The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-04-22


n harsh but sagacous dcspot. has doubled its
population in the last five. A moro decisive dis
proof Of the notion that elasticity and expan-
sion are specific fruits Of popular government
IL supplied 10y the burcaucratic-m itary scheme
devised by Frederick the Great whose field OF
application since the Seven Years war has been
extended from about four millions to forty mil
lions OF souls Here too. we might cite another
instance OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT contemporaneous
with our own. but more imposing. in the Brit
sh Empire Of India. which has swollen since
1850 from II few trading posts on the Bay OF
Bcnga! TO a dominion OF over two hundred and
forty millions of human beings. Mr. Evara
would say that British and Prussian increment
WIS gained by conquest but that ia only par
TALLY true. and while W. keep California and
Nevada we have no standing in court to urge
the plea At all events. no such exception
can be taken to the development. CONNIE nsuratc
with our own. Of the Australian colonies and Of
New Zealand during the last quarter OF cen
fury. Finally. II mere breadth Of area Is TO
gauge. in any sort the rank OF Statcs. wa may
bear in mind that thruc sovcrcisns. the En-
pcrors Of Russia and China and the Queen OF
England, hold sway over wider territory
while not only the Emperor Of Brazil. but the
Sultan OF Turkey uf W. reckon the dominions
oi his Egyptian vassaO control about the same
number OF square miles rs do the United States.
These facts ought to he trite enough but il IS
not the inult of Ccmtcnn al orators that they are
not more strange than the rots NJ mid Afri-
ca or the mysteries OF the Cabala. twill hardly
he claimed that such suggestive comparisons
were less gernane 10 tho bus nc-s of our annl-
versary than sterile hypcrooe and wild rhodo-
mont,de. In weighing the accomplishment OF
this people. and defining its status among the
tFH..taa 4
WIS slur upon the intelligence and candor Of
the citizen.
Among tho material proofs Of our national
prosperity Mr. Evarts. like the ruck Of our
anniversary spec 'hmnkcrs. points Va to the
national wealth. which he informs US has NJ
source hut labor That may be true. hut we
Imagine the New England farmer who mierat's
from the rocky soil OF NV Hampshire 10 tho
ptairlcs Of Illinois could indicate "A circum-
stanc" which deserved 10 he mentioned ~ "A
condition Of production. The orator goes on
To- explain that the accumulation Of capital
cxacts unictt"red activity. but h" does not III
to stnta whether that requirement Is found
among us llo has not "A word to say about the
burden OF the national AMI State indebtedness
under which our Industries stlsger or the
crushing supplemental debt OF our towns
and cities. the payment Of whose interest
net earnings OF the population. 10 COM
pensate for his silence on this un-
pleasant topic. Mr. Fsarts supplies W. with
novel tsi 10 prove the hlLly OF the current no-
tons rcspcctIn. the spread 81 crime and fraud
IN our society. and thu iuad~Iuacy Of existing
means a. uIclr prevention and rtdrcss. These
dlspurasemrnts az the general rrohty. he as
sur''e IL. are rrfutcd 10y the vast prolu-ion II
our wealth. and the infinite trust shown 10y
the manner IN which It Is invested" The
speaker aud,s. OF course. to the multi plication
OF corporations. II movement which. W. submit.
owes It's impetus not 90 "A childlke faith IN
human nature. but to the economical fuc that
small investors ARE now tempted with the pros
poet OF The large gains once monopol.zed 10y
captaliss-a movement. moreover. accord NJ
e. DR.. Sirou-hcrs I,Teie eIp,7tol which entails a
state 81 things necessarily indop pendent OF the
old restraints and sulyersive OF the old mo-
raliy.
Wealth IS not the only voucher 81 peoples
wcl-be.ns ant prestige. and a,.ordin.y the
Centennial spokesman Irus'cis t. MI No our
credentials. anuoun 'lns that knowledge. in
,cllcctuA auv.ty. the mastery Of nature. the
discipline OF life. all that makes up the edura "A.
ton Of community. form the conspicuous
trait in the national character" and lie adds
that learning literature. science art arc cul-
highest
REACH Now. arc these statements true2 II
So W. seem e. occupy an cmln'n 20 wh,re our
chief peril must Ice looked for ia the suite ms
chiefs Of an o,.rweenins spiritual pride. But
as a young. growing. tolerahly rras 1nai 3, M.
ton. might've not Doe satisfied with less Would
II discourage. or would IL rath r stimulate an
earnest and aspiring people a. Dee illl that In
monarrhical Prussia the ruliments 81 ,.iu,a-
ton are more generally d.ffusrd than here. md
that lis higher grades attract AMI dls,ililnca
lar larger number Of youthf ASalL. whatever
may bee said for the learning or the scien 20"
OF this country. we believe that the common
sense aud honesty Of America is shocked by the
eXtrava.,ant boast that our " literature" and our
art" exhibit the highest reach" We are
AT no loss 10 understand such language
and rs It cannot possibly express the
deliberate opinion Of the speaker. We roc
omme nj him ~ sell more skiliu.ly In the future
his contempt for tire general understanding.
The candid citizen OF the republic does not
CLAIM that the record Of her first century is set
on with many capital achievements In the rec
uun 81 llteratur' or art lie does not even pre-
tend ~ 50 many OF his apolos sts do. that the
tim" has hern too hrf for such 'romplish-
mont, fNr he remembers how ma IA WIS summed
in hun lr"d years 10y one Greek CITY AMI on
this head he prof"s-cs a like Difference to the
Italian commonwealth. just what W. hnve
done and what W. seem about Ia do in the chan
nels named is iu-t ono Of the things which his
auditors hoped Ia IND out from Mr.. Evaris
They expected him t. further. not frustrate
the national accounting, to contribute those
helps 20 judgment. striking analosi"s and niea
distinctions in which he WAS presumably moro
richly furnished than his hearers.
There is no doubt that Mr. Evarta is the tvpl-
ca" Centennial speaker" or that lars, MAJ
Jorlty OF tha orators grouped with Him in
this book share his conception Of the temper
AMI service proper b. the occasion. We must
acknowledge that their illusions brtray an
equally low estimate Of the popular intelligence.
Yet W. rlngto our own opinion ON those points.
and II is comforting 10 nnl th' authors of some
half dozen addresses range ihemscly"s on
the same side. There is ~ hyster'al paun.
for instance, in the grave, unyarni-hel words
which MIR Robert c. Winthrop lronoun .od al
B 'ston. For the most part. the scope OF his
theme seems 10 have been biographical. but
when he turns aside for "A moment 10 mark the
political and social outlook, We observe that il
If Ia warn ami not to lull lle tells his fellow
counipmon that we cannot shut our eyes 10