Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-08-23
THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.
Ownership of the Soil by the Man Who
Tills 1t.

From Col. r. T.Van Horns Fourth of July
Address at Fort Scott, rs.
The student who runs back over the
records of history and marks the milc-
stones of human ! rogress will discover
that there has been law underlying it
all. He will see that America was but
the result of forces long silently at
work, and while kings, nObles and class
es were vexing the social movements Of
mankind there was a deep and contrOl[
ing under-current gradually lifting up
humanity as it drlfted through the cen
turies, until at last the higher plane of
its future action and progress was
reached in the establishment of the new
order of government in America. And
he will see that for a hundred years this
new force has been at work, one new
State after another has been Termed,
each with something dropped off the old,
until at last we have KS, .,freedfrom these
old disabilities in larger degree than any
of her sistsrs-a new, virgin soil, prepa-
red for the highest experiments yet
tried in human society. That Is by the
grace of God and the unfoldment of hu-
man progress the mission you have be-
fore you. And it has taken centuries
to make Kansas possible, 1t teaches
you the lesson that you must devise
your own forms and your own laws. IL
will not do to borrow ideas from those
who do not understand the civilization
that has made you what you are. In
other words, the ideas Of reform that
are so common in agitations ia the Old
World must not be adopted, for they are
born of conditions which you know
nothing of. Communism, Socialism,
agrariauism, are all the simple oppo-
sites of monarchy, classes, and special
privileges. You have neither, except as
part with the original powers you hold
by right of the preamble referred to.
And the remedies for all these diseases
are uOt applicable where there is oRly
political health.
Ali these [ refer to are exotics, but
the essential one is the agrarian idea.
The question of land Ownershiptdoes not
belong to our system Of economy or our
social organization. In time it may be
necessary to restrict the area of land
that any one may own, but that is far
in tine fu,ure, and beyond the duties OF
this generation. But our civilization
rests on ownership uf the soil by the
man who Iills it. The Ameican system
of Iandholding is the exception to all
history, and the farmhouse with all its
independence, comfort, and devotion to
soil and country, is unknown elsewhere
in all the world. 1t is the basis, the
cornerstone, the very ark of our sta
biIity, prosperity. and freed M as peo-
pie, and will be for all time. And come
what may in the changes of the future.
it must be guarded as the fundamental
fact in our civilization. When that is
gone our liberties are the possession of
power and craft and at sea forever af-
terward. This condition is not the re-
suit of chance or Of any of the cOnse
quencps of mere governmental ideas, but
from the organic development of society
pul poses or aims of mere administers
tiOn. 1t is the organic relation of man
and the soil-the basis of all social Of
der and political stability. The reverse
ideas belong To another civilization en-
tirely. and while demanded, perhaps, by
conditions to be destroyed. can only be
effective in destruction, and must be su-
perseded when society comes to be re-
How this is to be regula-
ted hereafter when population crowd
this continent as they do in the Old
World must he left To the people and the
of that day-it does not
belong to us-fur we cannot understand
the uoo1s of an age yet to come. Snlli-
cient untoithe day is the evil thereof, Is
only another way of saying that sHtf-
ciont unto the wisdom of man is the
time and circumstances for its exercise.