Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-12-07

many OF the great labOr-saving ma.
marvellous progress Of the last hall
century. The sewing machine, the
steamboat, the sleeping car. the tele.
phone. the telegraph, the Atlantic
cable, the cotton-gin, the electric
light, the moving machine, the reap
ing machine and straw thresher, the
steam fire engine and electric street
car and the typewriter are but a few
of the triuinphs of American brains
that have revolutionized labor and
almost annihilated distance.
In manufacturing the United States
leads the world and the yearly value
of our products is nearly double that
Of Great Britain, which country holds
second place. American workmen
are the best paid in the world and
the average yearly wages have in
creased almost continually i'm the
last forty years.
3. notwithstanding the contrary
irreligious conditions which confront
us III Lille uC" WCet, lIHC Sullcu
States may be said to lead the world
as a religious people, a Christian ma
ton. And this is no doubt due large
ly to the intelligence and enterprise
Of our people. The two generally go
together. Statistics show that
those who work out their own sal
walton for the future do not neglect
their personal interests in the pres
ent." Even Paine, the great French
skeptic, says: "Whatever it's present
envelope may be, the old gospel still
serves as the best auxiliary of the
social instinct" The Christian ma
tions have been the prosperous ma
tions, and the intelligent nation will
nation. "Righteousness exalteth a
nation, but sin is q reproach to any
people,"
According to the census of 1890 we
lead the world with 142, 521 church
edifices; 2O,630, SO6, or one-third of our
people, are church members. The
seating capacity OF our churches
would accommodate over two-thirds
of the entire population, and if neces-
sary every man, woman and child
could go to church at one time with
out really crowding the buildings.
Nearly one-half OF the worlds Sun
day school scholars are i'm the United
States, 9.7lS,432, or about 1900, 900
more than Great Britain and Ire
land, which hold second place.
6. Our nation is also the most pa
triotic and powerful in the family OF
nations. During our recent war
with Spain a high official in the Eng
lish army is reported to have said
that america could whip the world"
The United States has neither army
nor navy i'm the European sense of
the word, but our glorious stars and
stripes is the only flag that has never
been sullied by national defeat. When
the government called for men less
than forty years ago 1000, 900 left
home and family-all that was dear
to fight for the flag and their coun-
try. And the spirit of patriotism
seems stronger today than ever be-
fore. When Gen. Miles was asked il
there had been a hearty response to
the presidents call for volunteers, he
said: 81 have on file letters and tele-
grams representing 100000 persons
importuning that they he enlistedfor
III T..
to the $4,000 specified in thee presi-
dents call and who are now enlist
ed" When Gen. Alger, the secretary
of war, was asked the same ques-
ton, he was even more enthusiastic.
Should an emergency call go forth
tomorrow" he said, for n draft of
the American people, 10000. 900 men
would rally to the flag before the
sun sank to rest" The American
soldier is noted for his steadiness and
dash in battle" said a certain writer
before the war. He may be relied
upon to accomplish the task set be-
fore him if bravery and fortitude,
coupled with wide intelligence, can
hCCotIDliSh tut oDICNt. 'hdCt III III
cumstances, whether in victory or
defeat, his equipoise remains with
him to the last. He never loses his
mental balance. This feature, which
is strictly a national characteristic,
has been demonstrated on a hundred
~battlefields, is self-evident now, and
will no doubt be demonstrated more
largely as this war for the upbuild-
ing of the d~owntrodden and the de-
struction of the enemy progresses"
The truth of this statement has been
again proven by the navy at Manila
and Santiago and by the army at
Guatanamo Bay and FL Caney
Heights, as well as in other incidents
of the war. That these possessions
and virtues are the gifts of God no