The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-07-20
CAN 4 POOR MAN GET RICH.

As a general rule, fourth Of July ora
tons are oratorical productions of very
little merit or originality. The occa-
sion bcin" noisy one, the ambition of
the popular orator adapts itself to the
resonant condition of his surroundings,
and lest suppressed patriotism should
damage his diaphragm, he makes
saiety-valve of his mouth, through which
the verbal vapors safely, but not silent
" subside AS an occasion for declama-
tory display, the fourth of July may,
seriously speaking, be said to have been
invented solely for the benefit of gran
eloquent lawyers and soul-stirring
preachers, which opportunity they gen
orally improve to soar away above the
ordinary realities of this solid earth,
and to indulge in the fairy fretwork of
fancy, or in the baseiess fabric of their
day dreams. Occasionally, however,
your fourth of Jul y orator proves him
self man of sense, and instead of in
dulging in the cheap luxury of oratori-
cal "slush," he addresses himself to
the minds and intelligence of his audi
ence, by forcible presentation Of un-
welcome truth, Or by stripping popular
error of its deceptous DISCUSSES.
We have before us, the report of just
such a speech delivered on the 4th in
slant in a Western town. The speaker
sensibly ignores the customs of the
occasion, and portrays the means by
which men rise in this country to posi-
lions Of influence and independence,
and in doing so, illustrates the absurd
ity of the theory-now so prevalent
promulgated by lazy tramps and crazy
Communists, that the poor man has no
chance in A merica that he is the slave
Of the capitalist that the wealthy !"
class is fixed and that it is impossible
of entrance to the poor man. He illus
trates the falacy of the idea, by indi-
vidual instances, Of exceptional bust
ness success in his State-lllinois. We
can do the same in Maryland, and no
where more forciblv than in Cecil coun-
ty. \ glance at the list of successful
men in Cecil will show that few of them
inherited wealth, or owe their success
to influential connections. The per-
sonal history of the most successful
mechanic of our county, who, during
his life time, filed so large a space in
the public esteem, and but recently de-
ceased at Wilmington, is striking case
in point. The man who now manages
the most extensive business of the coun-
ty, and which is recognized among the
most important in the State, started
life equally friendless. The most sue
cessful professional man to-day in Cecil
county also is indebted only to individ-
ual endeavor There are indeed, few
exceptions to the well-established fact
that their success is the result of per-
sonal effort, and that they ocere poor men,
acho, By force Of character, By brains and By
industry, hare come 10 tile 'front.' What is
true here is equally the case the coun-
try over The leading incidents in the
early lives of the representative men Of
the nation, who, by their enterprise,
genius, and courage have fostered and
developed its material interests, pre-
sent a striking similarity, and incul-
cate one common lesson-the well-told
tale of earl Y adversely, and the instruc-
tive lessons of selfdenial Turning to
the admirable address already referred
to, the illustrations of the success of
poor and friendless young men are
forcible and striking:
The man who owns the most stores
in the town worked out when an ap-
prentice for twenty-five dollars a year,
and clothed himself out of it. The
most successful dry good merchant, one