Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02


great grainaries of che world and open ex-
hanstless reservoirs of National wealth
During this generation, civil war Of
ture and loss Of eight thousand millions of
dollars and killed six hundred thousand
and permanently disabled over million
young men, and yet the impetuous prog
ress of the North and the marvellous in
dustrial development of the new and free
South have obliterated the evidences of de-
struction, and made the war a memory,
annual surplus nearly equals that OF
England, France and Germany combined
The teeming millions of Asia till the patient
soil, and work the shuttle and loom as their
fathers have done for ages; modern
Europe has felt the influence and
received the benefit of the iDcalcu-
liable multiplication of force by inventive
only two hundred and sixty-nine years after
the little band of pilgrims landed on
Plymouth Rock, our people, numbering
the globe. do one-third of its mining, one
fourth CT its manufacturing one-fifth of its
agriculture, and own one-sixth of its wealth
Steam and electricity have changed the
commerce not only. they have revolution
lied also the governments of the world
They have given to the press its power,
and brought all races and nationalit;es into
touch and sympathy. They have tested
and are trying the strength of all systems
to stand the strain and conform to the con-
ditions which follow the terminating
the time of the Inauguration of WASH
ington, seven royal families ruled as
many kingdoms in Italy, but six of them
have seen their thrones overturned and
their countries disappear from the map
OF Europe. Most of the Kings, Princes,
Dukes and margraves of Germany who
reIgned despotically and sold their soldiers
Tor foreign service, have pas ed into his
tory, and their heirs have neither prerog-
atives nor domain. Spain has gone through
many violent changes and the permanency
upon the feeble life of an infant Prince
France, our ancient friend, with repeated
and bloody revolutions, has tried the
g genfaon t. Of n,rd Bourbon "a and Con
late, of Empire and Citizen King,
OF hereditary Sovereign and Republic,
of Empire and again Republic. The Haps-
burg and the Hohenzollern, after convul-
sions which have rocked the foundation of
their throne, have been compelled to con-
cede constitutions to their people and to
welded so automatically and brilliantly by
Maria Theresa and Frederick the Great
The royal will of George Ill could crowd
the American colonies into rebellion and
wage war upon them until they were lost
to his kingdom. but the authority of the
Crown has devolved upon Ministers who
hold Office subject to the approval of
the representatives of the people, and the
equal powers of the House of Lords have
become vested in the Commons, leaving
to the Peers only the shadow of their
duCleub privileges buG CO-Ody, the AIn0I1-
can people, after all the dazzling develop
ments of the century, are still happily Hv-
ing under the Government of Washington.
The constitution during all that period has
been amended only upon the lines laid
down In the original instrument, and in
conformity with the recorded opinions of
the fathers The first great addition
Rights, and the last the embedding
into the constitution of the immortal
principle of the Declaration of indie
pendence of the equality of all men before
the law. No crisis has been too perilous for
its powers no evolution too rapid for it's
adaptation, and no expansion beyond its
easy grasp and administration. It has as
simulated diverse nationalities with warning
traditions, customs, conditions and lam
guageS imbued them with its SPIRIT and
won their passionate loyalty and love. n
The spirit of Washington fills the Execu-
tive Office. Presidents may not rise to the
full measure of his greatness, but they must
not fall below his standard of public duty
and obligation His life and character,
conscientiously studied and thoroughly
understood by coming generations, will
be for them a liberal education for
private life and public station, for
citizenship and patriotism. for love and de-
votion to Union and Liberty. With their
inspiring past and splendid present. the
people Of these United States, heirs of q
hundred years marvelouslyr rich in all which
adds to the glory and greatness of a nation,
with an abiding trust in the stability and
elasticity of their constitution, and an
Astounding faith in themselves, hail the
coming century with hope and joy.