The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-07-06

the Otherwise brilliant prospects Of the
Great Republic. i uuqupslionably de-.
serves walchiul sulicIludc Large for
tunes, however, are rarely transmitted
IN America. They usually, ike water
in Il dam when rem is Ie, scatter at
the death Of their accumulators.
In most monarrhial countries. the
ambition OF the millionaire is TO found 4
family with his fortune. In America,
the maxim is reversed. and il il for tie
family to make the fortune. Where large
fortunes are quickly made is brt sign Of
general prosperity. A proper enumera-
ton in the United States would show
that every large fortune makes ten
loid as many smaller fortunes and
completeness. Vanderbilt made Il colos-
sal fortune, in large part, by II consolida-
ton and, therefore, economical manage
ment OF a system OF railways going West,
and yet he male it possible to reduce
the cost OF the transportation Of Il barrel
oi Hour 800 miles to The Atlantic coast
from two dollars and half TO fifty cents,
thus saving to the people $3.50, 900 goo II
year on the transportation Of flour alone.
by the very cheap system OF railway
rates, it is to-day possible Tor Il work
ingman by o days labor 20 pay for HE
trans pOrlation Of enough food Tor his
family of tour persons from the plains of
the lar West to the Atlantic sea. board.
These energetic, hard Won king American
rich men are deserving OF all praise. 1t
is not in the accumulation OF money that
the evil lies, but in the spending Of it.
Determinations and luxurious living, and Il
desire OF vulgar display are the vices
that ruin the Young and undermine So
clety. As a rule, these vices do not be-
long to the men OF sell-nade fortunes,
but to the idlers who inherIt them. And
if the fair temple Of American liberty is
ever 10 be shaken; il the simplicity OF
its official and social life are to be- sneered
at. it will not be by those who organize
her industries and reap II large reward,
but by the half Europeanized and brain
less cosmopDlitanism OF a so-calied leisure
class, which, God forbid should ever grow
up in the country.
Let Americans get rich-the more the
better. Let capital combine, if by its
combination its promoters and managers
are enabled to give higher wages to the
workingman, aud cheaper products to
the consumer. This is the true test of
a beneticent combination. This test be-
ing complied with, the genius of
American liberty should not, and will
not. interfere by law or enactment Of
whatever nature to stay the hand of lib.
erty of action OF its citizens. But any
unholy combination or trust" or any
organization which, by virtue OF its
IN )ney-power, seeks to raise the price OF
things higher than their natural range,
should be and will be strangled by IL
grip that none know how to give better
than the American people.
Perhaps have dwelt too long on this
material, this money aspect OF American
life; yet the times seem to demand it,
1t has been held up as reproach to
the nationa! character. Has 1t not filled
her marts with commerce? given life
and vigor to her internal arteries Of trade
and conduced to the general wei being
The rich men OF no other nation. especi-
ally those inheriting wealth, have done
nothing like The amount Of giving to var
ious instil utions Tor the public good
Every year witnesses benefactions from
thousands to millions donated by rich
men to schools, churches, hospitals and
universities.
But what has this to do with the 4th
OF July or the American democracy,
you may ask. Much to do with it. The
activity and general prosperity of the
people, extending through the entire ex-
istence OF a nation, is good test OF her
form OF government and of the virtue and
intel linauna If har l., karc
A few years ago one OF the most emf
nent Americans, perhaps the most emf
nent OF her living literary men, delivered
in England polished address upon the
American democracy. | have forgotten
his exact words, but in substance, il my
mind serves me, he took the view that
until the United States had done the
highest in art, in science. and in litera-
ture, he could not count her institutions
as complete success
Humbly, but emrhatically, | beg to
differ IRON the dictum of this distinguish
ed American. Had she done nothing else,
should she do nothing else, but to place
upon higher plane OF living than hith-
erto attained by any other nation, either
ancient or modern, her 65,000,000 OF
tions complete success.
Were the various nations of Western
Europe united under one government,
the people would not differ in race, Ian
qua. e or religion more than the original
constituents of the United States. These
heterogeneous elements, having,it is true,
SO many things in common, yet differing
SO widely, it has been the destiny OF the
American commonwealth to take, to
harmoniza, to assimilate into homo
genous people. So marvellous is the abb
sorbing power OF her people, that in most
cases. even in one generation, every
mark OF former nationality disappears.
The foreign characteristic is thrown off,
and the habilments Of American citizen
ship, in thought, in activity and even in
face are taken on.
There must be something more than
the physical aspects than in its geology
and cllmatulogy to accomplish all this.
After all deductions are made for these
influences, there remains yet an I'M
known quantity in the equation that we
must attribute TO the political and social
factors Of American institutions. We
have lad to assimilate some OF the best
and some of the worst blood OF Europe.
To the hard working, insuiiiciently paid
and poorly fed OF Europe, of sound body,
mind and morals, who manifest desire
for the improvement OF their hard lot in