Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-07-10

the land is owned by those who till it,
and the government edncates all the
people, then arc the Foundations being
! laid broad and deep for confined pros
perity and wealth.
The United States of Amcrica--this
i grand heritage we claim as our own
stands higher in these respects than
any other nation does or ever did
The great majority of the citizens own
the homes they occupy and the soil
they till, while liberal and bencficent
government offers, without money and
without price, out of the public do
main, home TO all the homeless. Be-
sides this, in most Of the states a free
1 education is offered to every child,
/ without regard TO race or nationality.
/ With such privileges the portion OF
every citizen, is it any wonder that the
| less favored of other lands forsake
their "altars and their fires, the green
graves Of their aires, cross tile main
and cast their future and their chill
dren's future with us.
Upon us of this day, and upon those
| in the future, devolves the heavy re-
sponsibility of maintaining undimin.
ished the glory OF our national repu-
tation, and guarding it against the in.
sidious attacks of national decay. And
more than this have we to do. Still
another work. devolves upon us, and
we are unworthy of our noble pedi.
gree do we prove false to our trust.
Our sires have commenced most
noble structure. How great, not even
themselves knew. For US it remains
to raise higher the pile, deepen the
foundations, broaden the base, beauti-
fy and carry forward towards compile.
tion the work, and transmit ii to pos.
terity, enlarged and glorified, untouch.
ed, uncontaminated by the seeds of ia.
cipient decay. How2 How can VIC
all, even to the humblest, contribute
our quota to this national work How
share in the glory Of building this
wonderful edifce.
Not all can work in the same chan
mel not all carry the hod or gild the
dome; not all can cut the stone or
place the crown ON the goddess Of lib.
erty; but each in his self-appointed
place, with equal zeal and for an equal
reward, can help to build. Let me
repeat remark made few moments
ago. The people want happiness, aud
the end Of government and civilization
is best attained and the prosperity and
happiness of the people best measured
by the number of beautiful and happy
homes.
How then can we better advance the
nations prosperity? How can we
brighter gild its glory? How can we
safer insure its perpetuity than by lay
ing broad and deep the foundation on
which the national structure rests-the
homes Of the people.
This is mainly q community of free.
holders. whether residents Of village
or country. The people own the homes
they occupy. The broad egis of be-
neficent government Is over them,
protecting them in the full enjoyment
of vested rights. They are permitted
to pi0w, to sow. to reap, TO labor and
to rest, to weep or laugh, TO wall or
sing, to tend their herds or gather fruit.
live in Incidence and poverty or indus
try and plenty. Each citizen marks
out and travels his own path, subject
to no penalty save such as his own
works bring down on his head. Such
being the case, the prosperity Of the
individual, and incidentally the well
fare of the nation rest upon the acts of
The individual himself. On each one
rests the fearful responsibility of sus-
tanning and perpetuating the noblest
is especially his duty, and duty which
he is bound by all the instincts of hon.
or and patriotism to perform: TO
guard his freehold, his home, against
loss; to till IL, to enrich it, to beautify
ii, to make it attractive aud lovely, and
leave 1t at the end of life the better
that he has lived. There is no class of
people so eligibly situated to add to
the material and permanent wealth
and prosperity Of nation as the free
holder. And what are we doing rs o
rule, with this rich heritage of ours
Look abroad over Iowa, the beautiful
land, and how many dwellings do you
see which fill your idea Of what q
home should beY Take a look at our
village lots and our farmers houses
and their surroundings. The outlook
Is painful, sad. dscouraging. The
villages are bad enough, but (and
say 1t with shamedness Of face). the
l CouIitIg Is iuuHitVls "OIst. We uiiCI5
of the soil ought to hide our heads in
an agony of shame that we have such
unhomelike homes. Look at them as
you usually see them--a house, COM
bining in a remarkable aud apparently
| impossible degree, all the points of
architectural ugliness and economic
Inconvenience, exposed to the full
force of the biting blasts of winter and
| the scorching sun Of summer. Hens,
pigs and calves are enticed by numer-
GUS savory crums and slops to use their
numerous ingenious devices to beauti-
fly and purify the adjoining grounds
and atmosphere.
Perhaps romantic and grotesque
fence formed of boards and rails
thrown at various angles encloses the
house and stable In common yard.
The kitchen garden contains few dis.
couraged beets and cabbages which are
carrying on an unequal contest agsinst
weeds and poultry, and long ere fall
will be utterly annihilated by some
nocturnal visit from the neighbor's row
ing steers. The wheat field Is large and
fine; the corn crop vast aud we'll
titled, the owners home is f? We
have seen the outside. let us look with
in. Climb over this rail- fence here is
. low place, and a beaten track indi-
Gates 1t to be the proper place to 60
over. Approach the door over a rough
bare tract of ground, bearing abund-
ant evidence Of the recent visits oi
various kinds Of stock. Make little
detonr to avoid maternal swine who
Ia attending TO the demands of her nu.
merous young vocalists. Stop mo.
ment to see il those vile looking curt
really intend to execute their threats
Shoe hen and chickens from off the
Iporch and step within. A woman
tired and worn with ver-work, wei.
comes you with abundant apologies
and offers you seat where you car
take an inventory of the comforts o1
this farmer's home. This room il
kitchen, dairy and dining room. The
eldest daughter ia churning with tht
expression of doomed galley slave
and the mother is preparing dinner :
Salt pork, potatoes, bread, butter, and
strong tea or coffee constitute the meal
1t is duplicate Of the breakfast, anG
the supper will repeat the same. NJ
peas, no lettuce, no radishes, mo aspara
gus no fresh vegetables OF any kind. NJ