136 Presidential Addresses 



mere "smartness," as it is termed of mere success 

 ful cunning unhampered by scruple or generosity or 

 right feeling. If a man is not decent, is not square 

 and honest, then the possession of ability only serves 

 to render him more dangerous to the community ; as 

 a wild beast grows more dangerous the stronger 

 and fiercer he is. 



But virtue by itself is not enough, or anything like 

 enough. Strength must be added to it, and the de 

 termination to use that strength. The good man who 

 is ineffective is not able to make his goodness of 

 much account to the people as a whole. No matter 

 how much a man hears the word, small is the credit 

 attached to him if he fails to be a doer also; and in 

 serving the Lord he must remember that he needs to 

 avoid sloth in his business as well as to cultivate 

 fervency of spirit. All around us there are great 

 evils to combat, and they are not to be combated 

 with success by men who pride themselves on their 

 superiority in taste and in virtue, and draw aside 

 from the world's life. It matters not whether they 

 thus draw aside because they fear their fellows or 

 because they despise them. Each feeling the fear 

 no less than the contempt is shameful and un 

 worthy. A man to be a good American must be 

 straight, and he must also be strong. He must have 

 in him the conscience which will teach him to see 

 the right, and he must also have the vigor, the 

 courage, and the practical, hard-headed common- 

 sense which will enable him to make his seeing right 

 result in some benefit to his fellows. 



