Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-07-18

long since passed.
The spirits of Crockett and Custer
dwell in the bosoms of many loyal sons
OF Uncle Sam. And no nation ON earth
could deprive US of our liberties. No,
the most deadly foe to American liber-
ty is the careless exercise of that liber-
ty. While our soldiers should be de-
prived of no praise or honor that is
their due. the fact remains that states
manship and gedius in every line are
equally deserving. And l will say
without fearof successful contradiction
that as much as this country owes to
to her inventors. For although the
soldier risks his life for his country,
the inventor often does more-he often
devotes his life to the service of the
world.
But the greatest responsibility rests
upon the statesman. The stroke of a
pen may undo great nation, destroy
the liberties of its people, Or drench
its soil in blood. The war with Mex
leo is said to have hung upon a single
vote.
in the lower house of Congress, and
one of its members was elected by a
bare majority of one. So the Mexican
war may be said to be the result of one
mans vote. If this be true, which |
am not prepared to say. it would illus
trate the value of vote, for by that
war the whole of California, Nevada,
New Mexico and Arizona. aud a part
of Texas, was added to Uncle Sans
domain. Then how important that
every American citizen should proper
ly understand the economic questions
that from time to time arise and be-
come the subject of party contention.
In a great republic like ours every
loyal citizen is under obligations to his
country to vote only after mature de-
liberation and with wisdom and discre-
tion. Let us remember that division
among the people is the power of ty-
rants.
We have the greatest country on
great states and six
territories, covering an area of more
than 81 million square miles, and con-
tanning nearly 20 million souls. We
have more miles of railroad and tele-
graph line than any other country.
Our people read more books and papers
than any other country in the proper
tion to population. We have more
labor-saving inventions: The steam
boat, the telegraph. the telephone, and
all the great electric discoveries are
American. All of which goes to prove
that liberty is the cornerstone of pro-
gress and prosperity. Happy indeed
is the nation whose people are united
and prosperous.
But as human governments have not
yet reached perfection, it is but natural
that uuwise measures are sometimes
adopted, and unprincipled men through
selfish motives betray the peoples
trust. But such is the patriotism and
wisdom and patience of the American
people that the polls are made the bat
tie ground on which all great questions
are settled peacefully and wisely. And
the wisdom of the founders of our great
is more than manifest in
all these things.
Every schoolboy should be taught to
love and revere the names of Wash
ington and jefferson and all the noble
heroes who took part in the struggle
for liberty.
When we contemplate the giant
strides that have been made in com
merce, in mechanics. and the arts.
since the foundation of this nation, and
when we think of the important part
that our people have played in this
great great advancement, and when
we take into consideration the in
creased liberties of the common people,
in all the civilized nations of the earth.
it is easy to see that liberty is the
broad road to advancement.
As the brightest gold often comes
from among the washings and settings
of the earth, so the brightest minds of
ten come from the humblest and most
lowly people.
So in order to attain the highest
of intellectual development.
the utmost liberty must be accorded to
the whole people. Now, if it be true
that liberty is the prime cause of our
great advancement in the 119 years of
our national existence, with what jea-
slightest encroachment on our liberties.
The liberties of free people are sell
dom destroyed openly at single
stroke. The fiendish work is usually
done surreptitiously. as the thief en-
.ers the house while the master is
asleep. 1t may seem strange to some
people that continued struggle is GO
ing on to deprive them of their liber
lies. but it comes from a desire to es-
cape the curse of Adam. In other
words, desire to live without labor |
Since the earliest history there has
been a class that has lived by preying |
ike vultures upon the producing class |
IS. This class may be divided into |
our classes. These are the parasites, |
he drones in the human beehive. |
And they are not satisfied with a life |
IF idleness and share of the fruits of
others toll. Not they. They want to
i've on the fat of the land arrayed ia |
purple and linen. They fatten upon
he ignorance, superstition and help
esss condition Of the people. like pi-
'ates on ship becalmed. Their avarice
5 only governed by their power.
Where they have the power they COM
pei the people to support them by the
edge of the sword The second class
have less power, and resort to bribing
ind all sorts OF chicanery to secure the
good things OF this world without soil
ng their hands with labor.
The third class have still less power
Ind must resort to stealth and brute
L. h.. 80,
Y no power. but humbly supplicate
or oh off ho . al ynf1t. la hnrG |