The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-07-05


waged for the truth Had their lives been sac,
rfhced in for conquest or glory only IL @ohlo
III become us 10 celebrate such deeds Nor Is inls
an occasion for exhibiting knowledge Dv rass-
ing in review the republics OF antiquity, or the
wars or laws of the aucents. There Is nothing
IN common between those things and the devel-
opment OF the political and moral truths con-
tanned in the Declaration OF Independence THIS
Is indeed patriotic occasion; but that palfi-
ottsm which rises high above mere love OF our
land or praise of the heroic deeds OF our Tore
fathers. What is the nature OF that patfi0tic
fire which should warm our hearts to-day? NOT
only love OF country. but love for our countrymen
Love toward our felIow-nien. In TACT a great
aud burning desire and determination tnat our ,
public policy shall insure the opportunity ior
happiness 10 all our people. ms was tDe iaea
which inspired the uallGn when the old lndepen-
dence bell rang forth the news that Inc Charter
of liberty had been signed.
Here, then, is The text; the keynote Tor me
medltalions OF this day. and every day until the
Whole spirit OF this immortal stateme nj shall
have been realized by our peone:
I'VE hold these truths 10 be selfeyident that
all men are created equal; that they are endowed
by their Creator With certain inallenable rights;
that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit
OF happiness That 10 secure these rights gov
ernments are instituted among men deriving
their Just powers from the consent OF the gov
eined; that whenever any form oil government
becomes destructive OF these ends IL Is Tue rlght
OF tie people 10 alter or abolish 1t, and to lnstl
sttuie new government laying its foundation
on such principles and organizing It's powers
In such form to them Shall seem most
likely to effect their safety and happiness"
BY common consent this has been held TO mean
that all men ought TO be equal before the law,
which, If II is to Lave any practical significance,
must mean that the laws are to be such as Will
give 10 all men equar opportunities as TO all me
resources OF nature provided by The Creator. on
the three things mentioned-life, liberty and hap
piness-It may be said that we have secured life
and liberty, but We have not secured the right TO
lie pursuit OF happiness. II Is agreed by al
that be pursuit Of happiness is the Chief aim Of
| human life for this world as well as the heIeaf-
| ter. What then, Is tins happiness which all men
| have lie light to pursue? Ii is rational happl-
! ness, such as may be enjoyed without making
nunIltY. |
| aespots, Emperors, Kings, Princes, monopoiisLs,
! nor IN dominion NOT in possession oil enormous
| wealth. or in lnordnate luxury or any violation
| OF nature; but in the enjoyment with our fellow
| men of the largest happiness possible 10 our
! human condition without injury 10 another.
| Is our civilization one In which the masses can
| enjoy happiness? Is ours government which
| is based the Declaration OF Independence?
Does II insure the greatest good 10 The greatest
| number? Is II a government by the people, Tor
| the peOple-or is IL, upon the contrary. system
! BY which the few absorb the production and
wealth created 10y the toll OF the many? Is there
any reason why these questions should not Dc
/ asked?
! the theme for all neil on this day, commands and
| COmpels NE 10 ask them. am not tue 10 the
| day TO the text II fan TO do So II we are
worthy sons of those who promulgated the
doctrines read, we ought TO face these questions.
| Indeed, We must face them whether we desire
! NOT, for II is tue DOW as when The lines
were written:
III fares the land. to Fastening Ills prey,
| Where wealth accemulates and men decay.
! What are the incOn.estable facts? In ten
| States the farm mortgages exceed S32O,OOO,OOO.
| In Illinois last year the farmers lost on their
! corn crop 50, 935. S23. 1t cost more to produce
| il than il brought in the market In he last
! year IN Nebraska IL cost busbe and a halt OF
! corn 10 gel one bushe TO market. In Massa-
| chusetts, from 1875 10 1885, farm lands de-
| creased IN value S5,929.142 In Michigan
| Al 40 per cent OF lie farms are mOrtgdged.
| In 1850 The farmers owned 40 per cent of the
total wealth OF the county; IN 1850. 90 per
cent; IN 1880, 80 per cent; In 1889. less than 25
| pei cent Still, IN this reduced condition They
| paid 80 per cent Of the taxes. Mr.. Thomas &.
! Sherman tells US that seventy persons have
| So 700 ,O00, 900, and that $4,000 persons have
half The wealth OF The United States; that 81 600
persons have more than three lfThs OF 1t; that al
| The present rate OF accumulation $4,000 persons
Will OVID all tie property ID the United States IN
| less than thirty years
| We are compelled to admit the following facts:
| That in the midst OF unlimited natural aud ma;
| uonal wealth The masses are IN poverty and
largely ignorant. III The midst Of abor-savlng
| machinery, Which amaZes the Intellect major
! Ivy OF our people are doomed 10 long hours of in
| cessanl toll fiom The cradle TO the grave. That
| those who produce most have least. Those who
| produce nothing, frequently have surerabuD-
dance. Those who need the best nOuriShment
have the least and poor est; those who are strong.
| est have The best; While millions OF children toll
| beyond their strength during the years that
| should be given to growth and education. II is
idle 10 say that our people enjoy The right TO the
| PURSUIT OF happiness demanded by our Iorefath-
| ers.
