Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-30

private initiative, our acco,. h sh-
ments in this direction have surpassed
those of any other country.
I'VE have wondered whether, IL the
individual were left unrestricted, the
more intelligent, more resourceful and
more INSCRIPTIONS would not gather
unto themselves so large a proportion
Of the wealth of the country that they
would dominate the. great mass of the
people by the mere weight and power
of money. But some way people OF
that stamp do not prosper, do not
gain real power. We have seen
many great fortunes accumulated. But
they do not dominate the people.
Rather the people dominate them.
Their whole tendency has been toward
investment for the benefit of the pub
lie. Some of those which stood out
as the largest scarcely rs years ago
have been practically all bestowed
upon charity, while men at that time
obscure and unknown have risen to
the highest rank in the wealth of our
country. Who can doubt that these
results are even now in the process
of repetition? AS a general rule with
us, great wealth has meant great pub
lie service.
1--WE have only to look about us to
see that under our institutions these
conditions, instead of affording a
means of burdening and expressing
the great mass of the people, have
rather afforded them means for a
higher standard of living and a great
err degree of prosperity than ever be-
fore existed Under our system the
wealth of the country instead of tend
ing to concentration tends to distri-
button. If all the large fortunes in
the country were combined, their
amount In comparison with our en-
tire wealth would not be large. The
fact is, that the great mass of the
property of the country is owned by
the people of the country. This is
the great outstanding fact in the eco
nomic life of America. 1t cannot be
too often stated or too strongly empha-
sized. Instead of retarding, our po-
'itical institutions have advanced and
strengthened our economic condition.
Prosperity Not Main Desire.
''We are placing a great deal of
emphasis on prosperity. Our people
ought to desire to be prosperous, but
it ought not to be their main desire.
There are other things that they
ought to want more. Prosperity is
not a cause; it is q result. 1t is not
based on Incidence and ease, on avar
ce and greed, or on selfiShneSS and
self-indulgence. 1t is the result of in.
dustry, fair dealing, self-denial and
generosity. 1t is all summed up in a
single word. 1t is character. If the
country will put its emphasis on this
process and remember to practice
these virtues. it's prosperity will be
come greater and greater, and the
greater it becomes the more worthy
t will be of our admiration. A more
efficient service, one to another, will
be the foundation of a greater pros.
perity and of q stronger national
character.
1T is never possible to discuss the
political institutions which resulted
from the American Revolution without
realizing that their fundamental cor
ception is reliance on the individual
the whole system of a self-supporting
self governing people breaks down
both in theory and in practice, unless
the individual is of a character cap.
able of rising to the great dignity of
that position. The whole record of
American success is traceable to the
excellence of American citizenship. To
such a people institutions. of course
are important. Our political organiZa
| ton, with its representative system
and it's local self government, its
strong executive authority and indie
| pendent courts, harmoniZes our his
| torical background with sound socia
| principles. Yet this elaborate anC
| we'll wrought out system would be OF
| little avail unless the people supply
| sufficient energy and intelligence tC
/ make it work.
! Unless that be done there is nc
| system of government that can supply
! a nation with political salvation
| Under our theory the citizen is SOW
ereign. Whenever he abdicares some
! pretender assumes the throne. Ir
large centers of population this ha:
often taken the form of what we tern
a political boss. The voters cease Il
! function in their sovereign capacity
and turn their power over TO some in
dividual, who rules in their stead
They cease thinking and acting fol
| themselves and permit some one II
| think and act for them. They are no
willing to make the sacrifice and per
| form the service which is necessary t
support self government.
Better Citizenship Is Goal.
when this condition exists Their,
may be many palliatives, but there il
only one fundamental remedy. Meth
DDS can be devised under which it ma,
be more difficult for the political die
tator to remain in power and NOR;
easy for the great body of the voter:
| to direct their own destiny. Bu
under our institutions the only way
! to perfect our Government is to per
| feet the individual citizen. 1t is neces
sary to reach the mind and the sou
of the individual. 1t is not merely {
change of environment. but a change
of heart that is needed. The power Of
the law may help, but only the power
/ of righteousness can be completely
| sufficient. know of no way that this