The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-10-09

we'll developed mines, and its many briasc'
,bo, snan ;ts water courses, its numerous
and valuable manufactures, came not "
accident or chance, out BY the intelligent
and patient Industry OF her cl'izehs' "
perseverance and wisely directed energy -
the work of years, though know 'here Is
often in the minds Of the young iolAs
vacpe longing for, and expectancy OF, some
thing better to come by some miracle Ut
phenomenon; they think they should not
bave .learned to labor and to wait as the
old settlers have had to do, for they hau 10
be content with small beginnings anu were
proficient pupils in adversely, hope, courage
and patience They realEed what you nave
only heard Of, and to them a solemn truth
rus the log cabin, with its seant convent
ences far from stores, mills, school houses,
churches and post Offices; and you no DOUBT
have never admired their solid looking
bomespun clothing and simple habits OF lile'
and wonder how they could have lived at all
under such priyatlons.
But let me say to you that when you
leave this beautiful grove and 90 to your
comfortable homes to commune with your.
selves, bring side by side the scenes ana
realities of then and now. And ask your
selves, are we the proprietors OF all these
good things happier, better fathers, better
mothers, more reliable and better citizens
than were those pioneers? have these multi
piled conyenicnces and Injuries, with their
added cares and increased responsibilities,
en- grated upon our characters stock OF
virtue in anywise more sturdy, vigorous and
more valuable than pertained to the men
and women whose memories we cherish
here to dayH
But this question is not for me to an
swer, but this do know, that the old folks
at home, in early days, were buoyed up
with the hope Of good things in store Tor
themselves and their children. They toiled
for the future and found pleasure in self,
denial. They looked forward, and laid a
firm foundation for the good things which
we enjoy today. You, their descendants,
are morally and socially what you are be-
cause these pioneers were what they were,
and what they have done for you
And now, my friends what wonderful
progress has the world about us made
within fifty years, or since the organization
of La Sale county! 1t is fresh in our
minds. Since the spinning jenny came and
set aside the old spinning wheel; the power
loom displaced the hand loom the. sewing
machine has superseded the weary stitch of
the needle; the cooking stove and range have
closed up for ever the old open fire place
and set aside the clutch oven What a
blessing these improvements would have
been to the women and men Of pioneer
days, when our mothers, sisters and wives
spun and wove the principal part of the
clothing worn by the men, women and
children of those days.
Why, there is more store clothing present
here to-day than all La Sale and half a
dozen adjoining counties could have pro-
duced fifty years ago! Again: If the sulky
pillow, the cultivator, the reaper, the mower,
the many fingered binder, and the countless
contrivances for farming "made easy have
set aside the "bull tongue" the sickle, the
fail, the scythe, the wooden mould board
pillow. and numerous other implements for
farming "made hard, why, it is safe to say
that there has been more improvement and
advancement made in all the branches Of
agriculture, mechanics, art and science in
the last fifty years than IN all Of the fifteen
hundred years previous.
If these fine residences to which have
referred stand upon the sacred grounds Of
the old log cabin, with its large, open FIRE
place, lighted with lard cups and tallow dips.
with its scant and primitive furniture. and
devoid Of all the conveniences Of modern
life,--if from these we turn to the luxurious
Improvements and conveniences Of the
average residence Of to-day, all made within
the lives of many of US now present. wha,
a lesson does 1t teach Of great progress
within the life of one generation!
Again, if We had neither school houses,
churches, newspapers, magazines nor mail
communications; if without railways, tele.
graphs, telephones and the quick and more
comfortable means of travel and transporta.
ton, what would be our position to.ddy in
the social, mechanical, literary, commercial.
religious, commercial, or any Of the pro.
gressive relations to the worldl Has
Aladdins tabled lamp or the fairy ring
metamorphosed this world No, my
friends; no supernatural agency has wrough,
these wonders, changes far greater though
they are than the most power 'ul genii could
ever have attempted. Something more pc.
tent than magic spells has caused these
wonderful developments. They are the
achievements and output of human force,
directed by God given intelligence that
made them possible.