not too much to say thatsthe three
centuries which have passed since men of
our race came here to found n new state
have been the most momentous and the
mankind.
ITO this and the virginia shore were
transplanted the seeds of representative
democracy, and the new ideals of nation
atty thru association and representation.
and there has developed seemingly the
most dependable form of popular govern
ment ever witnessed in the world.
whether we reflect upon the restraints
upon freedom which the fathers imposed.
or measure the broader liberty under the
81 oac oepan which f6e III
is the law of highest civilization. One
may not say whether the Puritans at home
would have been able to work out such a
System If there had been no American
colonies and the colonial influence to act
English revolution which came soon after
the settlement at Plymouth would have
come even had there been no settlement
here, no Massachusetts bay colony, no Vir-
ginia plantation. But it is easy to believe
that in the long struggle after the restor-
alton. the fruits Of the revolution. the
and the restrictions of royal prerogative
were helped by the influence Of colonial
democracy
England Played Part"
"No one will ever dispute the large part
now England played In the rearing of new
standards of freedom. The early strug-
giles here were contemporaneous with the
making of modern British constitutional
ism and the new world beacon was an in
centive and an inspiration across fhe sea.
and today old world and new join in re-
joicing. at the ends achieved. The begin
ming of American revolution may fairly be
traced the larger part of century from
great town meeting in the old South. Church
to which was submitted the question
whether the colony would assent to the
manded- If the idea of religious freedom
had little to hope for from the eff
fort of the stern old father to set up q
political freedom found here a. particular
fertile soil in which to terminate.
THE, clash between theocratic tyranny
on this aide and n pOIiticaI fvraunv on thq
other resulted in the destruction of bJAh
to the vast betterment' of every human
1.-The men and women who came here to
found In a wilderness, across thousand
with high and conscious purpose of achiev-
ing a great human end. out of their
voluminous letters, memoirs, public rec
ords and historical writings we constantly
get the impression of their deep convic-
ton that they had been called as divine
instruments 70 accomplish WORK OF SUI
did not build what was founded here-It
was but the visible sign, the human symbol,
but for whose. beneficence all men must
give tribute of praise and voice undyfng
gratitude. We may speculate and conJec-
ture. We may seek to frame laws of HUI
man relationship. by which to account
for such results as here have been
wrought, but at last we will have to recog-
nize that they not for US to explain.
The English speaking race had hardly
established itself in true character as the
when it began to distribute itself among
the wildernesSes of the earth. Even be-
fore liberty had been secured for the
mother country its soldiers were adventur-
ing into distant parts carrying their am
billions with them.
Set New Standards.
"The community of free people Of our
race, whether in Europe or America, in
Africa or Australia under the northern or
the southern skies, was begun when
jamestown and Plymouth were founded. 1t
has carried its ideals wherever it has set
ut mas won recognition of these ideals
as the basis OF social conduct, Of COM
ort reg fnis, turnout b0t the Gord It's
come triumphantly thru its determining or
deal. 1t comes forth from that test. nerved
assured, reliant. None questions either its
place or its right of leadership, few doubt
its destiny to establish, under that divine
splendid structure, of human brotherhood
in peace and understanding.
The perspectives' of history nre not /
peaks of human experience. 1t is the
dearly bought privilege of our generation
long ages, to look back over the pathway
by which we have come this far. To see
clearly what have been the main Travelled
roads and what the by paths. If We will
but let our minds record that which our
eyes tell US we will note that the wide
spreading landscape behind us is now vast
we were passing thru it. We see that
some of the routes which we supposed were
the high roads or progress were the futile |
ways Of wasted effort. Others. which in
the journeys heat and toll We counted only |
as its marches of anguish. we recognize |
as the short cut that carried US quickly !
to loftier levels and safer positions.
Confident of Future.
eve stand today before the unknown, |
but we look to the future with confidence |
mistaken There is no retracing: we must |
Va he rNst
wrought out in new hope. but we cling to +
the assurance founded on experience. All !
that is is not bad; all that is to be will I
not be ideal We cannot lift the veil to the /
future, but we can analyze and understand /
what has gone before. 1t is good to keep |
our feet firmly on the earth tho we gaze in
high hope for human brotherhood and high |
Just as the pilgrims had |
mind for material things amid /
effective pursuit of their higher ideals, SO /
must we with our inheritance
Just as these fathers drew together