Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-05

race, the mixed blood of the best nations
| of earth, all making race of Americans,
clearly distinctive from the other nations
of the earth. Such was their conception.
They put this conception in shape by
their declaration of independence and
maintained the latter with valor, self
sacrifice and patriotism unexampled in
the worlds history. Victory was theirs.
Thus a new nation was born and a con-
stftutional government established. The
achievement of this government in the
emancipation of the oppressed of EARTH in
the attainment of wealth, knowledge and
general success, has been the marvel in
the worlds history. The unit of our CIV
ilizaton has been the American home.
The great ambition of typical American
is happy contented home. Hope of sue
cess has been the inspiration of labor
An honest heart, clear mind and
sound body were the capital of the great
men of this nation. With these incor-
porated into an energetic endeavor, the
most beneficent results followed their
efforts. At each success hope was further
inspired. In this way the most magnitl-
cent fortunes, the greatest learning, the
mightieSt achievements have recorded
the ambition of Americans. The hum
blest, the most obscure, may become its
chief magistrate. The poorest its greatest
men of wealth. The most ignorant its
greatest scholars. All this is because we
", a
for, by and of the people
The young man and young woman,
having plighted their troth in the holy
bonds of matrimony, without money or
property, had the success of their pa
rents to prove to them that success was
theirs If they only tried. The opportuni-
ty was here, embrace it and all would be
we'll They wanted nothing that was not
their own, and they gave to all what be-
longed to them. The man worked In the
office, store, mine, shop or field, and was
rewarded for his labor. The mortgage
on his home got no heavier from the
increment of legislation in the interest of
the creditor but 1t got lighter from the
increasing value of his home Thus from
year to year they. husband and wife, ac-
cumulated and prospered If he was a
working man there was work for him to
do. There were no idle laborers standing
around with empty buckets and stomachs
to take his job, If he was discharged
because he kicked at oppression or re-
volted at political tyranny. There was
work for all, because there was a market
for their products. When John left home
the parting kiss of his loving help-meet
was benediction, and when he returned
tired from the days work he was met by
eyes sparkling with light. lips rosy with
health and an embrace of welcome back
to the cottage home-their home. II the
meal was scant 1t was from the econo-
my to save, not of necessity Hope. hope.
hope was the inspiration of these homes.
Rob the homes of the bond of their hope
and you rob nation of its pride, patriot
ism and power
SUCH is largely the condition of Amer
lea today. Discomfort, confusion dis
cord and envy have come into our civili-
cation. Our government has been pros
tituted to the selfish interest of the few.
and the many are suffering, The man
who Is out of debt. 1t matters not how
hard he works, how economical in man
agement he may be, how much his low
ing wife may labor and sacrifice, finds at
the end of the year that he has only lived,
and not always well at that. The man
who is in debt finds himself further in
debt at the end of the year by the incre-
ment of the debt, as measured by COM
modities, the products of his labor in adj
dition to usurious Interest
Thus as he finds himself growing old and
worn out. his wife the picture of over
work and anxiety his children growing
up in ignorance and without hope for the
future he becomes discouraged disheart-
ened and ambition dies. He therefore
becomes rebellous; his Amerleanism is
lost in his despair: he becomes indiffer-
ent and quits the fight for success When
such is the condition of the majority 4
results in national decadences which cam
not be prevented byss,i, Asnian injnori$y,-
who are prosperous bseause hey are the