Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-07
EVENING STAR
Presidents Message.
10 ne StHoie and

ent people, it affords me great pleasure TO
recur 10 the advancement that has been
made from the time OF the Colonies ore
hundred years ago. We were then a people
numbering only three millions. Now we
number more than forty millions. Then in
dustTies were confined, almost exclusively,
TO the tillage of the soil. Now manufacto-
Ties absorb much of the labor OF the country
Our liberties remain unImpaired; the
bondsmen have been freed from slavery; we
have become possessed of the respect, II not
the friendship, of all civilized nations Orr
progress has been great in all the arts; IN
science, agriculture, commerce, navigation.
m'nJug, mechanics, law, medicine, etc; aud
enCcur2 gins. Orr thirteen states have be-
come tnIrty-eight, including Colorado which
has taken the initiatOry steps to become a
state), and eight territories, including the
Indian territory and Alaska and excluding
Colorado, making a territory extending from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. On the south
We nave extended To the Gulfof Mexico, and
i'm the west from the Mississippi to the
Pacific.
One hundred years ago the cotton gin, the
steamship. the railroad, the telegraph, the
Ieapirg, sewing, and modern printing ma
chimes, and numerous other inventions of
scarcely less value 10 our business ana hap
piness were entirely unknown.
In 1916 manufactures scarcely existed even
IN name in all this vast territory. In 1870
more than two millions of persons were en-
Il0yed IN manufactories, producing more
Lually, nearly equal to our national debt.
From LeErly the whole of the population of
l'Ib being engaged in the one occupation of
agriculture, in $50, SO numerous and diver
sized had become the occupation Of our paO-
pie that less than six millions out of rnoTa
than forty millions were so engaged. Tne
extraordinary effect produced in our cOun-
try by resort tn iii versified occupations has
built market FOR the products of fertile
lands distant from the aab9ari and thema
Kets OF the world.
The American system of locating various
and extensive manufactures next TO the
plow and the pasture, and adding connecting
railroads and steamboats,, mas produced ia
our distant interior country result not ice
able by the intelligent portions of all COM
meTcial nations. The ingenuity and skill OF
American mechanics have been demOlStra-
ted ut home and abroad in a manner most
HatteIins 10 their pride. But for the extra
ordinary genius and ability of our mechan-
les, the achievements Of our agriculturiSts,
manufacturers ana transpoTters throughout
me country would have been impossible of
attainment.
The progress Of the miner mas also been
great. or coal our production was small;
now many millions of tons are mined aunu-
ally. So with iron, which formed scarcely
an appreciate part OF our products half
century ago; We now produce more than the
world Consumed at the beginning Of our ma
tiOnal existence. Lead, zinc, and cOpper,
from beng articles OF import, we may expect
10 be large exporters of in the near future.
The development of gold and silver mines
IN the United States and territories
has not only been remarkable, but
mas lad large influence upon the
business OF ali commercial rltfOns
Our merchants IN the last hundred years
nave had success and nave established q
aud integrity unsurpassed by peoples of
older LationalitieS This s.gOOi uai1leu is
rot Confined TO their homes, but goes out
upon every sea and into every port where
commerce enters. With equal pride we can
TClEt to our progress IN all Of the learned
professions.
A !. &c orc non, o,,o,,t : - ~, - 49,. .
Cnd centennial, commencing our IN anboOi
as natiOn-it is well To look back upon the
past and study what Will be best TO preserve
ard advance our future greatness. From the
iall of Adam for his trans gression to tine
present day, no nation has ever been free
rom threatened danger To its prosperity and
happiness. We SHOULD look TO the dangers
threatening us, aud remedy them so FAR as
lies in our power We are republic whereof
one man Is as good as another before the
law. Under such form OF government il is
Of the greatest importance that all Should be
possessed Of education and Intelligence
enorSh 10 cast vote with q right
large association Of Ignorant men
cannot, for any considerable period
oppose successful resistance to tyranny
ana oppression from the educated few, but
Will inevitably sink into acquiescence to the
viii of intelligence, whether directed by fhe
cemagosue or by priestcrait. Hence the
euCc&jlOn OF the masses becomes OF the first
necessity for the preservation OF our institu-
lions. They are worth preserving, because
tney nave secured the greatest good to the
greatest proportion of the population. of anv
tOTm OF government yet devised. All other
forms OF government approach il Just in pro-
portion 10 the general diffusion or education
ard independence Of thought and action. As
the primary step, therefore, to our advance
ment In all that has marked our progress in
The past century, suggest for your earnest
cCuslderatlOn-and most earnestly reconn-
mend it-that a constitutional Amendment
ne submitted 10 the legislatures of the sew
eIaI states foy ratification, making It the
n FNnC 80,
and forever maintain free public schools ade-
quate 10 the education ofalI the children i'm
the rudimentaTy branches, within their re-
SpectlVe limits, irrespective of sex, color,
hi. IN place, or religions; forbidding the
teaching in said schools of religious, atbe-
lsLc, or pagan tenets; and prohibiting the
granting OF any school funds, or school
taxes, or any part thereof either by IesisIs-
I'VE, municipal, or other authority, for the
DeLent, o. IN aid, directly or indirectly, OF
or for the benefit OF any other object Of an1
nature or kind whatever.
IN connection with this important uues-
Importance OF correcting an evil that, If
permitted TO continue, Will probably lead to
great trouble in our land before the close of
Inc 10Th century. II is the accumulation OF
vast amounts OF untaxe church property.
In 1850, believe, the church property OF
me United states which paid no tax, NUM-
Slpal or state, amounted to about <S3 900 900,
IA IoGO the amount had doubled; in 1875 il is
ABOUT 81 ,0O0, 10000 By 1900, without check,
~ Is saIe 10 say this property will reach
sum exceeding 3, 900, 000, 900. So vast a sum
receiving all the protection and dement's OF
government, without bearing its proportion
OF Inc burdens and expenses OF the same
VIII not be looked upon acquiescentIy by
lnose VINO have 10 pay the taxes. In crow
ing country where real estate enhances so
rapidly, with time, as in the United States,
there Is scarcely limit to the wealth that
may oe acquired by corporations religious
or otherwise, If allowed u retain real estate
without taxation. The contemplation of SO
vast property as here alluded TO, without
taxation, may lead to sequestration, with
blood.
! would suggest the taxation of all prop
erty equally, whether church or CORPORATION.
exer pting only the last resting place of the
dead, and possibly, with proper restrictions,
church edffces.
Our relations with most or the foreign
powers continue on satisfactory and friend
~ footing.
Increased intercourse, the extension OF
commerce and the cultivation of mutual
interests have steadily Improved our reIa-
tons with the large majority OF the powers
OF the world, rendering practicable the peace
fnl solution OF questions which from time to
time necessarily arise leaving few which de-
mand extended or particular notice.
IF nar