Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-06


OF Washington monument to-day were at
tended BY an unusually large crowd, not
q small part of which was attracted by the
fact that Assistant Secretary OF the In
terror Webster Davis. of Kansas City, was
10 deliver the principal address. None OF
those who came to hear Mr.. Davis was
disappointed. for his Grafton was fully up
10 the standard, both in thought and de-
livery. that he has set for himself. His
remarks were generously appiauded and he
received a flood of congratulations after
the exercises. Judge Lawrance Weldon OF
the court Of claims also delivered an ad-
dress the Declaration of Independence was
read and there was plenty OF tne music.
Mr.. Davis address was as follows:
Mr. Davis speech:
Among the nations born. greater than
them all we stand:
More rich in wheat and corn more blest by
God. our Fathers hand.
And none titled nobler than the man VINO
is but an American
And yet at one time the people of other
lands were won't to prophesy that our re-
public was only an experiment, and that
the time would come when it would live
only in History. .,
But the craft of the statesman, the
learning of the historian, and the wisdom
Of the PHILOSOPHER have, alike. proven TO
be without foundation. Talleyrand was
wrong; the republic is giant indeed. but
il is a giant with brains. bones, Drawn,
blood and muscle; DeTocqneville phiios-
ophy was IL error for the republic had
power 10 sustain itself in the most trying
crises. And Baron MaeaHlay's historical
research led him astray, for the republic
still lives. fresh in eternal youth, and as
undyiug the eternal principles on which
IL is founded. Its sword has always been
the enemy Of oppression and wrong
wherever found; on its bright banner are
principles immortal and in its hands eter-
nal justice and equality OF rights. Under
the magic wand of these a happy people
have lived for more than a century. II Is
true that clouds have, appeared at times
which covered our land with almost Egyp-
tian darkness; but ever and anon, through
it all, the God Of our nation has extended
His hand 10 fair Columbia, weeping in her
sorrow. and led her out of the gloom into
the radiant light of sunny skies. To-day
man rights, is the beacon light Of cheer and
encourac cement to the liberty loving peo-
pie of the whole civilized world. And they
have come here from all lands 10 find
home where they and their little ones may
sit under their own vine and fig tree with
no one 10 molest or To make them afraid.
a home where their youth may be crowned
with happiness and the sun OF their lifes
evening may go down with the unmoleSted
hope of a glorious Immortality. SO that
now our land is occupied by Intelligent,
energetic. thrifty, civilized men and w0m-
en-, who have founded manifold institutions
Of learning. built villages and magnificent
ctes. whitened The rivers and seas with
the sails Of commerce, converted impen-
etrable forests into cultivated fields and
splendid orchards. Cl0t ned the bills with
luXuriaut vines and filled the valleys with
corn and wine; covered the sterile plains
with beautiful gardens. and transformed
desolate deserts into fields Of bloom; filled
with plenty the nations granartes. while
the music OF reapers and mowers the
songs of hardy sons Of toll as they garner
in the sheaves from the harvest field; the
murmur Of the loom and shuttle, the roar
OF the hot breath OF furnaces. the hum and
whirr Of countless wheels and spindles. of
mills and factories planted on the banks
o. the rivers: the melodies of ringing an
wills Of smithies at the forge; the merry
laughter Of little children sporting on the
school house piaygTound-all nj the i2nd
with the sweet melody of the songs of in
dustry. while plenty sis enthroned and
crowned and sways her joyous scepter
over happy homes where millions dwell in
peace and sweet content.
Much to Be Happy Over.
surely the happiest people in an the
world should be the people OF the United
States. for their homes are in. the grand
est belt of forest. valley and plain which
the world has in it, With rivers running
down TO the sea in al directions. with
ma iestiC mountain ranges rearing their
snowy CreSts like Sentinels grim and bold
standing guard over plains and valleys.
rlvaling in their fertility the famous val
ley Of the Nile: with magnificent wood
lands. where all the Lumber needed can
be procured: with scenery displaying an
y
pretends 10 rival: with a climate unexceiled
for health and comfort: with snow enough
for courage and sunshine enough for song.
Not only have We all these on the sur
face Of our soil. but beneath there are
countless square miles OF splendid coal and
iron. lead, zinc, stone, copper, silver and
gold-encugh TO make our nation rich. Oh,
let these mines he opened, let agriculture
and horticulture flourish, and let manu-
Iactures. commerce. art, science, educa-
tion. literature. blossom here and forever
bless mankind.
In nature IL is all poetic and beautiful
TO mark first the blade. then the ear, then
the fun grain in the ear of corn. but in the
human race the beauty of the scene is
lessened by the sorrow the blade meets on
ear meets on the way TO the ripened corn:
SO II Is with our republic. 1t has passed
through many dangers and to-day Il has
a glorious future; though we must not for
get that great dangers are yet ahead, and
We must consider them calmly and meet
them with patriotism to our country and
one great danger to-day is the tendency
among some TO widen the Chasm between
capital and labor. 30 make the workingman
feel that the prosperity of the capitalist is
an injury TO himself and to make the capt.
tallst feel that the workinEman is simply
beast OF burden This is wrong. The
prosperity OF one means the prosperity OF
both. They should work together. Capt.
talists are necessary. for without them
great enterprises are impossible. and labor
Is the creator OF all wealth, and the men
who toll are true sOvereigns whore labor is
honored and merit distinguished.
The Rush TO the Cities.
''Oue reason for this condition appears TO
be that too many young men become weary
OF the farms and crowd into the cities eX-
peCiiug 20 win success with ease. The
professions are all full Of men who came
from the country to better their conditions
when iU fact they made them worse. for
the competition in the city is a thousand
times sharper. Indeed. there is not much
music iu the rattle Of the cable or electric
car. there Is not much JOY in the darkness
Of a mUSty office on the top floor OF a lofty
building. But there is inspiration in green
fields and fruitful orchards: there Is music
IN the hum Of Teapers and mowers and
there l. melody in the songs OF birds as
they carol amid the trees; and there is
harvest fields. in the meadows and among
the shady groves.
In our cities too many merchants and
bankers do not take enough interest in
their employees to visit them and note the
manner In which. on their meager wages,
they care for father and mother and others
dependent upon them.
= believe In as short hours and as good
pay as possible for all who toll And IL Is
right. Just and proper that the woman who
IS compelled TO labor for living should
receive the same paw for the same work.
performed as well and within the time rs
the man who works in shop or factory by
her side. Indeed, would also let her vote,
II she desired. She certainly ought to be
as much entitled 10 this privilege as the
thug and the ballot box suffer who makes
himself so conspicuous in some localities
There should be no quarrel between
capital and labor, one cannot do without
the other. Both are needed In developing
the latent resources OF our republic, both
are needed 10 make our nation rich, pros
porous and happy.
We do not want this land TO become one
OF cruelty, weakness and deception. We
do not want the future historian TO he
able TO record on naCeS bedeWed with