New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-16
"UHjT rs ALL THIS, WORTHp

are as nothing compared WITH tic "'H'oi''i"
tons usually accompanying the canvass, we
have still quite enough of clamor, enoigh Oh
criticism and complaint, enough OF uncaSheSS
and distrust and fault finding to set us tilihk-
ing seriously of our work III the Woild as Il
people and the actual progress we are making
in it, But a few days ago we were burning
powder, ringing bells, waving flags ana pan
ncrs, in our somewhat noisy and haunting
fashion celebrating the one hundrcdth anniycr-
sorv Of the nations birth. We are still in
orr centennial, and notwithstanding our dll-
ferences as to which party Is more likely I'd
bring everything tumbling Ill rum about
our ears, still rejoicing IN some mea-
sire over our national achievements dur
ing the century. We are jubilant because
one hundred years ago these colonies cast Oh
the restraint of British monarchy. and have
since been free and Independent. Well. free
dom is a good thing, for those who are III lor
H. If il i clear that we are the better for
our freedom, if we have 80 wisely used it rs
to secure better government than that from
which we escaped we do well to rcJoice. but
let us not confound the blessings we derive
from other circumstances with those conferred
by our form of government. we have, Tor
example broad domain of fertile territory,
vast undcVcloped resources, singular attrac-
tions for the adventurous or cnterprlsing OF
other lands, and free homestead Tor every
body. These are great blessings. III Is dl'h-
cult to Judge how much they have contributed
10 our industrial and commercial prosperity.
But we do not owe them TO any form OF gov
eminent. These our fathers would have en-
loved if they had remained coOnsts and sub
iects of Great Britain. In what respect mas
our form of government proved better than
that of Great Britain, the Dominion OF Can
ada, or Australia
We cannot boast particularly pure govern
ment. In fact, we are especially conscious
that our Government has been disgracctulIy
coru,pt. and we mean to have Il national
housc-clcanng. Nor can we boast very
economical Government. Municipal govern
ment alone costs us more than all forms OF
government cost Great BrItain-itS Crown, ltS
oristocrocy. its Established Church, its dis
satisfied Ireland. its enormous standing army
its scattered garrisons all over the world, its
vast nayics which uphold the majesty OF
Great Britain on every sea and In every
foreign port Besides this we have costly Strc
and national establishments, and are probably
the best taxed people on the face OF the earth.
We do not boast of these things III TACT,
we regard them "a grave evils which we
mean To reform by orr votes. Ii Is rot
quite clear that we get "a much Tor our
money as some other people. Life Is not
better protected here, nor property, nor hui
man rights than under the British Crown.
Indeed, in many parts of this country, there Is
less efficient protection than the British sub
iect enjoys. Our cities are moi better grarded,
paved, built, lighted, or supplied with water,
than some in foreign lands where the taxes
are much lower We have only to cross over
into Canada and buy a suit of clothes, or any
one of many necessary articles, TO learn that
all our enterprise, freedom, inventive genius,
and unriyalcd natural resources have not yet
enabled us to supply human wants at lower
cost than they are supplied elsewhere. I'm Fact,
though those resources have attracted hosts of
immigrants from tho crowded shores of En-
gland. we have seen within the last two years
that thousands have returned to the old conn
try because, though wages in our land
were high, they could do better there than
here. Oar burdens Of taxation. ind the greater
burdens which a vicious currency imposes, are
so great that in times of general embarrass-
mcIt LABOR Ill OlutI CouHt!l'S mas id''''i wv
best of it.
On the whole what is it that we rejoice
ovcr7 We have a curcncy and fiscal sys-
fem unfit for "A civilized nation, and we re-
ioce that we have freedom to change them.
We have taxes and burdens such as no otht
civilized land cudures, and we rejoice that we
have freedom to Tighten the load. We have
civil service thoroughly rotten, dcmoralizing.
and disgraccful, and we rejoice that we have
freedom to reform it. In a word we have
governed ourselves badly, ard have abused
our freedom as if we were utterly unfit Tor 1t.
Yet we most heartily rejoice, because we have
the opportunty TO show that we can and will
do better That is the worst and the best of
free government. 1t makes plumbers. But 1t
also makes men. Through continual errors
and stumbles, which prove chat it has not yet
learned to go alone, the child gains the
strength and the sclf-command to walk.
century of freedom has only proved that we
are not yet fit to govern ourselves. But 1t has
educated whole nation so that at last they
begin to know what good government ia, and
TO strive for it resolutely. Rightly considered,
this same spirit of reform, which has over
powered the baser elements in both parties, is
the finest fruit of American freedom.
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TIE COTTON MANUFiCTURE.
Mcrrimack has fallen TO 1927 80. TO those
familiar with the prices of New England manu-