, 1880-08-17
a SIGN or GOOD TIMES

a RA0N We .0VN0 A4AAEaHs
: Tho monster Masonio demonstration In
Chicago this week has nh importance beyond
tho mngniflcence Of tho display and the wot,-
dur, admiration. and respect which great
numbers always command. It Is especially,
significant Of gcncral prosperity. Three
yrars ago, when the preceding TrIcnntnl Con-
claYe Ut Knights Tenplar was held In Cleye-
land, 1t woul4 have been impossible eyun for
Chicago to brgnhizo such grand 1snd lavisli
affair. Similar effort would not have found
commensurate response from the Chicngo
people, nor from tho people Of the other cities,
nor from the various Communicates through.
out the country. at that time tho country
WIS undergoing tile most severe strain Of the
pAnlc. Everybody was econonlzlng. Any
proposition to oxpend money, excerpt for
nctu1l necessltlcs or III Investments TINT
promised imInedihte returns, was rejected rs
utmost crinlinn!ly wastcful. III fact, ut no
time during tho seven years preceding tho
prcscnt would any occasloil llayo gathered
together 81 many people or met with such
unbonnded liberntity
.cl,ere are now tuw complaints about tho OK
travaEance OF tho present display. rhoso to
,wnom it occurs that tho same amount OF
money might be more usefully Employed read
llyftnd sonlo excuse tor using 1t III tho way Of
decorations or subscriptions. Tho utilttnrinn
vlpw Is, that Chicago as whole will be fully
ropaltl by the now renown It shall win, md
TINT Its population anil trade will be Increased
ln full proportion. Others console themselves
with tho reflection that tho poorer classes
ultimately recotve more benefit fro,n such a
display than anybody else, since tho prcpara-
tlous give exlra employment to lnrge nutu-
bcss Of people, and contribute to tito stores,
manufacturers, alll tralcspeoplo that furnish
regular employment. Still others tako q
special pride In the present dclnonstra.
tim because 1t Is n gigantic conpl1-
mcnt to Sinsonry. Nearly all persons
agree that 1t. furnishes u sort of
holiday md is MI innocent way Of
entertaining. But tic most effective argu.
nent in Justification OF the great Gust OF tho
present Conelaye IL, that times are good and
that liberal distribution Of monty within
proper bounds IL auxfllury to tic malnte-
nnrco thereUf.
There Is another reflection to which thia
yiaw ot tho case naturally leada, and whlc!,
may bo properly addressed to conservative
aI'd thinking men of all party affiliations.
Tho country Is on tho eve Ut n Presidential
| election. Tile chief question before tho pco-
! plo Ia not ono OF any great reform nor vital
principle, but Of proposed change ot pslr-
| tles. 1t is Tor them to decide whether tho
present administrative force shall be kept
practically tntact and the present general
policy continued, or whether there shalt DO
a revolution III tho public service as now or
| gan!zetl ard hazardous experiments with
tic Government policy Iii matters OF
taxation, rcscnue, currency, etc. Tic
recovery from a long pnrIod OF
depression was attained by a steady and
persistent devotion to tho sound principles
OF perfect credit aud renl money; It was
aided in pronounced manner by tho excel
lent and effective working of public service
That had bcen long established ind com.
manded tho cooperation of experienced and
| skillfut met. No. thoughtful person, not
solashly or fanai!cally identified with po!It-
ical parties, can contemplate proposed
revolution In I'LL this without serious appre-
tienslon 0t fosteit!ng IN iargo part the pros-
porous condition that ia now 80 aluarent.
Thero IL nothing lllustyo or misleading
about tho Rppearanca OF prosperity which ID
30 notably reflected In tho Chicago gathor+
inK of to-day. Tho people who llayo colna
to take part In thu Masonlo celebration repre-
sent the most substantial elolncnts Of the
whole continent from the Atlantic
to-, the Pacific Ocean. There i,as been
no compulaioA to urge them forward: they
have como because they can afford the tIn,e
and money necessary 10 tho visit. So, In
Chicago, the money tint las been expended
foE tho reception and Entertainment OF the