The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-09-10

The Old Settlers Club of Kenosha
county held their fourteenth anniver-
sary of the birth of their organization
on their own grounds at Paddock S
grove last Thursday with very
large attendance, although the
weather promised to be unfavorable.
A large number of Kenosha people
attended the meeting and every one
seemed to have had a day well spent
under the shade of the beautiful
trees in the grove purchased by and
belonging to the club
Those that went in crowds gener-
ally took their dinner and each lady
seemed to be prepared for the emer-
gency of every one else, forgetting
to take their share. AS conse-
quence every one was well fed. By
noon several hundred people had
gathered on the grounds and had
prepared to spend day of enjoy
ment. A base ball game was to be
played, a dancing platform erected
and the Wilmot brass band, very
good one, too, was there to discourse
sweet music to the gathering multi
tudes. Only one boat was to be
had, and that was owned by DR.,
Hollister, the most envied man on
the grounds, unless it was one of
those gentlemen who was so FORUM
ate as to take dinner with the ladies
of the Baptist church.
After dinner the meeting was
called to order by Bradley H.
Stocker, of Brighton, and ex-Sena-
tor Dooittle made the following
address:
SENATOR DooLITTLE's SPEECH.
Mr. President, LadIes and Gentlemen:
When | was invited to address the
reunion of the old settlers of Keno
sha county, it was understood that
my professional engagements were
such that | could not give the time
necessary to prepare an original ad-
dress. But | promised to read an
address which I had prepared for
another occasion upon the subject of
LAND REFORM.
1t is subject of very great i'm
portance-one of the most important
that can be considered in all times
and in all civilized countries. Though
very old, it is always new. 1t is
subject which, before many years
pass, will probably dominate all other
political questions until it is settled:
in our own country just as it is be-
ginning to dominate all political
questions in England, Scotland and
Ireland. I refer to the Land ques-
ton.
l have said it is very old SUBJ
iect. The land question is as old as
the human race. 1t began when
God first created man, male and fe-
male, and said to them: Be fruitful,
multiply, replenish the earth, and
subdue it, and gave them full domin-
ion over the earth, and over every
living creature in earth, and sea and
air.
In the beginning, however, that
question brought no strife between
man and man. All the world was
open-on every side, room enough
and to spare. 1t was then simply a
question between man and the will
derness-between man and wild
beasts. That was its first stage.
But the first step towards civilized
life passing from the hunter to the
pastoral state, changed the land
question. Yet so long as men dwelt
in tents, or in the open air, and
roamed from place to place with
their focks and herds, seeking better
pastures, they had no fixed abodes,
no homes; and, there was little or
no tillage of the soil. The land
question was still very simple and
easy to solve.
The Bible tells how it arose, and
was settled between two rich men in
the pastoral state, more than 5000
years ago. l refer to Lot and
Abram. When they returned from
Egypt,-to which they had been
driven by famine,-to their former
abode In Palestine, Abram was very
rich in cattle, and silver, and in
gold; and Lot, also, had herds, and
Aocks, and tents. The land was not
able to bear them. They could not
dwell together because their sub
stance was SO great. There arose a
strife between the herdmen of
Abrams cattle, and the herdmen of
Lots cattle. But Abram settled it
in a few words. He said to Lot:
Let there be no strife, I pray thee,
between thee and me, between my
herdmen and thy herdmen,- we
be brethren. Is not the whole land
before thee? Separate myself,
pray thee, from me- If thou depart
to the right hand, I will go to the
left. That settled the land question
for then, once for all. Lot chose the
T@-I@a 49,.