The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-21
Memorable Reign
OF Queen Victoria
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press.
1t is a m emorable event, and quite un-
paralleled, when a sovereign, and partic-
ulariy woman sovereign, completes and
crowns three score years of unbroken
rule on the throne of a great power, and
finds herself on that unprecedented jubi-
lee still in the possession of her facul-
ties, blessed with the ever-increasing love
and devotion of a mighty people and with
the reVerent homage and Veneration or
the whole world. When we remember
that her sceptre extends over 37S,OOO,UOO
people, occupying 10,7S3,OO0 square miles,
or one-sixth of all the land surface of
the globe, this event is all the more
worthy of commemoration.
A fact not less noteworthy is the growth
which has characterized these sixty
years. The territory covered by the Brit
ish flag and the population protected by
the flag, the wealth and the commerce
and the manufactures have increased in
like measure. But mere material magni-
tude does not measure true greatness.
There has been equal growth in the spir-
itual realm. Education has been promot-
| ed, restrictions have been removed, knowl-
| edge has become accessible to the hum
| blest, the circulation of books and news
| papers has become universal and there
| has gradually grown up a literature not
surpassed in the history of the world.
| Science has been constantly achieving
| the impossible, has been perpetually dis
| tancing itself, and the progress of science
| has been subsidiary to the advancement
of human happiness. The triumphs Of
| medicine and of surgery would alone en-
| title this reign to pre-eminence. The dis
| covery of anaesthetics and the introduc-
| tion of antiseptic treatment have revolu-
| tionized surgery, have relieved mankind
| of ineXpressible torture and have effect
| cd nnmhaTlaSS
| pauper, the tramp, the convict of today
| has such treatment as the crowned ruler
of sixty years ago did not enjoy, and did
| not even conceive.
The moral growth has kept pace with
the intellectual. Before the queens ac-
! cession immortality reigned in the high
places ard could plead the countenance of
| those who sat upon the throne and who
were legally the head of the national
church, in whom lay the appointment Of
| the high religious officers. No sooner had
| William w ascended the throne than he
| made it his first business to provide
places and titles for his ten illegitimate
| children, the oldest of whom was made
an earl. The general advance in moral
| ity among those of elevated station has
| been great. The most prominent Eng
lishman has been a Puritan in his private
and domestic life.
The laws were hideous in their oppres-
siveness. Thousands of debtors were con-
fined side by side with malefactors. In
the year preceding the queens accession
a lad was sentenced to death for break
ing the window of a confectioner's shop
and stealing some candy (though we be-
lieve the sentence was not executed). The
laws have been mitigated, the number OF
capital crimes has been reduced to one,
and imprisonment while not serving to
pamper the criminal is yet conducted
with a view to his reformation The or
ganization of working people, which was
forbidden, Is now fosteTed. Strikes are
averted, or are closed by arbitration. The
hours of labor for women and children
are abridged and the law demands for
the employed in mihs and in mines every
| possible provision for safety, for COM
fort and for modesty. The Earl OF
Shaftesbury was the good genius Of the