The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-08-05
WHAT OF THE FUTUREs

our children applaud our deeds and
bless our memories as we do those of
our fathers? We expend annually
over one billion of dollars for eGuca.
tional purposes. What is the object
of this? 1t is to develop the faculties
OF our boys and girls so as to increase
their power over nature In order that
they may exault with greater joy In
their triumphs. This is the purpose
to which the school house, colleges
and universities, with which our land
is filled, are dedicated. The grandeur
of our institutions of learning and the
liberality with which we sustain them
vindicates the good intentions Of this
generation toward the next. But
will the result meet our expectations?
These are solemn reflections, from
which no thoughtful parent can es.
cape. How can parents look into the
bright eyes of the hoy or girl that is
their joy and pride and attempt an
answer to the questions that they will
naturally PROFOUND in regard to the
future without a shudder when they
realize the changes that are so rapidly
taking place-chsnges that may elm
mate all opportunity from the life of
the child, such as has been open to all
Americans from the foundation Of the
government, says the National Watch.
man.
But with these conditions confront.
ing us, what are we going to do about
it. What can we do to better the con-
dition of those who come after US, or
guarantee to them the liberties which
the founders of the nation int nded
should be their heritage? We Of the
present generation have seen small
beginnings in life crowned with en-
during success. We have seen the
boy leave his parents home barehand-
ed to return at the end of a decade or
q score of years at the head of some
profession or the head of some large
industrial enterprise 10 the agricul.
tural, manufacturing or mining world
or perhaps at the head of one of our
railway or navigation companies. It
has been the glory Of our nation that
its rich men were self.made and that
intelligence, industry, thrift and
honesty were the passports to success.
Free competition in industry is one
of the corner stones upon which our
civilization rests. When Jefferson
abolished entail and destroyed heredi-
tary privilege he felt that liberty was
secure. But we have created an arti
fetal being that has developed into
monster and now threatens to destroy
che liberties Of the people whose
creature he is. The corporation,
legal entity, is the monster that stands
across our path with open jaws to de-.
your US.
Industrial OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
their genesis in the corporation. The
trust is not thing of nature, but OF
law; not natural law, but human law
made by legislatures and congresses
law that can be repealed by the people
through their state and national legis-
lative bodies.
The territory embraced in the Unit
ed States, leaving out of account our
recent acquisitions, is sufficient to
accommodate fully three hundred mil.
lions of people, comfortably provided
for in American homes. Our develop
ment Is but Just fairly entered upon.
Aided by invention and scientific
knowledge those who are to live in the
coming century, under good govern
ment, ought to enjoy opportunities far
beyond anything that has gone befores
We are standing at the parting of
the ways. Liberty and free institutions
are trem bling in the balance. The
final test of fitness for self.goyernment
crosses our path and its challenge can.
not be evaded. The artificial person.
age we have created by law and en-
dowed with the power of millions of
men and billions of wealth has usurped
the power of the government and is
undermining our civilization and set
ting up depotism. Are we capable
of dealing with the problem that con-
fronts US? If we are not, it is mis-
take to educate our children. Intelli-
gence, education and refinement can
only make slavery more CALLING and
the agonies of the slave more unbear-
able.
Let US remember that we are the
connecting link between the past and
the future; that our fathers wrought
not for us alone, but for all who are to
come after US through all time; that
we hold in trust for the future the re.
suits of the sacrifices and achieve.
ments of the past and we must deliver
that trust to the future or the guilt
will rest upon our own heads.
The popular government and free
inherited from the fathers
are adequate to any emergency. If in
administered. Our contol
over the machinery of government is
absolute If we will but use it. The day
is only sixteen months distant when
all the power of the government re-
verts into the hands OF the people.
On that day we are to be consulted
and q verdict of the majority can order
it will. On that day the
vote of every man Is as potent for
good or evil as the vote of every other.
Therefore we have an interest in the
of our fellows, and are
under bonds to enlighten them, the
penalty of their error being the loss of
our liberties as we'll as theirs.
Our neighbor may be guided by po-
litical prejudices, and may so cast his
vote that it will contribute to make
bis OVID children, as we'll as ours,
slaves. No person will dare question
The love of every man for his own off,
,pring. No man would do his own
,hildren and his country q wrong,
it to be such. No man could |
De induced to cast his vote to estab-
ish trusts, industrial despotism and
leprive his children of opportunities
md consiRn them to life of serfdom
md vassalage If he were conscious that
ucb would be the result of his act.
{ will afford US but little satisfaction
I the majority vote wrong and evil
onas ,,non no IN reflect that wa our.