The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-05

coming in nj evening with "the catch " o
the day, the Indian OF ALASKA, IN his lol
canoe. is setting ont for his mornings wori
" The far-on Siberian seq. our area, VIII
! its life-sustaiuing possibilities, Is beyond al
practical comprehension We speak OF 1t IL
miles; we talk Of people by the millions, Du
J our ideas are scarcely more intelligible TO Us
than is the distance 10 the fixed stars
poPrtArIoS
orr possibilities I'm the matter OF popula-
ton are still more extraordinary. Place The
6O,OO0,OO0 of inhabitants In the United
States I'm Texas and the population would not
1 be as dense as in Germany; put them In Da-
/ kots and the population would not he as
| Il nse as that of England and Wales; place
| them I'm Ncw Mexico and the density Of the
| rOpulat jn would not be as great rs that OF
! belgium. These G0,OOo,0OO might be ali
comfortably sustained In Texas
! The Increase In our population is unp1Fal-
Ielled. America. as the land Of promise to all
/ the world. rs the destination Of the most re-
markablc immigratiOn OF which we have any
record During the last hundred years ten
/ mi lliOn Foreigners made their home IN the
| United States Our census shO VS. an increase
Of population. native and foreign. Of millions
every decade; yea, more than Il million every
year during the last ten years. Joseph COOK
tells us "utimate America will boast 1OO,-
100000 souls, and this, he calls "the esti-
mate Of German scholarship. Scotch sagacitS
and naughty English conservatism" Frank
lin once said that England would. one day,
he but stepping stone la the brook OF the
ocean upon which men Will step nom the
Old World TO the New.
WEALTH.
The wealth ofthe United States is phenOm-
eiial. 10 Is difficult To realize that the young
est ofthc nations is the richest, and that the
richest OF al nations has. as yet only begun
TO develop its resources. Great Britain is by
far the richtst nation Of the old world. and
our wealth exceeds hers by S216OOO,OOO;
hers accumulating through twenty centu-
res, while the greater part Of ours has been
created in twenty years.
America is the land OF popular educa-
ton. Free schools are everywhere opera
tive. our country eXpends for the Gainng
of her youth nCarlr six times as much per
capita as Europe. America Is the land OF
the free press. There are published IN these
United States nearly Is 600 newspapers and
periodicals, as many as exist in all Europe
rut together The entire circulation would
probably reach 2j,OOO.OO0 copies, while the
entire number Of copies would ex-
ceed. In "a single year, 1000, 900, 600
More than all America is the para
disc of nOli;icai equality and religious liberty.
where alike before the law OF God and the
law Of man, the individual stands up IN the
plcnltude Of his manhood TO lie all, to do all,
and TO acquire all that benignant heaven
and an Opulunt country places within reach
"Amerca." in the language Of another, "is
another name for opp ,rtunity. our whole
history appears like lst effort Of the Divine
Providence in behalf Of the human race"
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH IT?
Our national observation-disclosures it came
and what IL ls-we have considered in out
line, and there remains but one other duty 10
render, namely, 10 inquire what are we going
to do with our national Inheritance?
John Foster used 10 say, "POwer, TO It's last
particle. is duty" Political optimism is one
OF the vices OF the American people. There
is a popular faith that "GOd takes care Of
children, fools and the United states" We
deem ourselves a chosen people and natur
ally incline 10 the belief that the Almighty
stands pledged TO our prosperity. such OPP
tmism is as senseless as lis opposite eX-
ttcme pessimism, Is faithless.
OUR PERILS.
Thoughtful men see perils on our national
horizon.
Immigratlon is one OF these threatened
evils. For the first time in our history we
appear to be getting population of heierO-
geneous character faster fhan wefcan assimi-
late, Americanize II. OhTistlanizc II. 80 rap
idly dc they come from over the Pacific that
Congress has felt compelled TO shut down
the Golden gate and say 10 the Chinaman,
NO more" And now goes up the cry lhal
the same legislative body should forbid the
nations OF the Old World to make OF our
Eastern shores a dumping ground for their
pOYerly-stricken AMI morally and physically
diseased rubbish,
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.
The liquor power cOrrupts public morals
and defeats the popular viii, IL does not nesl-
tate 10 buy votes or intimidate voters. 10 de-
fv the law or bribe its officers. while It's
agents. like vutures, brood over the capital
and prey uDOn the Viials ot the nation.
