Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 248, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1920 — Americanism [ARTICLE]

Americanism

BY LEONARD WOOD

E^mUoml aaact justice to all mb, of whatever state or persnasioa, retifioa «r politic*. —Tlwenas Jaffarsaat First iaaagatal address. AN Intending immigrant who has read these words finds tn them •efficient Impulse for hlB change of state. Perhaps nowhere can there he found a better description of 4he foundations of American political life than in these words of the third president. In them is to be found the essence of Americanism, as die fathers intended It to be. Americaatxstion. whether of the native born or the foreign bont lncludes within Its scope an effort to make all citizens realize that freedom of thought and the right to express it are birthrights, provided of course that the freedom does not become license and the words are not counter to the spirit of Americanism Itself. For agM the right to think and to speak the thoughts of the heart were denied to men in many of the countries of the world. America was the first real refuge Cor thus* who were seeking a place where they could, with others, have a voice in-their government and the right to pray to God after a mannet dictated by their con sciences. It was one among the few countries of the world one hundred years ago where the words “equal and exact justice to all men” meant what they said. The words are as true today of the United States as they were when Jefferson spoke and this is said in full knowledge of the fact that complaints of Inequalities of justice frequently rare heard. All things are comparative. Justice Calls legs frequently in the United States than elsewhere. It is within the power of people acting under American Impulses, using their voices and their votes to the purpose to make all complaints groundless and to bring that perfection of procedure which shall insure to justice a permanent place in this country's life. -Of whatever politics;" Americantaa* pays no heed to the color of a man’s politics- It is in the nature of things, that a man's political opinions an hie own not to be Interfered with nor their expression denied. Amertcanimtion. and again let it be mid whether of the native born or of the foreign born, does not concern Itself with a man's political faith, but It should concern Itself deeply with giving a man a proper understanding of the hmm of the political faiths of rhe country of which be is a citizen. “Equal and exact justlce-to all men. «f whatever state, persuasion, religion or jpoiitics.” This is the foundation upon which the great American political faith is builded.

The Queen Erthere of the Methedict church wffl hold a market »t the Co-Operative meat market Saturday, Make your Sunday dinner purwases of them. F