Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-06

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the clouds, Benjamin Franklin. A COM
mittee wss appointed to draft declara-
| ton of independence, with Jefferson
as its chairman, and this sage oi
Monticello--this apostle OF liberty
penRed the matchless instrument known
as the Declaration of American Inde-
| pendence. 1t came up for final action
on the 4th day of July, 1776, and was
given to the people. At that hour was
can imagine the scene - the intense
interest--the unbounded joy-the sense
| of new existence that thrilled the
sturdy pioneers when they heard for the
! first time this remarkable paper, de-
claimed by John Nixon from Independ-
ence hall in Philadelphia. 1t then had
all the attractions of novelty, all the
force Of deep conviction to awaken the
interest OF q people chatting under the
yoke of tyranny. With brave hearts and
strong arms only waiting for torch
like this genuine effusion of the soul of
the country at this time to kindle the
/ fire OF freedom that slumbered within
! them.
Happy the men and glorious their
names who signed the Declaration of
Independence. Happy the men who
first realized the germs of wisdom.
Happier those who could embrace it's
perilous truths, "We believe" ex-
claimed these first confessors and mar
| tyrs, THAT all men are born free and
equal; believe in our indestructible
rights; we proclaim ourselves inde-
pendent" From this platform there
proceeded chain of impulses electric,
amazing. The philadelphia expert
ment,' as it was called, created the
science of government. 1t taught men
how to govern themselves.
To the actors in the eventful drama
which followed and to which this waa
but the prologue, the future was veiled
in doubt and glory. 1t was stake for
which they cast their ALL Liberty or
DEATH" But guided by an allwise
providence a new hope descended upon
them-the prospect of better life had
| come. 1t was the dawning morn of
liberty. The future greeted them with
cong of freedom and union, and &heir
hearts responded. For seven long years
the fight was fought and the battle ragged
from Bunker Hill to Yorktown, when at
last victory crowned the right and inde-
pendence was won.
What an exalted fomance was this
Now, my friends, comes the reflection:
This is the epic; it is sublime But
what is the realization? Have the ex-
pectations, the hopes, the ambition, the
prophecies of cur fathers been accom-
plished?
1t has become the fashion in late
years for those in my position today, in
reviewing the not remote past and in
predicting the future, to pose in the
role OF enthusiast or pessimist, teacher
or demagogue, and to paint either pic
ture of sunlight or shadow; figure out
the millennium or destruction of the
world by its own wickedness. In deal
ing with the epoch and period within
our limited vision, let US prefer not to
give ourselves up to Bellamistic visions
nor rear C8sar's columns. Let us look
at things as they ars, and not through
glass darkly. And if we do this we
must see the brightest dreams of our
forefathers have been realized. II we
look at the impartial pages of our eoun-
try's history since then and read its
wonderful building up and populous
growth--examine the worlds progress
and its advancement and note our
mark there. Look into the worlds de-
partments of finance, commerce, science,
literature, art. statecraft or the science
of war-all tests of nations supremacy
and see the regard given our genius
and note the admiration of the whole
world at our greatness; or scan the con-
tinent, from the Chesapeake to the
Golden Gate, and from the northern
lakes to the southern gulf, and see in |
every town and hamlet the |
school house with the stars
and stripes waving over it, the |
reading rooms, the church spires point
ing heavenward, and in the cities the
of schools, academies,
colleges, universities. great libraries, art |
galleries and museums. And then after
noting all this realize that it is all the
heritage and creation of more than
sixtyfve millions free and united peo-
pile, with. good fellowship at home and |
peace and good will abroad, the answer
must be yes! and thrice yest
But on the other hand the faithful |
historian must record the fact that there |
is another side down under and behind
this great result. That some can hear
'sno!" creep in and make
break in this rhapsody. That when is
the present condition and
future hopes that which seems most to
threaten the peace and welfare of our
country and as we'll the whole world lis
the complex problem of labor and the |
distribution of the profits created in the |
workshop, in the marts OF trade and |
by the earth's tillage. All must ac-
knowledge that we have reached that
period when the laborer is worthy
of his hire; when his sobriety, |
industry, ingenuity and morality en-
title him, by reason of inherent Justice,
to fair participation in the fruits of
his toll. He does not receive it, but it
must be accorded him. And it will be
in time. Labor will, IN the right way,
work out its own redemption. Its per-
fected organization is the remedy for it's
evils, assisted by the sympathy and
support of all good men in every walk
of life, who cannot but be the friend of
the workman who works. the knight of
labor who labors and the farmer who
farms.
And still further we must admit that
there is want in this land of plenty and
rich men and poor men. And that
there is crime and Sin. But what of
that? In rerum natura. Poverty is q
creature of all ages and no land can
claim to be it's exclusive home, and 1
fear me it will remain in all ages and ia
all lands. We can only do what we can
to alleviate it. And why should we,
because we are poor, revile the rich?
rather wish always that poor may be