The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-11-06

tiny should point us not so much to our
future financial greatness-not so much
to grand piles of architecture, monu-
mental structures of human greatness
that shall live in the annals of history
long after we shall have passed away
should point not nearly so much to our
grand system Of railroads and telegraphs
and to everything that betokens high
state of rapid life and rapid civilization,
as it should point to the necessity that
the human mind shall reach out and
grasp after the possibilities that are
ever clustering around the humblest son
and daughter of God.
We, as a people, have become so en-
crossed in the mad search for gain, that
we have forgotten too often to look from
| our own fancied greatness as a Republic
down into the lower strata of human
life, and cast about us to see whether or
not it may be possible to benefit those
who are not so well situated as ourselves.
And We, too, have grown so sordid and
selfish, the most of us, that we are too
apt too look down upon those who have
been imbued with humanitarian ideas,
and dared to work accordingly.
We are often told that if we would be
happy, we must be good; and while l
know that there is much truth in this
idea in the abstract, yet let US cast about
us and see il there is not much human
destiny that is attributable not so much
to mans want of goodness as to his want
of happiness; and then, having seen
that the reason why so many people are
not good is because they are not happy,
let US see if there is not a reason why
they are not happy which the hunIani
tartan can reach; and, reaching, apply it
to those whom he may have opportunity
to benefit. 1t is very easy for the man
or woman who is surrounded with every
thing that makes life pleasant and
agreeable to be good. We naturally
feel, when the world goes smooth with
US, and our neighbors treat us well, and
our friends respect us, it is very natural,
l say, for US in circumstances like these
to feel that after all we are walking in
about the right way, and then we are
thoroughly satisfied with ourselves
Now, let the same human being who il
thus so good, genial, pleasant, comforta
BILE, and affable, be suddenly deprived o
house and lands, of home and family
and kindred, and be thrown out upoI
the cold charity of the world, penniless
suffering and destitute; such as is th,
case with nine-tenths Of the people o
this great Republic who go first into the
pathways of crime. Let us suppose tina
one of these good men or good womer
who never has been seriously tempted
never has seriously gone astray, is sud
denly placed in one of the worst condi
tions sofdestitution. Think you when thu
pangs fhunger take hold upon the vitals
when the storms of heaven beat pitt
lessly upon the uncovered head, wher
it seems that human sympathy and hu
man agency have gone from him, think
you that he would not then be very
likely to break some of the great com.
mandments which all his life before he
has found it easy to live up to? Ithink
that we too often lose sight of this con.
sideration when we would censure those
who go astray.
This country is or ought to be a gov
ernment of homes. 1t is built upon
that grand idea. Never were truel
words uttered than the glorious ones
that proclaim the glad tidings that this
! government of ours should be ''Of the
people, for the people, and by the peo-
ple.n Yet, such is our system of finance
! such have been the manipulations o.
our money kings in the carrying on o.
business through the various ramifica'
; tions of commerce, that we are in reality
not a government OF the people and by
the people, but government of money
) by money! government of landed
monopolies and coporations and cash.
! Ere this, indeed, shall have become
government of the people aud by thr
f people, it must be so emphatically gov
3 ernment of homes, that nowhere within
E all our borders shall there be those wht
need to be without q home, wherein
they may repose under their own vim
r and fig tree. In order that we may &C
? complish this idea, is it necessary tina
8 in the Destiny of our Republic men AM
: women shall upset many of the finan
e cial theories that have gone abroad, tina
: have descended to US from the old feuda
e1 times-from the days when might mad
= right.
4 Instead of considering the claims c
s money as paramount to all other claims
f is it not about time that we should cas-
: about us to see whether or not the claim
of humanity are not SUPERIOR Thi
] ultimately is to be the Destiny of on
J, Republic. Yet what we, as a nation
shall be compelled to pass through er
}, that ultimatum shall be reached,
!, would not dare to tell you even If
n could, because so desirous are we to hol'
on to that which we may compass lie
t gally-whether rightfully or not, n
Z matter, so it is legal-so determined ar
. we to endure present laws SO long a
{ they may be endurable, rather thal
: make any radical change, that it vii
q be long before the great masses of tn
8 people shall be enabled to see clearly th
!, real condition of their own interests an
K demand the recognition of their ina
y ienable rights.
E? Go to the island of Great Britain, an
t YOU will find that thirty thousand mo