Page:Frank David Ely -Why defend the nation? Sound Americanism... (1924).pdf/23

Rh are drifting toward the dangerous shoals of the bloc, of many parties, and of minority rule. In these conditions the politician, rather than the statesman, flourishes, and his breed is not the one which builded this Nation from a wilderness.

The conditions of our masses to which we have alluded as establishing a danger line exist in practically all of the older countries, where they have been of far longer duration; but there they have fewer of our blessings, such as our higher wages, regulated industries, free hospitals and libraries, free schools, improved and sanitary living conditions, amusements unending and within the reach of all, in addition to our full possession of the individual rights guaranteed under our Constitution. Thus our dangers are less than theirs, and our structure of government safer. But with lesser questions permitted to fill and sufficing to occupy the public mind, lesser men suffice to meet the demands for filling public office mediocrity rules, and superficiality may be said to be one of the crimes of the day and age. Mere politicians are hailed as statesmen, malingerers and profiteers abound, and the public treasury is oppressed with demands the meeting of which has inordinately taxed agriculture and industry and endangered stability. To cure our real and imaginary political and economic ills, legislation is invoked on the slightest pretext, regardless of the fact that wealth results from the untrammeled operations of commerce under the laws of supply and demand. Freedom of speech too frequently verges on license, and discipline has all but vanished. Over-regulation of personal habits; the over-development of reforms into well established, well paying occupations for the professional reformers; governmental interference in business to an illogical degree; and widespread neglect of our religious duties to our own very decided detriment, are among our most common evils. Radicalism threatens established property interests, and until the rights of property are clearly respected—until the frame of mind throughout the great body politic demands most thorough respect for property as well as for life, business cannot gain that volume and stability which the natural impetus of world growth offers to impart. When business flourishes there is ample employment, fair prices, and good times for all.