Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-10-27

The rulers of the Old World began with par
titioning the New. To them the discovery was
expansion of empire and grandeur to the
throne. Vast territories whose properties and
possibilities were little understood, and whose
extent was greater than the Kingdoms of the
sovereigns, were the gifts to court favorites
and the prizes of royal approval. But individ-
ual Intelligence and Independent conscience
found here haven and refuge. They were the
passengers upon the caravals of Columbus, and
ne was unconsciously making for the port of
civil and religious liberty.
thinkers who believed men capable of higher
uestlnles and larger responsibilities and pious
| people who preferred the Bible to that union of
church and state where each serves the other
Tor the temporal benefit of both fled to these
ulstant and hospitable lands from intolerance
ana hopeless oppression at home
The nations of Europe were so completely alb
sorDed in dynastic difficulties and devastating
| wars, with diplomacy and ambitions that
| they neither needed nor heard of the growing
| democratic spirit and intelligence in their
american colonies. To them these provinces
| were sources of revenue. and they never
dreamed that they We're also schools of liberty.
Ihat 1t exhausted three centuries under the
most favorable conditions for the evolution of
| freedom on this continent demonstrates the
| tremendous strength of custom and heredity
when sanctioned and sanctihed by religion.
After century of successful trial our sys-
TEN has passed the period of experiment, and
its demonstrated permanency and power are
reVolutlonizing the governments of the world
IL mas raised the largest armies of modern
| tmes for self preservation, and ut the success
| tul termination of the returned the sol
dlers to the pursuits of peace. 1t has ad-
lusted itself to the pride and patriotism of the
defeated that they vie with the victors in their
support and enthusiasm for the old flag and
| our common country
Imported anarchists have preached their
baleful doctrines, but have made no converts.
| They have tried tp In NH "a 81 raipp n
under the banner of the violent seizure and
distribution of property only to be defeated
| imprisoned and executed by the law made by
the people and enforced by juries selected
from the people, and judges and prosecuting
| olhcers elected by the people. Socialism finds
| disciples only among those who were its vota-
rles before they were forced to fly from their
| native land, but it does not take root upon
American soil.
From Moses to Edison.
Ihe state neither supports nor permits tax
alton to maintain the church. The citizen can
worship God according to his belief and con-
science, or he may neither reverence nor recog-
nize the Almighty And yet religion has flour
ished churches abound the ministry is sus-
tanned and millions of dollars contributed
annually for the evangelization of the world.
The United States is Christian country, and
a living and practical Christianity is the char
| acteristic of its people,
Benjamin Franklin, philosopher and patriot,
amused the jaded courtiers of Louis XVI by
| his talks about liberty, and entertained the
| scientists of France by bringing lightning from
| the clouds. In the reckoning of time the pc
riod from Franklin to Morse and from Moses
ito Edison is but span, and yet it marks ma
| terial development marvellous as it has been
| benetcent The world has been brought into
| contact and sympathy. The electric current
thrills and unifies the people of the globe.
| Power and production, highways and trans
ports have been so multiplied and improved by
inventive genius that within the century of our
independence sixty-four millions of people
| have happy homes and improved conditions
within our borders. We have accumulated
wealth far beyond the visions of the Cathay of
| Columbus or the Eldorado of De Soto. But
the farmers and freeholders, the savings banks
and shops illustrate its universal distribution
| The majority are its possessors and admins
traitors
Material prosperity has not debased litera-
| ture nor debauched the press; 1t has neither
| paralyzed nor repressed intellectual activity
! American science and letters have received
rank and recognition i'll the older centers of
learning. The demand for higher education
has so taxed the resources of the ancient uni.
versities as to compel the foundation and liberal
endowment of colleges all over the Union.
Journals remarkable for their ability inde-
| pendence and power find their strength not
in the patronage of government or the subsi.
dies of wealth. but in the support of a nation
| of newspaper readers The humbest and poor
| est person has in periodicals whose price is
| counted in pennies library larger, fuller and
more varied than within the reach of the
| rich in the time of Columbus.
The grandeur and beauty of this spectacle
are the eloquent witnesses of peace and prog
ress The Parthenon and the cathedral ex-
hausted the genius of the ancient and the
skill of the medieval architects in housing the
statue or spirit of Deity. In their ruins or
their antiquity they are mute protests against
the merciless enmity of nations which forced
art to flee to the altar for protection.
The People Are Kings.
The United States welcomed the sister repub-
lies of the southern and northern continents
and the nations and peoples of Europe and
Asia of Africa and Australia, with the prod
ucts of their lands, of their skill and of their
industry to this city of yesterday, yet clothed
with royal splendor as the Queen of the Great
Lakes. The artists and architects of the coun-
try have been hidden to design and erect the
buildings which shall fifty illustrate the height
of our civilization and the breadth OF our hos
pitality.
The peace of the world permits and protects
their efforts in utilizing their powers for mans
temporal welfare. The result is this park of
palaces. The originality and boldness of their
conceptions, and the magnitude and harmony
of their creations are the contributions of
| America to the oldest Of the arts and the cor
| dial bidding of America to the peoples of the
earth to come and bring the fruitage of their
age to the boundless opportunities of this un-
| paraeled exhibition.
Art and luxures which could be possessed
and enjoyed only by the rich and noble, the
works of genius which were read and under
stood only by the learned few domestic com
forts and surroundings beyond the reach of
lord or bishop, now adorn and illumine the
homes OF our citizens. Serfs are sovereigns and
the people are kings. The trophies and splend-
ors OF their reign are common wealths rich in
every attribute OF great states, and united in a
republic whose power and prosperity and liber.
ty and enlightenment are the wonder and ad.
miration of the world
All hail, Columbus, discoverer dreamer. hero
and apostle We here, of every race and coun
try, recognize the horizon which bounded his
vision and the infinite scope Of his genius The
voice of gratitude and praise for all the bless.
ings which have been showered upon mankind
by his adventure is limited to no language, but
is uttered in every tongue.
Neither marble nor brass fitly form his
statue. Continents are his monument and un
numbered Millions past, present and to come
who enjoy in their liberties and their happi-
ness the fruits of his faith will reverently