The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-05-31

dom; the grandest nation on the
earth.
Since the war the United States has
nearly doubled It's population; from
thirtv-fnur millions and Il half it has
grown to sixt five millions. 1t has
been taken from the best blood aud
brains of the world. With giant
strides the nation, like a trained ath-
iete, has passed its competitors and
now stands in the foremost rank of
the great peoples of the earth. 1t is
the richest, the most prosperous, the
most energetic, the most enlightened.
The period of its greatest progress has
been since the war, and without
doubt much is due to the energy and
foresight developed and trained in
that terrible school. The war did not
unfit the soldiers for the arts of peace,
although it was prophesied that hav-
ing learned the art of war, having be-
come accustomed to the life OF the
camp, to the stirring scenes of the
battlefield, they would not disband,
but would instead establish military
despotism. Such critics failed to APP
preciate and understand the men who
composed the vast armies OF free AM
erica. They measured by the stand
ard of the armies of history, OF the
despOJisms of Europe and Asia, where
the soldier is q machine subject only
to the will of the great captain. But
the men who made the American ar
mics were of q different type. Every
one reasoned and understood the great
issues before the nation. When the
war was ended they laid aside the sol
der and at once resumed the life of
the quiet citizen. But they re-enter-
ed the life of old with new impulses
and different views. The vision and
the understanding were broadened
and deepened, and with Il mighty
strength the soldier became the farm
er, the artisan, the merchant, the
sailor. the statesman and phIlosoph-
err With this renewed life and vigor
the nation bounded ahead; giant en-
terprises which in former days would
have appalled, the bravest no longer
waited for accomplishment. Great
rivers were bridged; the railroads
scaled the mountain passes; new cit
les grew up like mushrooms on the
plains, but developed into a substan-
tial life; the ring of the trowel, the
blow of the hammer, the rattle of the
shuttle in the loom resOunded through
the land. The telegraph everywhere
annihilated distance and time. The
cable has bridged the ocean. The
voice of the lightning now pierces the
utmost corners of the earth. I'm
provement and development have
reached out upon the waters, and
there we see the same hand OF pro-
gress. Transportation has become
easier, fas'er, safer. The ocean steam
or, the river and lake packets are
wonders when cOntrasted with those
of quarter of a century ago.
Hand in hand with material pro-
gress the work of the mind has
marched. The methods Of education
have so improved, that acquiring
knowledge has become pleasure in
stead of process painful as pulling a
tooth. Education was never SO gen.
eral nor as good. Art no longer re-
presents the teacher as q stern
featured man with dry tome in one
hand, in the other 4 ferule. The
teacher now appears beautiful
from her face attracting by persuasive
method. The arts of living, of the
practical ev=ry day requirements of
life are now taught, where OILY few
years ago it was an attack in front
and rear upon the serried columns of
Greek verbs or the fortified positions
of comic sections. The activity of the
mind of today is attested by the
thousands of wonderful Inventions
which have changed the hardships Of
living into pleasures. The great pat
ent Office in Washington is now too
small for the miniature models even
which explain the inventions. Con-
spicuous in the work of the mind to-
day we observe n great advance in
plans to alleviate human suffering, TO
overcome and conquer disease, not
only in subduing but in removing
causes. Medicine is q science of the
highest order. It's disciples are 10
longer sorcerers, necromancers, bung-
ling jugglers, but men of the highest
scholarship and scientific attainment,
whose aims are noble and humane.
The record of their work is one of vast
benefit to the human race. The term
of life is heightened. By the use of
anesthetics the sum of human misery
is vastly decreased. Prominent among
those who have made this wonderful
advance are we'll known names of
many army and navy surgeons.
Statesmen now concern themselves
with measures for the elevation of the
masses, to protect the weak against
the strong, to curtail the aggressive
power of capital when in the hands of
INSCRIPTIONS men. Never has the
honor and dignity of labor with the
hands been so prominent as today.
Never has conservative public
opinion exercised the influence that
it now has.
In all of this splendid progress; in
the development on land and on sea
we find that the soldier and the sailor
of that great war have done their share,
yes more than their part. Without
them such advance would not have
been made. The training of war has
made possible the brilliant triumphs of
peace. In the ranks of the benefactors
of the race the cavalry, the infantry,
the sailors, the engineers, the sur
geons appear. The victories of war
were gained by bravery, watchful-
ness, training. The glorious achieve
ments of peace have been won by like
means. In war the secret advances of
the enemy were repealed by unsleep-
ing vigilance.
But is there no enemy to catch? Is
there no sapping of the outposts, no
attack in the flank or in the rear of
our splendid progress? Is our base of
operations safe from all danger? The
true soldier leaves no approach I'M
guarded? Can it be said that our
civilization is impregnable? Are not
the seeds of disintegration in our very
midst? Is there nothing yet for the
brave American soldier to do? "Eter-
nal vigilance is the price of liberty"
Everywhere in our broad country the
newspapers bring the story of fraud
and corruption, of crime and trouble.
There is weakening in the training
in the family, growing disregard for
the obligations of trust, tendency to
scott and jeer at private or public vir-
tues. In the all-absorbing pur-
suit of wealth and preferment the