There cannot be happiness under such cond-
| lions. These conditions are the very opposite OF
| order They are tile very acme OF disease. Dis
ease is disorder. The nation suffers from dis
| ease. When the Individual suffers from disease
| we know IL is because Of some disorder. Inteli-
| gence discovers the cause, restores the natural
| Oruer and disease disappears SO the nation suf-
feTs fIom political corruption and Industrial dis
| order, by d departure from the natural order In
| which meu and nations should exist. We ac-
| knowledge that The integrity OF ali things de-
| Pends upon order. II IS maxim that order Is
| heavens first law" In the realm OF nature,
where the hand and voice OF man cannot reach.
we iBd universal order. We mud man designed
10 live by the laws OF order.
All the conduct OF man, therefore, which re-
quires the intervention OF law should be regu-
lated by laws based on the design Of nature.
The design of nature is justice. How shall
ton accomplish the design OF securing Justice
TO men If they abandon the laws of natural
der, aud attempt 10 give tie force of law TO nat
ural disorder, pelverslon and wrong? That
which was created for all caunOt be apprODri.
ated by any class. Labor SHOULD be entitled TO
what II produces. No one should be required TO
give portion OF his labor TO another, Ior ones
labor is his life, and TO take portion OF ones
| lifetime Is TO reduce him TO slavery. Strange as
1t may seem TO US slavery as aeagcer. was per-
mitted TO remain under The very Declaration OF In
dependence which declared liberty natural
right. This proves that no question IS ever settled
until 1t is settled right, ana until we Lave made
and enforced laws in this land which prevent
the few from absorbing the fruit Of tie labor OF
the many We shan not have abolished slavery In
| these United States according to the true spirit
| OF the charter OF our liberties.
l speak in no more radical tone than did the
| immortal Abraham Lincoln, nor can L speak
| with the same precision and force, therefore
read his words OF unerrnR prediction, pehned
at the close OF the civil war: Yes, we may
| congratulate ourselves that the cruel war IS
| nearly 10 close. Ii has cost vast amount OF
treasure and blood. The best blood OF the flower
| of American youth has been freely offered upon
| our countTy's altar, that The nation might live.
1t has indeed been trying hour for the republic,
| but see 10 the near future crisis approaching
that uuneIves me, and causes me to tremble for
| the safety OF our country. AS result OF tile
| war, corporations have been enthroned aud
era OF corruption in high places Will follow, and
tile money power OF the country VIII seek 10 pro-
| long its reign by working upon the prejudices OF
tie people until all wealth is aggregated In a
| lew hands, and the republic Is destroyed feel
| at this moment more anxiety for the safety OF
| my country than ever before, even 10 the midst
| OF the war. God graut that my suspicious may
| prove groundless." / would rejoice If this day
| might be spared the necessity for this tram of
| argument, but lie hour foteseen by Lincoln Is
| upon us. Let US not deceive ourselves. and let
| US be equal TO The occasion. That none OF the
| reforms now mooted Will give lief is apparent
| at a glance. Our greatest public men are all
agreed in calling the laboring classes OF Europe
| "paupers," I" pauper labor" Is the universal
term. II then 1t shall appear that the
various remedies suggested by stales-
| men OF to-day nave been tested then we
may abandon hope for relief along such lines.
| Fee trade aud protection have each been long
tred-one III Great Britain, the other In Ger
many, France and elsewhere. Neither policy
| the national wealth. SO II we examine In detail
we shall mud that the solution OF this evil Is not
| III any temporary or local palliative, bull must BIO
| sought by study OF causes OF universal operation,
| which Prove that we must return 10 the law oil
nature, aud ascertain how best to grant TO all
| tile opportunities created Tor all. whatever
| these opportunities may be, they TO be
| cured by the power OF government And here
| again we refer to the text, which says, ITO Sc
| cure these rights, governments are Instituted
| among men, deriving their just power from the
| consent of the governed"
Our present government Is OF great value be-
| cause IL provides iOr free assembage free
| speech, ana FOR peaceable methods of change.
THIS is grand basis to work from, but we de-
| ceive ourselves II we think our present govern
| ment Is by or for the people. However much the
| people may accomplish, yet the purpose 10 not
submit to the rule VI the people is very apparent.
| 1he President is not elected by the people, but
by device which may defeat tile people aud
| which generally causes the nomination and cleo
ton TO be chiefly contested for IN few large and
| close States BY this device the greatest posi-
| bic advantage Is given TO private interests and
| the OF money. The President should be
| chosen by direct vote; not only because 1t is
| choice by the people, but because tile counting
| OF the present electoral vote Is ac0nstanl danger
| The United States senators are not elected by
| the people; they are largely the agents OF pri-
| Vale and selfish interests. The scandals which
| gain seats there are notorious. The officers OF
| Ora nratta u o ufs