The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1921-07-07
Remarks Of Mr.. Leeper.

l appreciate deeply the honor that
has come to me Of addressing an aud
ience upon this occasion and at this
point and feel impressively an mad
equate capacity to give expression to-
those sentiments which the situation
warrants. This is my first visit to this
favored locality and yet in u sense 1t
is all very hOmeEke to me. For my
pioneer grandparents knew it well and
Iit's people, and the generation of my
blood just before me also felt it to be
all part of what they have known as
home. So do not feel that am among
you as a stranger today.
| 1t is privilege at any time to be
invited to perform this duty, but it is
a particular pleasure on this, the natal
day of the Republic, when all true
Americans should pause for a brief
hour in their daily tasks TO contem-
plate the glories and achievements,
the duties and the responsibilities Of
America.
! When we give our undivided thought
to the situation how must we be i'm
pressed with the benefaction which the
Great Father has bestowed upon us in
that, through the wisdom, character
and devotion of the founders of our
Republic and the succeeding generation
we as free people may assemble here
to day, untrammeled and undisturbed,
to give expression to affairs Of govern
ment and mankind, and how Impress
i've is the thought that the humblest
among us in person and property, if
his rights be infringed upon. may have
at hts arm the support of force re-
presented, perhaps, in "a minor officer
of the law now within my hearing. if
need be the power of our great State
or in turn the force of the armies of
our nation. If this be not liberty-Gf
this be not protection for the rights
OF men-may ask where we would
find it. Or If we give undivided thought
to the subject how must we forbid
ourselves on day such as this the
license of considering faction or class,
partisan prejudices, or the instincts of
strife that commonly come to us IN the
march of progress of mankind. Instead
the 4th of July should be- and is. a tiay
when we dedicate ourselves to the /.
deals OF the founders. and look again
forward with strong hearts to the per.
petuation of those ideals.
We of the West have sprung from
the loins of strudy pioneers, those
splendid characters who gave all and
dared the perilous unknown in theiI
quest for human liberty. AS we stand
here, surrounded by all the parapher
J naiia OF splendid civilization, my mint
goes back to other days OF which
! have read and been told In coming Il
6rangeville / passed by the battle fielt
whereOn our ancestors wrested domin
ion of this land from the savage rec
! man, and / seemed to see again thos,
: brave people pursuing their weary wa,
: across the trackless plains. their face,
: upilfted always to the setting sun. sus
= tanned and soothed in their quest b,
, an unfaltering trust in the Most High
t The courage of these children of tb,
advancing frontiers was supreme. thei
: hopes were high and they founde,
< their homes in this fair land upon tb
: foundation stones of freedom, charit,
, ana tolerance. As the fruit whicl
4 sprang from the soil cultivated by tbei
$ iaDors and watered by their tears. W
nave inherited the American of TODAY
and from them in kind have come tb
y Ideals upon which the Republic |
founded
Long ago, guided by the light of
great faith, Columbus discovered tn
western continent Thereafter the on
+ pressed peoples Of the nations of tn
f old world, aroused by the inexcusabl
@ wrongs heaped upon them by the'r va,
ious governments, began to emigran
d 10 North America in constantly increas
I ing numbers. Here they found fertl.
s rieids, great untouched forests, spler
i did ryers rushing to the sea. harbor
d great enough to hold the commerce q
l. the world. and greatest of all thes
n emigrants found freedom, freedom I
e think and do, guided only by the pr
e cepts of their own consciences.
e AS the tides of immigration /,
creased. the governments of the M