he faith
of any party entitled to call itself American. It constitutes truly the
rule of the people. It justifies and sanctifies the authority of our
laws and the obligation to support our Government. It is democracy
administered through representation.

There are only two other choices, anarchy or despotism--Russia, present
and past. For the most part human existence has been under the one or
the other of these. Both have failed to minister to the highest welfare
of the people. Unless American institutions can provide for that welfare
the cause of humanity is hopeless. Unless the blessings of prosperity,
the rewards of industry, justice and liberty, the satisfaction of duty
well done, can come under a rule of the people, they cannot come at all.
We may as well abandon hope and, yielding to the demands of selfishness,
each take what he can.

We had hoped these questions were settled. But nothing is settled that
evil and selfish men can find advantage for themselves in overthrowing.
We must eternally smite the rock of public conscience if the waters of
patriotism are to pour forth. We must ever be ready to point out the
success of our country as justification of our determination to support
it.

No one can deny that we are in the midst of an abounding prosperity. No
one can deny that this prosperity is well distributed; especially is
this true of the wage-earner. Industrially, commercially, financially,
America has been a success. The wealth of Massachusetts is increasing
rapidly. There are large deposits going into her savings institutions,
during banking hours with each tick of the clock more than $12.50, with
each minute more than $750, with each day over $270,000. Wages and hours
of labor were never so favorable. We have attained a standard of living
among our people the like of which never before existed on earth.

Intellectually our progress compares with our prosperity. The
opportunity for education is not only large, but it is well used. The
school is everywhere. Ignorance is a disgrace. The turrets of college
and university dot the land. Their student bodies were never so large.
Science and invention, literature and art flourish.

There is higher standard of justice in all the affairs of life than in
the past. Our commercial transactions are on a higher plane. There is a
moral standard that runs through all the avenues of our life that has
lifted it into a new position and gives to men a keener sense of hon