The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-05-12
MARKET STRON NC FOR HUMAN
CHARACTER-ARKA EXECU-
TIVE SAYS NATIONS STRENGTH
MUST FIND ITS BASE IN THE
STRENGTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL
CITIZEN.
BY THOMAS C. McRAE.

by Ik1OMAS y. NlCftAEs
Governor Of Arkansas.
Editors Note.-The following was
written by a man who has risen to
high office. is kindly, phil osophi-
cal bit Of thinking that may give you
a renewed faith in America and one
can almost picture the personality Of
the man who. is an American first of
all himself and who lives his country
and his fellows There is no stern
presentation of facts and figures but
in their place is a little prea hment
that may well be absorbed in the rush
to re-establish the normal
Having the privilege of selecting
my subject. not being required to ad-
here to an assigned CIR arbitrary
theme. l want to emphasize what I
consider to be the greatest need of
our American civilization - character.
There is a growing need of it; more
and more the harmonious relati ms Of
mankind are promoted by honesty of
purpose.
Looking back through the misty
mazes of the past we note certain cut
standing epochs, characterized by the
high development Of art. literature,
trade or war. No student of the adj
vance Of Gil Utilization can fail to recog-
nize in the present epoch the pre-
nounced development of inventive
genius. The wonderful mechanical
agencies Of utility which have come
to US during the last hundred years.
have glorified the activities of the
world. Man has been lifted out Ct the
slow methods and processes of the
toilsome past. and his very nature is
from now 1t is net unlikely that peo-
pie will revert to this period and mar
vel at its peculiarities and its epochal
wondrousness. The present time may
be then styled as the Age Of Inven-
ton. the Electrical Age. the Railroad
Age or the Money Age. However. not
being able to approximate the centu-
ries ahead of us it is of course i'm
possible for one to do mere than gu ess
at how the present era will impress
the people of the distant future. We
may progress so far in our inventive
genius that a perspective of this time
will only reveal it to have been the
birth of human, inventive genius.
I have lived through a considera BILE
expanse of time myself. having almost
attained to my proverbial three score
years and ten. and I have been very
much impressed with the question of
why the march Of civilization was un-
attended by very much inventive
genius until the present century. Ger
tain it is that there has been mere
advance during the century past than
during any thousand years in the
worlds history.
don not contend that human nature
Is very much changed from its char
acteristics of the ages past. but I do
assert that the miraculous mechanical
developments OF recent times have
reacted heavily upon human condt-
tions. There is little doubt that the
morals Of the people have been af-
fected through our new-found freedom
and that we are confused in the living
out of cur Interpretation of liberty as
against license.
Many of our students and phi1osO-
piers and moralizers are expressing
great disbursement at what Is term
ed the breaking down of our human
integrity. Many of cur thinkers be-
iieve that the morals Of our American
people are at a low ebb. Others try
to be more hopeful pointing out that
with the advent of greater personal
freedom and greater governmental
guarantees of liberty that people are
only asserting their natural instincts
without bad intent, and they point out
that here is now broader human
charity. more gentleness CT soul and
greater freedom from bigotry thar
ever before.
But the great crime wave which we
hear 80 much of has upset us anG
discouraged US very profoundly. There
is indeed q growing need for human
character. In the business world thi'
is recognised. spen. eighteen years
as a member of our United States con
gress, then retired and practtced tn.
profession Of law for an equal number
OF years. during which latter period
I supervised a banking institution. ant
felt that have some right to- an
nounce my observations upon human
character. Very often we hear thu
question asked. ''Is the world grow
Ing better"' I am sure that 1t IL. Blu
there are some very grave tendencie
now besetting civilization. Yes. w
stiN have honest people, and most PEG
pie in our own great country are hon
est and good. But the greatest re
wards come to those who have energ,
and honesty. Indeed. the three great
est requisites are. energy. integrit
and intelligence.
The greatest banker Of his time ha
said that character ia the creates
asset in the financial world. hav
only recently read Roger Rabson'
hook, "The Fundamentals Of Prosper
ity," In which he makes the very tell
ing point that religion 10 the creates