The Chemawa American, October 01, 1914, Page 11, Image 11

THE CHEM AW A
AM ERICAN
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Y esterday we m ade a new law to p revent finan­
cial panics, and yesterday, m aybe, a school teacher in
O hio ta u g h t his first letters to a boy who will one day
w rite a song th at will give cheer to th e m illions of o u r
race. W e are m aking the fla g .”
B u t,” I said, im p atien tly , “ these people were
only w o rk in g !”
T h en cam e a g reat shout from T he Flag:
T h e w ork th a t we do is the m aking of the flag.
I am not th e flag at all. I am b u t its shadow .
I am w hatever you m ake me, n o th in g more.
I am your belief in yourself—your dream of w hat a
People may become.
“ I live a ch an g in g life, a life of moods and p a s­
sions, of h eart breaks and tired m uscles.
“ Som etim es I am stro n g w ith pride, when men do
an honest w ork, fitting th e rails to g eth er tru ly .
Som etim es I droop, for then purpose has gone
from me, and cynically I play th e cow ard.
‘Som etim es I am loud, garish, and full of th at ego
th a t blasts ju d g m en t.
“ But alw ays, I am all th at you hope to lie, and
have courage to try for.
I am song and fear, stru g g le and panic, and e n ­
nobling hope.
I am th e d a y ’s w ork of the weakest m an, and the
largest dream of the most darin g .
“ I am the C onstitution and the courts, statu tes and
th e statu te m akers, soldiers and d read n au g h t, d ra y ­
m an and street sweep, cook, counselor, and clerk.
“ I am th e battle of yesterday, and the m istake of
tom orrow .
“ I am th e m ystery of the men who do w ith o u t
know ing w hy.
“ I am th e clutch of an idea, and the reasoned p u r­
pose of resolution.
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