The New York herald., 1921-08-02

BY the influences of Colonial democ-
racy.
New World Was Incentive.
one will ever dispute the large
part New England played In the rear
ing of new standards of freedom. The
early struggles here were contem-
poraneous with the making of modern
British constitutionalism and the new
world beacon was an incentive and an
inspiration across the sea; and to-day
Old World and New join in rejoicing
at tEe ends achieved. The beginning
OF the American Revolution may fairly
be traced the larger part of a century
from the date we commonly fixed for
1t to the great town meeting in the
old South Church. TO which was sub
mitted the question whether the
colony would assent TO the charter
reorganization that the King de-
manded
IF the idea of religious freedom had
little to hope for from the effort of the
stern old fathers TO set up a theocracy
IN New England. the ideal of political
freedom found here a particularly fer
tile soil in which to germinate.
The clash between a theocratic
tyranny Of this side and a political
tyranny or the other resulted in the
destruction of both. to the vast better
ment Of every human interest involved.
The men and women who came
here to found, in wilderness, across
81 thousand leagues OF ocean waste a
new State. came with high and con-
scious purpose OF achieving a great
human end Out of their voluminous
letters, memoirs. public records and
historical writings we constantly get
the impression OF their deep convic-
ton that they had been called as
divine instruments to accomplish q
work Of supremest significance.
Was the Visible Sign.
Hand Of men alone did not build
what was founded here: 1t was but
the visible sign. the human symbol,
of purpose which we may not under
stand, but for whose beneficence all
men must give tribute OF praise and
voice undying gratitude We may
speculate and conjecture. we may seek
to frame laws of human relationship
by which to account for such results
as here have been wrought, but at
last we will have to recognize that
they are not for us to explain.
The English speaking race had
hardly established itself in true char
acter as the foremost exponent OF
liberal institutions when it began to
distribute itself among the wilder
nesses of bhe earth. Even before lib
erty had been secured for the mother
country. its soldiers were adventuring
into distant parts carrying their amhl-
tions with them.
"The community of free people of
our race. whether in Europe or Amer
lea, IN Africa or Australia, under the
northern or the southern skies, was
begun when Jamestown and Plymouth
were founded 1t has carried it's ideals
wherever 1t has set its standard. 1t
has won recognition of those ideals as
the basis OF social conduct, of COM
munity relations, throughout the
world. It's work is not finished, but.
pray God, 1t has come triumphantly
through its determining ordeal IT
comes forth from that test nerved and
heartened for further tasks, confident,
assured, reliant. None questions either
it's place or it's right of leadership; few
doubt its destiny to establish, under
that divine guidance which it has ever
recognized, the splendid structure OF
human brotherhood in peace and un-
derstandng
THE perspectives of history are not
safely to be Judged save from the lofti-
est peaks of human experience 1t is
the dearly bought privilege Of our gen
Grafton TO stand on one of those heights
of the long ages. to look back over the
pathways by which we have come thus
far. TO sec clearly what have been the
main travelled roads and what the by
paths. II we VIII but let our minds
record that which our eyes tell us, we
will note that the wide spreading land
scape behind us Is now vastly changed
1t is not what II seemed when we were
passing through II. We see that some
Of the routes which we supposed We're
the highroads of progress were the fu-
tile ways of wasted effort Others
which in the journeys heat and toll
we counted only as It's marches of an
guish We recognize as the short cuts
that carried us quickly to loftier levels
and safer positions.
Must Forever Go On.
I'VE stand to-day before the un-
known, but we look to the future with
confidence unshaken. There is no re-
tracing; we must forever go on. We
welcome the theories brought out IN
new hope, but we cling to the assur-
ance founded on experience. All that
is not bad. all that is to be will not be
ideal. We cannot lift the veil to the
future, but we can analyze and under
stand what has gone before. 1t is good