The statue is in the attitude of preparation to speak. What is that brain formulating for those lips to utter? The expression of brow and eyes and lips leaves no doubt. It is some thought of freedom and justice, some one of those many mighty democratic thoughts which will echo forever in the minds and hearts of men. Let us recall three of those thoughts: “The authors of the Declaration of Independence meant it to be a stumbling block to those who in after times might seek to turn a free people back into the hateful paths of despotism.” “That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth.” “I say that no man is good enough to govern another man without that other man’s consent. I say that this is the leading principle, the sheet-anchor.” These were the ideas that found this country a few ragged settlements trembling between a hostile sea and a hostile wilderness and built it up to its present estate of democratic grandeur. Not tyranny, not murder disguised as war, not robbery disguised as “benevolent guidance,” not any of the false and foolish ideas of imperialism and aristocracy. But ideas of peace, of equal rights for all, of self-government. Our era, conscious of the mighty works that can be wrought, conscious that we are all under sentence of speedy death, eagerly seeks out the young man, the obscure man. It has need of all powers and all talents, especially of the talents for creating, organizing, directing. Instead of it being true that a good man doesn’t have a chance any more, the reverse is true--inferior men have chances greatly beyond their powers, and immature men are forced into important commands, and discredited and ruined, so impatient is the pressure for men to do the world’s important work. This is the day of the man who wants a chance. It is also a day in which we hear a great deal about the “unruly class.” This phrase is employed to designate some vague element in the masses of the people that is naturally turbulent and ever looking about for an excuse to “rise” and “burn, slay, kill.”