St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-28
LESSONS OF HOUR.


That will be memorable scene in
New York next Tuesday, when citizens
from all sections of the American Union
will meet together for the purpose of
celebrating the centennial anniversary
of the inauguration of the first presi-
dent under the federal constitution.
The citizen of South Carolina will there
meet the citizen OF Massachusetts, the
citizen of Texas will meet the citizen of
Maine, the citizen of Virginia will re-
ceive the cordial hand grasp of the citi-
zen of New York, and they will all
meet as equals in the eye Of that consti-
tuition which was made as much for the
one as for the other. And as they stand
in that solemn presence, they may APP
propriately pause and reflect upon the
position which this government has so
quickly attained before the world.
They will stand upon the very spot
where just one hundred years ago a
government assumed shape and form,
founded on the philosophic relations
which existed between the different
races and nationalities that inhabited
this continent, and dedicated to the free
dom and equality of its citizens. And
as they stand there and cast an eye
along down the pathway of its first cen
fury they will see a career of progress
seemingly as fabulous as the palace of
Aladdin, a national progress without
peer i'll all history, mystery which the
tongue is too feeble to interpret. The
statesman with his proudest periods,
and the poet with his sublimest pas
sages, have dwelt upon the sudden and
brilliant promotion of the American
government to the foremost rank; but
as the great body of our American cit
liens will stand next Tuesday in the
presence of the great fact itself, in the
presence of the living glory. all descrip-
ton fails, and eulOgY will fall weak and
baff1ed to the ground.
And yet this solemn scene will bear
with it a moral almost too vast for
human comprehension. Our eyes have
seen the glory of the Lord, but will
those who stand in our place hundred
years hence see it? That is the ques-
ton of vital and pressing iterest to COM
mend itself to our consideration at this
solemn moment. Let us not boast so
much upon what has been done, but let
us rather address ourselves to the more
important duties of American citizen
ship, on the full performance of which
depends the perpet uity of this govern
ment. This peculiar form of American
government, which is without a model
in all the past, is the discovery and ac-
cOmpliShment of our own race, our
own age, our own country. To en-
brace many governments in one, to deal
with Independent and distinct SOW
ereignties, and procure their acceptance
of constitution framed for their gov
eminent i'll an associated capacity, was
the delicate task which fell to the hands
of our fathers. Are we capable of per-
petuating their work?
AS difficult as was their task. ours
is perhaps more so. The freedom which
our fathers established not eonly con-
ferred uneQuaIed rights on the Amer
lean citizen, but, like BRIAREUs of old,
it has touched with hundred hands
all the springs of human progress. The
physical Improvements which have
followed its gigantic impulse have pro-
duced new conditions of which the
founders of the government never
dreamed. These new conditions have
brought to us additional responsible
ties, and are continually presenting
new and most veXatiouS questions.
Capitalization of power has been the
bane of all republics of which history
gives any account. How to steer clear
of this danger was the uppermost
thought in the minds of the trainers of
our constitution; and all along our first
century'S pathway it has been per-
petual menace. The new conditions
that have arisen with our physical
progress and development have only in
creased the danger until, i'll these days
OF degenerate patriotism, it constitutes
the prominent evil of the hour. The
greedy avarice and insatiate demands
of the specializing classes and the
Sordid and bigoted spirit of corporate
power have combined in all effort to
pull down the pillars of our sacred
temple.
No open violence yet grasps at I'M
lawful power. no CESAR has crossed
the Rubicon: but that vast conspiracy
is gathering to occupy seats of power
over the dishonored fragments of the
constitution is apparent to all who have
carefully watched the signs of the
times. The conspiratorS now occupy
high places in the land. Many of them
wear senatorial robes. and others are at
the head of important government de-
partments. They are not satisfied with
popular government, but they have not
the manlineSs to proclaim the necessity
OF revolution or amendment to the con-
stitution. They prefer to plunder their
fellow citizens of their rights by false
constructions and cowardly evasions.
How appropriate, then, itsis that, as
we stand upon the threshold of the Sec
ond century of our national existence,
with hearts overlooking with gratitude
thatthe God of nations has brought us
safely through all the perilS of these
one hundred years, we should also
fortify ourselves against the dangers
that are yet ahead of us. Let those who
stand at the doorway of the third cen
fury of American independence thank
us, as we now thank our fathers, for the
boon of constitutional freedom.
A G ALLOWS NOVELTY.
The next hanging in this state has
been dated by the governor for June z,
the first Friday of the month He evil
IDENTIFY has touch of the Friday super
StitiOn and is NOT disnosad IN rive tho