Iltertcy is ahOlbof national peril. The
arch OF safe, sound and stable government II
supported by the Jachin and BOaz of virtue
and Intelligence and must inevitably fail II
either is wanting. our total voting popula-
ton numbers over L., 900 900, OF whom H.
OOO, 900 are white and 1,OOO.OOO cOlOred. Ot
the whites 3 per cent are illiterate and OF the
cOlOred seventy per cent. are illiterate. Di
every one hundred white male adults, eight,
and of every one hundred cOlored male
adults, seventy voters, or Jurymen. or sol
uieTs, or witnesses in court, are illiterates.
We LAY well inquire If the Fathers built this
fair fabric of freedom in the belief that II
could stand the shocks and storms Of years
on foundation with so large fraction Oi
ignorance.
SOCIALISM.
Communism aud socialism, once exotics Of
sickly growth and transient existence, seem
to have become dUmesticated IN American
soil. and bid iair TO flourish Ike the green
bay tree.
THE DANGER WITHIN.
History as well as Gods Word teaches us
that nations perish from within, not froin
without. They die OF heart failure. Not the
slavery and chains OF rharOah, not the con-
quest Of AssYria aud Babylon. Sapped the
foundations Of the Jewish State; rather was
10 the luxury OF tie superb reign Dl ENplOlilph
breeding efieminacy, scnsualiy and athe-
ism. These, like a cancer, consumed the
heart Of the ltish monarchy. Rome was
shOTn Of her strength as she lay. IKE sam
ION. with her proud mead IN ihe zap ol lux
ury. Her OveTripc civilization rOtted anu
fell long before the ruthless harbaildn s,a-
bled his horses in the palaces OF The CWsars.
France was clothed In the zenith 1l her splen-
dor. and was actually drunk with glory when
Napoleon the little lcd her doomed DdtttilOns
10 face their sta'WaIt foes on the Ill aled Held
Of sedan. We'll may Amer.ct tnte need 10
her future. win a millionaire senate, buy. 3.
ing the high places OF power as tney Mould
goods i'm the market, with iecklets system
of taxation which laws up IN the treasury,
year by year. "A surplus Of millions, win a
prOdlgal congress sinking minis OF treasure
i'm the rivers and hlIburs which nave no cN-
istence eXcept on the map Of their WicKcd
schemes, with millions on millions VO-
ted as pensions, but really converting
shirks, who never received a scrdich
i'm honorable warfare, into respectable
paupers and Withdrawing them from all pro-
ductiye Industry. with all these appalling
facts ever before US. how can any ciliZen,
ask, with a spark Of love Of country III MS
breast, fail 10 iii his hands In hOly hOfloi
and cry aloud TO heaven for reason and rcll-
zion TO arrest those evils Of stupendous ma
liOnal prosperity!
PATH IN THE FUTURE.
Andyct, | have hope for the perpetuity OF
the great republic. My political faith may be
summed up in the adage Of statesman:
believe ia God and in the american people.
Many OF our evils will correct themselves
our own back-slidngs VIII heal US
our iusti lct of Representation, long
blinded by greed, or intoxicated by
the wine Of Unprecedented prosperity,
will rise 10 sober reflection and mvlgoIaie
lis powers Ivy a new ideal and a noble pdr-
pose. Moreover, in the broad acceptance OF
that term, we are Christian nation. HIS
torically we are q Christian nation. our ex-
pertinent has proved that religious freedom
Is the best friend OF "A genuine Christianity
and also that IL is the best foundation flr u
government "Of the people, by the people
and for the people Goodwin smith says
Not democracy in America, but free Chris
tianity in America is the real key 10 The
study of The people and their Institutions
Christianity is here, like salt, 10 sa &c US.
OUR DAY OF REST
our Sabbath abides. IL is a physical boon
n enhances social and family life; II SaVe'
many from incessant grOyelling in low anc
depressing employment; 1t breaks IN upon
the anxious, restless ambitious and rival
ries OF life; it tones down distinctions be-
tween rich and poor, capitalists and laborerS
IL gives breathing time, which, AT the least
may he used right. AS "A witness for God. q
memorial of bliss and promise OF endurinl
rest provided by our Heavenly Father, tht
day itself promises universal power for good
-. ..rftfh IA IL. tlfl II