The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1926-07-06
SPLENDID TALK
ON Cove RNMENT
BY HENDERSON
Paid Reformers' Foster Dis
content, Speaker Tells
Local Audience.


books do not make Government but
it is made AND kept alive and strong
only as it is cherished and revered
and inspired by the thoughts and
conduct of individual citizens, de-
! clared l.. ID. Henderson, at the
patriotic exercises at the Palace
Theatre Monday morning He stress
ed the fact that the making OF laws
solves no problems If their observ-
ance dependsf upon force and not
support of the people.
The entire speech was a plea for
adherence to the time-tried and
basic principles of American govern
ment 1t was splendidly delivered
and well received by a good sized
audience.
Sperling Reads Declaration
The patriotic exercises were brief
but appropriate. Harry Sperling
read the Declaration Of Independ-
ence in an impressive manner. Both
he and Mr.. Henderson were pres
ented to the audience by X. e. Rob
ertson. Chairman, in we'll chosen re-
marks Mr.. Robertson prefaced his
| Introduction of Mr. Henderson with
statemtn of the adoption of the
! American's Greed by the American
Bar Association and the American
Legion, and read that creed
The City Band played several
patriotic airs, closing with America
which was sung by the audience.
Text of Speech
In part, Mr.. Hendersons address
follows:
There never was a time when
the material prosperity of the Unit
ed States was as great as at pres
ent. There also has never been a
time in the history of the nation
when its moral influence upon the
world in general was us powerful.
1t would seem that with this mater
ial prosperity and with its attend
ant feeling of usefulness to the
world Americans should be CON
tented people, and yet the reverse
is true We are living in an age of
unrest and criticism Nothing es
capes the notice of the critic re-
ligion. churches schools. government
all are his prey. In fact criticism
has become so profitable a business
that we have in the United States
an army of paid professional reform
ers, who devote their entire time in
an attempt to remedy fancied or real
wrongs and grievances. The majority
of them are obsessed by the idea
that the passage of laws or the
amending of existing laws If carried
on in a wholesale manner will make
of the nation a paradise, at least
such paradise as can be conceived
by their somewhat narrow view
point. They fail to note that laws
are external and that action and
conduct are internal; that the only
reform that is worth while comes
from within and not as result of
the application of external force;
| that morality comes from the heart
and conscience and not from laws
written upon inanimate parchment.
y
Basic Truths Established
Man has dwelt upon the earth
for long period. His present
knowledge is the fruit of much
thought, much trial and error. AS
result of this process certain basic
principles have been laid down as
truths in almost every department
of human endeavor. This is true in
music, in art, in science, and is
likewise true in government. These
broad basis principles are such that
they cannot be departed from with
impunitv. The musician must fol-
low the laws of harmony, the artist
the laws OF color and design, the
scientist the laws of nature, and
the statesman the laws of govern
ment. The American form Of gov
ernment is the result of the accumu-
lation of thousands of years of
political thought. 1t has ben said,
and is probably true, that never be-
fore nor since has there been gath
cred together group of men who
had more experience in government,
who were as deep students of pol
itics. and who were actuated by as
high and lofty purposes as the
fifty-five delegates to the Convention
which adopted the Constitution of
the United States. Theorists were
!, present in this group. The same
cure-alls which we have before us
today were studied and disposed of
CONTINUED on Page Two.)