Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1883-07-10


nation, head and shoulders above all
the powers of Europe.
We owe TO the press our improve
ment, but to the Union our safety at
home and our dignity abroad. 10 the
Union we are indebted for whatever
makes us proud Of our country. That
Union was reached only by the drill
Of our virtues in the strict and severe
school of adversely. 1t had It's birth
ia the wants Of diseased finance,
lifeless commerce, and ruined credit.
Under its influence these great inter-
ests awoke and came forth with the
freshness Of life. Every year OF the
duration of the Union has been replete
with fresh proofs Of it's usefulness and
blessings, and although our territory
has increased in extent, and our pop
ulation has multiplied, they have not
passed out of its protection and Its
benefits.
The great bulwark Of orr liberty is
our free school system. Without ed
ucation there is ignorance and blgotry;
with it there is enlightenment and self
respect, and that is liberty; for no man
can he held in bondage and have re-
spect for himself. In our public
schools the poorest have an equal
show with the rich. The poorest boy
by means of his own exertions and the
help of the free schools, may rise
to the highest positions Of wealth and
trust in the gift Of our nation. This
fact is exemplified in the history OF
our two lamented Presidents, who fell
by the hands of assassins. He who
aims o blow at the free school system
of America strikes at the root of our
liberty.
In America the right Of self-govern
ment is vested in the hands of the
people. The ballot-box is the instru-
ment by which our government Is
maintained. The right of equality
dwells within it. 1t isone place where
the poor workingman, no matter how
humble he is, no matter if he be clad
in home-spun, with brawney arm DIS
colored by toll, meets on All equal
plane, the man who, clad in broadcloth
and the finest linen, can write his
check for millions 1t is to the work
ingmen of America that we owe our
stability as nation. A country Isl
judged, not by its magnates of wealth
and power, but by its laboring classes.
If you want to find the true honest
man, go down among the little cabins
of the working class. There you will
find him, earning his bread by the
sweat of his brow, happy and content
ed, and when his days labor is ended
and he goes home, there you will see
him, with his children on his knee,
helping them over some mount of de-
spar," which has appeared in their
school life, and he is able to do it,
for the workingman of America is not
ignorant; thanks to the public schools.
All, these are the blessings of liberty!
That Scottish bard, Robert Burns,
spoke truly when he said:
"a prince can make a belted Knight,
A marquis, duke, and a. that;
But an honest mans boon his might
Guild faith he mauna fa' that.
For a. that, and a that,
Their dignities, and a that,
The pith o sense and pride O. worth,
Are higher ranks than a that"
When Patrick Henry, back in that
Virginia Assembly, in 1865, spoke
these words: GIVE me liberty or
give me death" he echoed the thoughts
Of all just men. Those words are
still ringing today. They have chang
ed France into arepublic. They have
softened the hard despotic rule Of Ger
many. They have freed the serfs in
Russia, and now they have reached
Ireland and are firing the hearts of
people with the desire of freedom. No
matter where the Irish roam, the de-
sire to have their country free is par.
amount above all others. The time is
coming when the Emerald Isle will be
admitted to the ranks of freedom,
ready to profit by the example of the
United States.
We are at peace with the world.
No hostile fleet has for many years
darkened the waters of our coasts.
nor is any army, but our own small
insignificant one, likely to tread our
soil Not sneh arc opr ana,o;os +