The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-11-06
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rConcluded from first page.
of our people when the man OF intelli-
oenoe and education and Drawn will not
brook to be driven away with his wife
and children into the outskirts Of the
wild forest, there to rear himself home
away from the advantages Of civlliZa-
ton, when down in the valley are
thousands and tens Of thousands of acres
of untitled virgin soil upon which swine
are roaming in freedom. Every public |
school that raises its walls toward high
heaven; every child that learns its A B
c at the expense of the vast multitude
of taxpayers; every intellect that ex-
pands under the benefcent influence Of
our free institutions, is building up q
bulwark Of defense against the encroach-
ments Of landed monopolists. And these
will in time rise up against all those
whose aim is to accumulate broad acres,
which they cannot take with them
when they die, but which, after they
are dead, are held by them, according to
our statutes, forever.
The landed domain is the foundation
of our Republic, and as we are building
an edifice Of freedom, we must begin
with the foundation, and that is why l
thus call your attention to it. l have
not time, and, indeed, it would not now
suit my purpose, to show you step by
step and link by link in the great chain
of human possibility, how this network
is to be interviewer in the great web Of
human interest. wish merely, il can,
to startle you with the crude idea, that
you may talk about it, digest it, and
laugh at and ridicule it, if you please;
but think about 1t.
Many a gentleman has said to me
within the last two years, and the state
ment has been made, too, by those who
were themselves large land owners, ''The
principle upon which you build is right,
and ultimately must prevail"
have said that this government is
theoretically built upon the idea that it
Is Of the people and by the people
Practically, IL is administered upon the
Idea that il Is q government of finance,
of landed monopoly Of masculine gem
der, of corporations and of cash. sup
pose that every thinker who looks into
my face tonight will confess that 1
have stated the matter precisely as it is.
Now, suppose that all this govern
mental domain-all that is owned by
monopolists-should belong, as it ought,
and rs it one day must, just exactly as
the people do to the government Of the
United States. Suppose then that every
man who wanted to possess an interest
in this governmental domain had to
comply with certain acts and regula-
tions-the simpler and more easily COM
pretended the Extraordinarily, by pay
ing into the governmental Golfers an
nually, such and such a stipend, he
might be protected in his inallenable
rights upon the soil forever. Then
would arise feeling CT security-An up
lifting of the idea of the Importance o.
human life and human labor. Then nC
longer would the man who now works
all his days to pay continually the ac
cruing interest of mortgage feel that 1
months illness would unhouse him anC
drive his children penniless and desti
tute into the stormy street. And thil
feeling of security, veribly believe
would not work to the enervating o
human character but altogether to the
contrary. believe that it would stimu,
late men to build up around their beau
tiful homesteads, under the possibilities
Of long possession, those improve.
ments that would cause the wilderness
everywhere to blossom as the rose. II
would impel those who are surrounded
with that which makes them comforta-
bic always-and l have shown that
whenever people are comfortable, they
are inclined 10 be good-to reach out
after art and science and religion, and
higher civilization, and all the beauti-
ful and beneficent ideas which human
beings should aspire TO to make this Re.
public what it ought to be. Then the
great millionaire who wastes his means
so often now in laying claim to thous.
ands Of broad acres, merely that he may
drive all other human beings beyond
their confines into the rocky district'
and byways, where privation reigns su'
preme will have opportunity, not to yielC
to such temptations, but rather to use
the means with which Heaven hai
blessed him in assisting his neighbour
In building up and beautifying sur
rounding habitations, and in loaning o
his abundance to those who are less for
tunate than he, TO help in making NJ
this great network OF a government o.
homes.
In the near future / see before US, no
g government under which men can col
leet themselves as now, and hold eau
cuses and concoct plots by which they
may overreach their neighbors In th'
carrying out of some pet scheme, by
which they may amass broad acres ant
consequent rich possessions, but / Sc,
the network of a beautiful creation
which shall spead the rami6cations o
Its influence out over all the earth, Civ
Ing the people confidence, inspiring th,
great public heart with that patriotism
tnat Is born of trust, and that reposes In
the bosom Of every honest man who
ieArns to trust his fellow-man, becauss
ne Is In himself trustworthy.
onAll attempt to portray 10 Won
What see as the Destiny of our Ea,,,h.