Evening star., 1925-04-21

ten parts of the country. carrying
the torch of educational opportunity.
You have lifted it's light over many
communities, which, though COM
posed of Americans for many genera
tions native to the soil. have sadly
lacked tire privileges of schooling, en-
lightenment and culture. Yours were
among the early efforts to set up
schools. for both youths and adults,
in the neglected region of the south
ern Appalachians.
There was found a great popula-
tton of the best American stock, trac-
ing back to early colonial times. 1t
has been curiously isolated from the
march of westward progress. The
stream OF migration had divided and
passed around this rugged country
and its sturdy people. TO them you
have carried education, the arts, the
sciences, the culture and humanities
of our more favored regions. You
have not only spent your money to
help them. but you have Joined with
other volunteers in furnishing eff
cient leadership for the task of re-
habitating an unfortunate community.
Perhaps a recounting of these ac-
tivities may not be necessary for the
information of you who know them
far better than / do. But in say
ing these things 1 have in mind the
wider audience. whose members are
not so well advised. The Daughters
of the Aemerican Revolution are en-
titled TO be known for the full scope
and noble usefulness of the work they
have prosecuted.
Raised Civic Standards.
Everywhere your State and local
bodies have labored to raise the civic
ideal, to make better citizens, to re-
sist evil influences, TO cast out cor,
ruption; in short. to lift up the aver
age of American life to the full level
of it's highest aspirations.
These are good and deserving
works. They are worthy fruits of
the untiring effort which you have
by year your service has grown as
your vision has widened and your
means have increased. Your annual
gatherings have never failed 10 mark
step forward on the way of
progress.
"It is my belief that in the pursuit
of these purposes and the taking of
these actions you are putting the
ideals of the revolutionary period into
note that the efforts which you are
making. the duties which you are
performing, are not being sought
through the interposition of organized
government. They are the voluntary
acts of our citizens taken through
their own initiative. In adopting this
course of action you are. in the best
sense of the term. ministering to the
ideal of government.
Use of Federal Power.
I'VE have heard in the past and
are likely to hear in the future very
much discussion about the intrusion
of the Government thfough legisla.
ton into the business and private af.
fairs of the people. In SO far as this
is reflection of an ideal recurring
and demanding a higher standard OF
conduct we ought to rejoice at it and
support 1t. But when we see that
1t is not wholly successful we ought
to remember that it is at best but
| temporary makeshift, an effort to
make thinks better. and that we can
not expect through these methods to
attain perfection.
There is only one way in modern
civilization, with its broad privilege of
the franchise. with it's representative
legislative bodies, to avoid the con.
stant interposition of the Government
| into practically all the affairs of the
people. and that is for the people to
| adopt correct course of action, to
provide the proper standards of con-
duct by their own motion. If they
do not want Government through
private action they must provide il
through private action. That is the
true ideal of self-government. The at.
tainment of that ideal lies some dis.
tance in the future, but it is an ideal