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

gone. The bloody tracks which their
barefoot armies often left on the
frozen ground have long since been
washed away. The smoke Of the con-
fict in which they engaged has
cleared. The civil strife and disorder
which followed have been dissipated.
But the institutions which they
founded, the Government which they
established, have not only remained,
but have grown in strength and I'M
portance and extended their influence
throughout the earth. We can never
go to their assistance with supples
and reinforcemerts. We can never
lend our counsel to thelr PoltIcaI
deliberations. But we can support
the Government and institutions
which are their chief titles to the
esteem and reverence in which they
are held by the common consent or
all humanity.
"Our country has travelled far since
these soul-inspiring days. Our prog
ress has been great. Our prosperity
| has been the wonder or the word
| Our DreSent-daY existence mas It's dlI-
| ficulties requiring courage ana re
sourcefulness. The political and eco
nomic life of the Nation offers alum
character and increasing the moral
power of the people. l believe 1t to
| be a grave error to assert that the
sniritual force of the men anC
| women of the Revolutionary perloc
was superior to that which exists IN
| the America of the present. But they
| did set for us an example which nc
nation can ignore and long exist.
mo doubt their desire was as great
as ours. If their chance to Crafty
| 1t was more limited, for an opportun-
| ity to rean a profit from following
their own business and living In
security and peace. But this was no'
| their supreme choice. They were
willing to accord to those rights
which they set out in the Declaration
of independence something more than
| lip service. When they had pledged
to the support of those principles thel
| lives, their fortunes. and their sacred
honor, they demonstrated by thel
actions that they stood ready to re
deem that pledge. In order that their
ideals might be maintained. they did
| not hesitate to sacrifice all that they
had and were.
"The Colonies of those days had
little in the way, of accumulate
wealth, but by hard work the people
| in comfort Those conditions, as
every one knows, have been radically
changed Through the development
| of our natural resources, our lnVen-
tive genius, and mechanical skill this
Nation has become possessed of very
large wealth. Such a situation has It's
| dangers. In past history 1t has
usually led first to luxury and ease
and later to decline and decay. we
do not vet appear to be tending In
| that direction. While we have con
siderable extent of what might be
called luxury, it is not Of that de
strlctive nature which has in the
past afflicted other people. In wide
measure it is for use rather than dis
play. 1t makes it's appeal to the soul
rather than to the senses.
Not Given Over to Ease.
with whatever else we may be
| charged, our sharpest critics do not
claim that this is a nation given
over to ease. The fact is that idle
ness is no longer fashionable. The
American of large possessions has not
been afflicted with Incidence. Rather
he has been a victim of overstrair
and overwork. The class of idle rich
in this country has dwindled to such
small proportions that it is no longer
/ worth noticing. No doubt it can be
said that we have permitted certain
| types of extravaganza, as in the use
! of our natural resources and in the
waste that attends the conduct OF
much of our daily life, but as q
nation it does not appear that we
are suffering any impairment through
| a. spread Of luxury and ease.
THE main effort Of our Revolu
tionary period, it seems to me, was tc
bestow upon the individual a larger
of law. When the battles were over
and the Federal Constitution with
it's bill of rights had been adopted
when the Federal courts had been ap
pointed and the jurisdiction of the
| National laws was thoroughly estab
lished, the people of this country
found themself in the possession o.
greater liberties than We're enjoyed
by any other nation. While our pc
litical ideals were in many respects ar
inheritance, and our political capacity
the result of generations of expert
ence, our theory and form of a repre-
sentative, system of self government
based on the broad doctrine o.
equality, recognizing that the ind
vidual had rights upon which not ever
the Government itself could encroach
was something altogether new in th'
world
cit completely obliterated the OLE
system of class and caste and opened
wide the door of opportunity to every
| talent. What had heretofore beer
the privilege of the few Immediately
became the right Of the many. Under
the great intellectual and spiritua
awakening which this new conception
of human relationship brought about
the nation began that rapid develop
ment and expansion which has beer
so continuous and increasing through
the whole length of our history. Our
fears in the end have proved to be
decisions, while it has been our hopes
that have proved to be realities.
Success in Self Restraint.
1--WE have wondered whether a PEG
pie left entirely to themselves witt
no restraints except those which were
self imposed through their own politi
cal action would be able to exercise
sufficient self-control to remain eco
nomically sound. We have wondered
| whether there would be enough Sc
curity for property against confisca
tory action, SO that there could be
sufficient accommodations of capital t.
finance the needs of a rapidly expand
ing Nation with It's many require
ments for tremendous investments, t
provide 1t with the necessary methods
Of production and distribution. We
| have seen that under q republic, with
the great inspiration that it gives Il
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