Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-26
BETTERMENTIS
SOCIETY'S AIM,
SAYS RALSTON

ne prime OBJECT Oh society Is TO
better mans condition and the prime
object of commercial body should be
to aid society in the consummation of
its objects Samuel NJ. Ralston told
members of the kiwanis Club and their
guests al Il luncheon today in the Riley
Room at the ClaypOoI Hotel. The power
for Advancement of civic interests by or
CARNATIONS of the character of the XII
wants Club he declared unlimited. No
reference was made to politics by Mr..
RalstOn who is candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for United States Sena-
ter and the third aspirant to speak be-
fore the Kiwanis Club.
Inspection of public works, encourage
ment Of local industry and interest in
good government were pointed out by Mr..
Ralston as things things which need the
attention of the Kiwanis Club and SINH
lar organizations.
when the laws are not enforced the
evil resulting therefrom soon brings
trouble to the community. 1t soon af
fects. injuriOusly, both the official and
the private life of the people. The great
British statesman, Burke, declared that
there never was long a corrupt govern
ment Of a virtuOus people" That was his
way of saying a people could not be cor
.upt and Yirt10uS al the same time. His
declaration is as true today as it was
when he uttered it, but a people profess
ing to desire free government must
understand that sooner or later free
government viii perish, If they do not
stand for clean government.
NEED FOR CONSTANT
ACTIVITY.
If you tell me that the task I have in
mind for your body is a difficult one,
would remind you that the object of
your organization is to overcome the diff
ficulties that retard and prevent the de-
yelOpment of your community life. This
Will call for constant activity and siren
uOus efforts, but people who are real
contributors TO the commercial and So
cial phases OF their city or State must
sacrifice, in time and labor. to consum
mate their purpose. If a frail, but brave
hearted little woman, like Mrs. Bacon of
Evansville, standing alone and fighting
alone for a year or more, could finally
triumph in securing the passage by the
Indiana Legislature of q housing law for
this State that makes for the comforts
and the health and the joy OF those IN
able TO secure for themselves comfortable
sleeping and living apartments with
fresh air and pure water. what may not
n body of men, like you, accomplish,
when you set your hears and bend your
energies for the c0nsummation Of great
community work?
a community is but a collection Of in
dividuals 1t has antecedents and char
acteristics and goals as has the iudivi-
dual, and the capability of an org4niza-
tion to serve such q community in a rep
resentatlve capacity depends upon its
comprehension and understanding Of the
community it proposes to serve.
BIG POSSIBILITIES
I think that it is safe TO take II
for granted that your organization is
most familiar with the history of Indi-
annapolis and its present condition and
that it has not failed to make a survey
Of its future possibilities. Therefore, 1
do not hope to suggest a subject. fall
ing within the sphere OF your activities
that you have not already given or are
giving the consideration it merits. Even
if this be true, howey or, no harm can
come from my emphasizing anew the pos
sibiiities of your organization.
Il know I do not have to point to a
body like this that the welfare of In
diaaapcIs depends largely upon rail
roads. factories and mills. You have,
know, considered these and similar fac
tors, essential TO community welfare,
but I would have you not overlook the
fact that the human heart longs for
things beyond these.
This is not the occasion for preach
ing. but it must not be forgotten in con-
Sidering the public welfare, that in the
asst analysis, in the long run. good
morals are as essential to a successful
community life as to a successful indi-
yidual life. There can be no permanent
prosperity anywhere If the primary vir-
tues If honesty and honor are violated :;
for these high virtues and the homely
ones of industry and moderation lie at
the very base of all true civilization ana
they cannot be ignored without paying
the price Of ultimate disaster.
FIELD FOR WORK
Is WIDE,
Your organization has a wide field IN
which to operate. It is not only under
obligations to secure, il il can, indus
trial enterprises for Indianapolis but it
also has a duty to perform in seeing
that local industries have the friendship
and support Of the community. It fire.
quently happens that an unjust clamor
goes up against a legitimate industry
1t frequently happens that such an in
dustry is not given the local financial
aid and support it deserves and that
that may be given TO il without haz-
arding the interest Of any one.
"A few years ago a gentleman of
wealth and wide business experience told
ME Of a certain city losing an industry
because 1t could not get the local fnan-
cial assistance it desired. In less than
two years after this industry was helped
to its feet in another State it brought
into the city of its new location daily
800 600 But few cau cOmurphen1 fha
value of such an industry to a commun-