Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-09-11
PortioI Text of Speech 7
By President to Choirmen

that bad officials are elected by
good voters who do not vote.
II we are going to have gov
eminent by the people. then the
man who is trying to exercise
his rights and duties as q citi-
zen makes certain that others
are voting-not only in order to
promote the fortunes of his own
political life. but to make sure
that this type Of government
shall not perish from the earth.
Now, what did he mean by "for
the people?"
It seems to me here is one Of
the tall riddles Of free govern
ment.
"For The People"
For the people," We have seen
the phrase tortured by damogo-
gic types" to mean that an over
wise and over-busy governmental
bureaucracy takes over all the
functions of living. They say.
nov go on, boys, do just what
you are told and we will take
care of the 165 million people"
And they tortured the general
welfare clause Of the Constitu-
ton.
I don't believe that is what
Lincoln meant at all. II we are
for the people. which means for
the individual as such, we go first
to the ten first amendments Of
the Constitution-to the Bill of
Rights. That was written for
the people.
That Bill of Rights does not
guarantee to each Of us a profit
able living. 1t guarantees to each
Of us an equal opportunity with
all others to earn our living for
ourselves and for our families,
and to protect our future.
Republican Philosophy
We could discuss further what
we mean by "for the people. II
But I refer to another quotation
of Lincoln's which was generally
to this effect: the function of
government is to do for the peo-
pie what the individual cannot
do at all. or do so well for him.
self. and in all those things
which the individual can do for
himself. the Government ought
not to interfere.
Now I think today that is asl
good a presentation of the Re-
publican case as ! know how toi
make. It puts it in terms and in
words that all Of us not only
understand. but which we can
make others understand.
In attempting to summarize
the philosophy Of the Republican
Party, I, myself, have sometimes
used such phrases as moderate
progressive and dynamic con-
sentative, because we want to be
known for what we are. the
party Of progress.
And If we are the party of
progress. we must be the party of
peace and prosperity, because
this is implicit in the term
progress" But I don't believe
that you can sloganize the kind
of honest philosophy that the
Republican Party is trying to
promote in the United States.
If we can live by that philoso-
ply, however, then think we
have proved our worthiness to be
the instrument through which
the people Of the United States
carry on the job of government
Of the people. by the people, and
for the people. And representa-
tive government shall not perish
from the earth.
Cites Cromwelfs Army
We have a great cause for
which to fight. Possibly this
manner Of cause, something in
which you believe. is deeper with
an old soldier than 1t is with
some. In the military life you
are required to study whole
campaigns. the careers Of lead
ers-how did they think. how
did they produce the things they
wanted?
One man who always attract
ed me because Of his military
career, rather than anything
else, was old Cromwell. Crom-
wells army had the sternest and
toughest discipline Of any army
that I know of in the world. 1t
had been the belief that if you
had that kind Of discipline, you
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