Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-14

working and business day was gradually
shortened from ten or twelve hours to
six-from 0 a. m. to p. m.-because
every labor saving invention, instead OF
serving to still further enrich the land
owners, wanI to tighten the burdens of
life for all mankind.
''St. Cecile, as you all know. was once
an afternoon lodge. Now, the only diff
ference between this and other lodges
is that we meet two hours later-at in
the evening instead of att. Theatrical
and musical performances being now
given between the hours of $50 and $50,
actors and musicians are able to attend
lodge in the evening and meet with
their brethren in other walks of life.
The ladies are no longer obliged to wear
themselves out and spoil their beautiful
compilations over coOking-stoveS and
Washtubs, or to roughen their fingers
with ashes, clinkerS and cauStic soda,
washing powders, or to burn themselves
up with kerosene oil; for all laundering
is now done as if by magic at the public
laundries, hygienic knowledge has be-
come so widespread and the race has so
gained in vigor that raw food has large
" taken the place of cooked, and tea
and coffee are no longer a daily neces-
sity; every house has it's own electric
light plant and it's own ice machine;
manufacturing and culinary operations
are now conducted by means of water
gas, which is far cheaper than coal used
to be, and a roaring fire is now started
by simply turning gas-cock. which at
once turns on the gas and ignites 1T.
The whisky business has ceased to be
profitable; the old Prohibition party
found out long ago that the chief cause
of intemperance was pOverty-that
men drank to forget their misery
but when poverty was abolished there
was comparatively few troubles left
to be drowned in the flowing
bowl Drunkenness is now consid-
cred a disgrace, because there is no
excuse for it. Inventions have not prov
ed an unmixed blessing, however, for
US Masons, for since the wonderful i'm
provements in flying machines we are
obliged, during our meetings, to have
tyler at every window.
The beautiful and spacious parks
and commodious dwellings which dis
tinguish the east central quarter of this
OAANN -
wretched tenement houses, where
dacency nor comfort was possible and
where children died like murrian-smit-
ten sheep. The struggle for existence
is no longer the desperate battle it once
was, in which men grew prematurely
old and sank into the grave before their
time; business and professional jealousy
TO longer array men against each
other; standing armies, so long stand
ing menace to the peace of nations, have
been disbanded to engage in peaceful
pursuits, and the lesson of universal
brotherhood set for IL ankind one hum
dred and fifty years ago by Brother
Robert Burns has been S" we'll learned
that, really, my brethren. do not sec
that there is much further use for our or
der, except to preserve we'll loved tradi-
tions and to promote sociability."
Mr.. Govan then proceeded to recount
fanciful incidents in the past lives of
his fellowmembers, one of which, he
said, occurred as nearly as he could re-
collect, shortly after Henry George
had declined nomination for third
term as President of the United States"
lie then concluded his portion Of the en-
ic song. which he said had been a favorite
of his fifty or sixty years ago, when The
little thought that he should live to see
the day when he could sing without the
necessity of acting" Though he and
the few friends who had been made
aware of the Interior purpose of his
address had been somewhat apprehen-
siye regarding its reception, they were
both surprised and gratified at the re-
suit. He was listened to with close at
tention throughout, and was congratu-
lated on all sides for his effort. What
amazed him especially was the
enthusiasm displayed by many of the
most conservative and well-to-do of his
fellow-craftsmen, who a few years ago
had been outspol1enly and inyeterately
opposed to Henry George and all his
works.
TO Freemasons, Odd-Fellows, Knights
of Pythias and craftsmen generally:
Go thou and do likewise.