The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-07-06
GOVERNMENT
REPRESENTS
PEOPLES WILL
All Genuine Reform Must
! Come From Hearts Of Peo-
pie, Says Coolidge
SPEAKS AT EXPOSITION
Principles Of Government Not
to Blame If Officers Go
Astray, He Says
SPEAKS AT EXPOSITION

Philadelphia, July 5--GP)-The
spirit Of the fathers of the Repub-
lie was invoked by President Cool
idgc today in an address ut the
Sesquicentennial exposition commcm-
Grating the one hundred and fiftieth
anniversary Of the Declaration of
Independence.
Referring to the Declaration rs
great spiritual document, whose
principles were the result Of the
religious teachings Of the prcccd-
ing period, Mr.. Coolidge said the
real heart Of the American govern
mcnt depended upon the heart Of
that source that the nation must
look for all genuine reform.
I've live in an age Of science and
Of abounding accumulation of ma
tcrial things" he said. "Thcsc did
Declaration created them. The
things of the spirit come first. TN
less we cling to that, all our mate
rial prosperity, overwhelming though
it may appear, will turn to barren
scepter in our grasp. il VIC
are to maintain the great heritage
which has been bequeathed to US
we must be like minded as the
fathers who created il. We must moi
sink into pagan materialism. We
must cultivate the reverence which
they had for the things that are holy
We must follow the spiritual and
moral leadership which they showed
We must keep replcnished. that
they may glow with more com,
relling flame. the altar fires before
which they worshipped."
Law Observance Mentioned
A passing reference to law obscrv
! ancc sgax made by the President
!! in discussing the responsibility o.
, the people to the government.
%Of course the government car
help to sustain ideals and can Great,
institutions through which they cal
be the better observed. but thei
very nature is in the people," h,
said. "Thc people have to bear thei
own responsibilities. There is n,
! method by which that burden cal
be shifted to the government. !
, il not the enactment, but the obser
vance Of laws, that creates the char
actcr of nation"
"Yet," he added, "in the develop
ment of its institutions America cal
fairly claim that it has rename,
ftrue to the principles which wer
declared $50 years ago.
Depends Upon People
IF there is any one thing amon
US that is developed beyond ques
tion, it is lf-government-the righ
Of the people to rule. If there i
failure in respect to any Of thcs
principles. It is because there is
failure on the part Of individual
to observe them.
"Ours Is a government Of tn,
people. It represents their will. It
officers may sometimes 90 astra,
but that is not reason for crit
cistng the principles Of our institu
tiOns. The real heart Of the Anne,
lean government depends upon tn
heart Of the people,"
Under u system of popular gov
i ernment there will always be thos
who will seek for political prefe
ment by clamorinK for reform
Il While there is very little of thi
i which is not sincere, there is
large portion that is not we'll il
/ formed. In my opinion very littl
of just criticism can attach to tn
theories and principles Of our inst
tutions. There is far more danger q
harm than there is hope Of goo
in any radical changes. We
need better unde rstanding an,
comprehension Of them and = bette
knowledge of the foundations o
government in general"