Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

uticdt - well nS III Us eCuou1t004
Pridfng ourselves upon the grostk nr
railway system. with jet baf 40.o 10
Of people, We 6nd that Ne are alm =
in their power. not 80 much bee %
people may not be able to free - ses
from their grasp. but because ~ 1ies
Of transportation afforded by IL n
meDse lines are really unequal - *
Of moving the limitlcss produce Ne
country. Looking to the near fuiz ~
third of century hence. wheo ess
will be l00. .O00.0 900 Of people uil ~
borders. one-half Of whom will E -
greet Mississippi Valley. the - Z
whose labors alone will task IN -
carrying power Of the present - ~
may be a5.e to realise the faet 81 Afo.
question i reslly = n tl4c
with which we viii have 70 deal 11hd
some system should be inaugur.ted %
day. which will keep pace with the de-
mands Of the multitudes that are 80 swift
ly following US. When We contemplate,
that forever aud ever. with a soil as eS-
haustless as time itself. this great VALLEY,
lying between the mountain chains on tie
east aud west, aud the lakes and the g,.f
Oh the north and south, is to be peopLd
with a race. whose millions upon millitns
are ~ feed and clothe the world with he
labor of their hauds-we may form some
conception Of this sleeping giant, wbois
jus, now but realizing his own strength.
and rousiug himself. as it were, from lis
lethargy. is looking after his future inter
ests. aud giving point to his ideas in ,le
development Of his purposes. in the worl-
ing out Of the great ends Of his resistle.s
destiny. The crowning burden of rcpub
lican government. is the responsibilities Of
government itself. Unlike the abso,ntisms
Of Europe. this burden attaches to the peo-
pie themselves. and the happiness AMI
prosperity Of the people is the measure Of
the mode aud manner in which we look
after this great political inheritance, be.
qucathed to US by our fathers. and whssc
patron saints we annually cauonize on this
great day. 1t is, therefore, our highest
duty as well as our most important inter.
es, TO see that all those who are selected
to fill the various Offices Of the govern
ment, from President down to the lowest
scAc, should fill to its fullest extent the
measure Of that granlest Of all civil ser
vice rules, established by Jefferson him.
self. and embodied in these simple vet
allembracing questions: ''Is he honest
is he competent is he faithful to the Con-
s;tiu,ion - The responsibility Of educa-
tiou is one that pertains to society and to
man without reference to his responsible
ty to government. To-day knowledge is
the greatest power Of the world. It per-
forms seats and labc- which M ss,eapt Of
muscular strength could approach. Its
progress and tendency seems bearing US
onward 70 tl.at unknown and invisible
realm. to end it would seem. in the dis.
covery of the very principle of life itself.
Everything around US teaches US that our
interests lie in obtaining aud developing
all the knowledge man is capable of re-
ceiving. and to no class is this more i'm
! por,ant than the farmer.
| have thus attempted to call your at
tention to some of the burdens aud re-
sponsibili:ies which rest upon the farmer.
thereby the more per,inently to direct at
sention to his interests. | deduce there
from that the very highest interests Of our
class are involved in those questions per-
tanning to peace and good government
/ Peace. that We may have all the leisure
allotted to man for the development of his
great resources-for the mental and NOR
al training of his children, SO that when
he leaves the helm of Government in their
hands they may be endued with that high
courage to press forward in the great paths
that have been opened up before them.
bearing proudly in view the high des.inies
of themselves and their country. until, with
the eonsummation of time. the labors of
man are no longer needed. OF good gov
ernmcnt. sdnha; there may grow up with
in the heart of every one those germs OF
light aud love and strength which give to
government its character, confidence, and
fidelity. bringing in return happiness. pros
pcrity. and contentment. Ii is said tha.
every free government. is but the reflex o.
the average will Of the people. Tha, il
they are vir,uous aud honest their rulers
will also be, but it not, neither will be
their rulers. That a dishonest people can
have virtuous and honest rulers of their
own free choice seems almost impossible
and yet we can readily imagine tha, q ma
tiou of honest people may fall under the
control of dishonest men simply from the
fact that the people. whilst engaged in at.
tention to their home affairs, allow them.
selves to be used Indirectly ic the selfish
interests of those who manipulate party
and party conventions. 4 people who
are thus blinded by mere party and allow
themselves through prejudice or ina,tcn.
ton to matters Of such vital importance
to be thus led by others, may 6ud them.
selves in the end but vassals. bound in q
bondage whose cords may be so strong a.
to successfully resist every effort on thci,
part to unlOose them. Indeed. the peril
nent inquiry Of the hour is. is not such
too nearly your condition to-day: II not
wha. means the existence Of this powerful
band. composed of the peaceful hosts o.
agricul,ur,s,s. extending from the prairie.
Of Minnesota to the sunny glades Of Gcor.
gia-from the beautiful valleys Of New
York to the silver waves Of the Pacific
who are astonishing tie world with ths
raridity aud strength of their erganixa.
ton! Why is i, that on this day all ovel
the grea, State Cf Illinois aud other Wes,
ern States the farmers have assembled and
are putting forth q new declaration Of in
dependence? Aud Why is it that, embod
led in these hosts, we look ia vain for thos.