1924 Speech of Bob LaFollette

America is not made in the making. It has today to meet an impending crisis, menacing as any in the nation's history. It does not call a sound alarm, but it is nonetheless a call to patriotism and to higher ideals in citizenship. The patriotic citizenship of the country must take its stand and demand the wealth that it shall conduct its business lawfully, that it shall no longer furnish the most flagrant examples of persistent violation of statutes while invoking the protection of the courts, that it shall not destroy the equality of opportunity, the right to the pursuit of happiness guaranteed by the Constitution, that it shall keep its powerful hands off from legislative manipulation, that it shall not corrupt but shall obey the government that guards and protects its rights. Mere passive citizenship is not enough. Men must be aggressive for what is right if government is to be saved from those who are aggressive for what is wrong. There is work for everyone. The field is large. It is a glorious service, this service for the country.