Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-04

sermon or essay on "Our Country as
Viewed from Over the Sea-" There were
in it SO many interesting statements and
suggestive thoughts that we quote literally
from the San Francisco B,eletins report
SIZE OF OUR COUNTRY.
The geographical dignity of our country
amazingly impresses one when viewed
| from abroad Our sister lands in the Old
| World are very fair to see, but are so hud-
died, have so little elbow room, one can
hardly get started to travel in one of them
| till he finds he has run OUT of it into the
next The distance from San Francisco to
Cape Cod is equal TO that from Boston to
the Alps Take five of the six frst-class
powers of Europe-Great Britain (includ-
| ing Ireland) France, Germany, Austria
| and Italy-to these add five more-Spain,
Portugal, Switzerland, Denmark and
| Greece. You could lay them down three
times over in the United States, and have
all New England left uncovered
GRAND IN RESOURCES.
Our nation appears grand in size when
compared with other lands in respect to its
present and prospective population and re-
sources. 1t has larger population already
| than any European country except Italy,
with unlimited room for more. The till
able land of the United States is estimated
at a million and half square miles, which
| is more than all Europe has. with that of
| China thrown in. If all our arabic land
were under the pillow it would feed q nation
| of 450,000000, and leave 2,540 900 bush
els of grain for export Our mineral re-
sources equal our agricultural. We now
| furnish one-half of the gold and silver for
| the worlds supply. We mine iron ore in
| twenty-three States Several of these States
could singly supply the worlds demand.
| Our coal measures are inexhaustible. The
mining industries of our country are
greater than all continental Europe, Asia,
Africa, South America, Mexico and the
British Colonies combined.
MANUFACTURES.
In manufactures also the United States
stands at the head of all nations. In 1880
| they exceeded those of Great Britain by q
value of $3.50, 600 600. From 1870 to 1880
the manufactures of France increased in
value 1920, 100000, those of Germany
$3.50, 900, 600, those of Great Britain $780,
GOO coo, while ours increased 81 ,030, 009,-
600.
By common consent America surpasses
ali other nations in the excellence of her
mechanic arts The Mechanical World of
London says that the United States has the
best machinery and tools in the world An
expert sent out by Minister of the French
Government reports that the superiority of
American tools endangers European indus
tries Herbert Spencer testifies than in re-
spect to mechanical appliances the Ameri-
cans are ahead of all nations. Our
Government issues four patents TO the
English one With all these things in
mind an American does not feel abashed
in the presence of any monument of civil
ization or art which the Old World has to
show. He can look without envy upon its
palaces, its galleries and cathedrals, and all
its splendid achievements in war and
science and art; for he can remember that
his own nation, though young and crude
and immature. is gigantic in stature, colos-
sal in resource, impact with vital energy
and power is still in the beginning of its
course.
PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL SUPERIORITY.
OF the superior physical condition and
comfort of America it is unnecessary to
speak. To go from the west end of Lon
don to the east end of London is to travel
from Paradise to Purgatory. No American
can remain for even short time in sight
of the terrible contrasts in condition,
brought about by the proprietary system
of the Old World, without being driven by
it almost to the verge of socialism. 1t is
true, which is SO often said, that we know
nothing about real poverty in America. In
comparison with the terrible poverty and
want visible in foreign places, the hum
blest of our citizens live in atiluence.
OUR BODIES ARE BETTER.
tits scientific fact that Americans ex-
eel Englishmen and Europeans univer-
sally in hight, chest measurement and
weight, which is a fact of tremendous
significance in question of competitive
civilization 1t is a demonstrated law of
nature that superior physiological develop
ment, indicating superior vital power and
resource, will win just as certainly IN the
great race-track of the worlds civilization
as it will in those other race-tracks with
which we are more familiar. Mr. Darwin
once said There is apparently much
truth in the belief that the wonderful pro-
gress of the United States, as well as the
character of the people, are results of nat
ural selection. The more energetic, rest
less and courageous men have emjgrated
during the last ten or twelve generations,
and in that great country have succeeded
best" Herbert Spencer has said One
great result is, think, tolerably clear.
From biological truths it is to be inferred
that the eventual mixture forming the
population of America will produce a
more powerful type of man than has hith
erto existed. l think" he says what
ever difficulties they may have to sur
mount, the Americans may easily look for
ward to the time when they will have
produced civilization greater than any
the world has known
THE MEYAcEs To THIS COUNTRY ARE
Not few, but few only will be mentioned
IT, A. III
blight and menace, the power of alcoholic
drink. The drink evil abroad appears not
so much in the amount of Keeling or frantic
drunkenness as in the stupefied and sodden
conditions of its subjects. That which fren-
zies the average American apparently stu
pefes the average European. 1t produces
delirium here, besotted idiocy there. Alco-
holic drink is destined to be a far more
formidable factor of mischief than it ever
has been, or probably can be, in other
countries. The difference between phlegm
and nerve in calculating the progressive
physiological effect of intemperance is i'm
mense. The phlegmatic German, Swiss or
Englishman absorbs his wine or beer till
he is filed up like a sponge, and, like a
SPONGE is heavy. dead, soggy. The nervous
American descendant at three or four re-
moves from that phlegmatic drinker is
very different creature. Alcoholic stlmu-
lants inflame instead of Supplying him.
They are like fire applied to tow or touched
to powder. 1t took his foreign progenitor
forty or fifty years to kill himself with
drink. The typical American does it in
only four or five.
THE DRINK EVIL.
The drink evil threatens to be ten times
as great, therefore, in the physiological
r,oint of view among Americans as il ia
among Europeans. But that is not the
most alarming difference between the
drink-power here and abroad. Abroad it
will submit somewhat TO national and mu-
nicipal control. Here it refuses to. With
us the supreme menace of the drink-power
assumes political complexion. 1t is with
us a stupendous law-breaking and law
defying power. 1t is gigantic debauching
and corrupting power. 1t breaks law, de-
flies law. 1t also dictates law and enacts
law. A thousand million dollars invested
A