The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-04
REASON
BY Frederick Lands

ton Of Independence Thre10
a Flaming Torch Into the
Polcde1' Magazine of Rising
World RoStIeSsneSS.
COLUMBUS discovered America
~ in 1892. but it was to be al
most 800 years before America
should discover the common people.
This agreeable event, the greatest
surprise party ever given royalty,
occurred in Philadelphia on the
fourth day of July, 1916, when q
band of gentlemen adopted a De-
claration Of independence written
by Thomas Jefferson and handed
it to John Bull to swallow raw,
capsules not being invented at the
time.
Had some stranger from a neigh
boring planet gazed upon the de-
liberations Of those immortal rebels,
he would have thought their pur-
pose far from what it was, for their
elegance Of department and attire
suggested that the welfare of the
masses was quite remote from their
soucitude.
Such stranger doubtless would
have thought them the directors
Of some power trust, met to irri-
gate the stock and secure from the
public service commission authority
to climb the public porch.
The rags OF want were not in
evidence; the wild eye of the radical
did not CLEAN; the bristling hair
with which the cartoonist crowns
the disturber's dome of thought was
absent.
The proceedings were solemn, save
when John Adams of Massachu-
settes with the hot needle of elo-
quence, tatooed the image of a
monster upon the countenance of
Mr.. Bull
THEY wore powdered wigs, ruff
4 fed shirts, lace collars, swal-
low tailed coats, satin vests, knee
breeches, silk stockings, low shoes
with silver buckles.
1t was the most elaborate dis
guise revolution ever wore.
They were aristocrats, the most
of them, proud of their lineage.
quick to resent affront, holding
personal honor and human rights
more pecious than all else.
The declaration they adopted
caused political earthquake which
shook every throne on earth, for
while directed against England, it's
affirmation, "All men are created
equal put a chip upon the should
er Of the common man in every
land. 1t pointed the dagger at the
heart Of monarchy.
The signers of that declaration
did not know it, but they were
throwing a flaming torch into the
powder magazine of rising restless
ness around the world, they were
blazing a trail through the wilder
ness OF oppression, a trail along
which many nations we're to march
in coming years, nations bearing
banners speaking strange tongues,
but all Of them banners of freedom.
Asia, Europe, South America were
to march that way; continents were
to follow in the footsteps Of those
men at Philadelphia!
Z
THIS is what they did, but what
4 have we done?. Let us con-
template the fruits of our political
indifference.
Plumber, running through govern
ment from township to nation, is
the first political influence; in most
states every known form Of vice
has not only actually been adopted,
but standardized in party methods;
Decency has recoiled from conflict
with indecency and statesmen have
vanished while midgets swarm over
public life; the viper Of privilege
wraps round the tree of government
and parasites sting its every leaf!
Our fathers banished the tyrant,
but We have embraced the thief.
This sickening delinquency of the
American citizen, this persistent re,
fusal to protect and preserve a sa4
cred heritage is the most amazing
page in the history Of government.
The real way for the American
people to celebrate the Fourth of
July is to turn over a new leaf,
drive the bed bugs from the house
hold Of the Fathers, fugimate it
then take care Of it throughout
the years to come!