Connecticut western news., 1900-12-20

ments All this Is paid out of the sweat and blood of the people. Are the peo- pie satisfied? However much the Ger mans like William and Austria likes Francis Joseph and England likes her glorious queen, these stupendous gov ernmental expenses are built on & groan of dissatisfaction as wide as Flu rope. If 1t were left to the people of England or Austria or Germany or Russia whether these expensive estab- lishments should be kept up, do you doubt what the vote would be? Now, Is 1t not better that we be overtaxed and the surplus be distributed all over the land than to have 1t built up and piled up inside of palaces?
 Freedom From Oppressfon.
 Again, the monopolistic oppression Is less in America than anywhere else. The air Is full of protest because great houses, great companies, great individ- uals, are building such overtowering fortunes. Stephen Girard and John Jacob Astor, stared at in their time for their august fortunes, would not now be pointed at in the streets of Wash ington or Philadelphia or New York as anything remarkable. These vast for tunes for some imply pinchedness, of want for others. A growing protuber- ance on mans head implies illness of the whole body. These estates of dis proportionate size weaken all the body polite. But the evil Is nothing with us compared with the monopolistic op- pression abroad. Just look at the ec. olnci a oticol oSto Il ch hmoutc oy, tho othor side the sea. Look at those great ca- thedrals, built at fabulous expense and supported by ecclesiastical machinery, and sometimes i'll an audience room that would hold a thousand people 20 or 30 people gather for worship. The pope's income is $S,OOO. 900 a year. Ca thedrals of statuary and braided arch and walls covered with masterpieces of Rubens and Raphael and Michael An gelo. Against all the walls dash seas of poverty and crime and filth and abomination.
 Ireland today one vast monopolistic visitation. About 45,OOO,0O0 people in Great Britain, and yet all the soil owned by about 32,00O. Statistics enough to make the earth tremble. Duke of Devonshire owning 96,000 acres in Derbyshire, Duke of Rich mond owning 100000 acres around Gordon castle, Marcus of Bredalbane going on a Journey of 100 miles in straight line all on his own property. Duke of Sutherland has an estate wide as Scotland, which dips into the sea on both sides. Unfortunate as we have 1t here, 1t Is great deal worse there.
 The majority of the people of the United States are on their way to for tunes. They will either be rich them selves, or their children win be rich. If should put to some men the question, "Would you have fortune and let your children struggle all through their lives in the same kind of struggle that you have had to maker scores of men would say: "I am willing to fight this | battle all the way through, but give my children a chance. 1 do not care so | much about myself. 1t Is only for 10 or | 20 years anyhow. Give my children | chance" If there is anything that stirs my admiration, 1t Is a man without any education himself sending his sons to college and without any opportunity I he shall have 1t hard all the days of his I life his children shall have a good start. And tell you that though some of our people may have great commer- cial struggles there is going to be | great opening for their sons and daugh- | ters as they come on to take their places in the world.
 l CopxJppyy,nr xhia i,,torr a Hon ol r~rv y,n F. ison, I have to say to you that we have better climate than is to be found in any other nation. We do not suffer from anything like the Scotch mists or the English fogs or the Russian Ice blast or the typhus of southern Europe or the Asiatic cholera. Epidemics in | America are exceptional, very excep- sional. Plenty of wood and coal to make a roaring fire midwinter. Easy | access to seabeach or mountain top | when the ardors of summer come | down, Michigan wheat for the bread, Long Island corn for the meal, Caro- Louisiana sugar to sweeten our bever- ages, Georgia cotton to keep us warm, In our hand all products and all cli- mates. Are your nerves weak? Go north. Is your throat delicate? Go south. Do you feel crowded and want more room2 Go west. I declare it, this is the best country in all the world to live in. How do I know 1t? I have 650,0OO new reasons for saying 1t; 650,- l 900 people in one year came from the other side of the Atlantic to live In l nc tn the very best country to live In.
 Spirit of Ruin. -
 While making this international com- parison let us look forward to the time which will surely come when all na- tions will have as great advantages as our own. AS surely as the Bible Is true the whole earth is to be gardenized and set free. Even the climates will change and the heats be cooled and the frigid- lty warmed.
 Many years ago in this city I gazed upon scene which for calamity and grandeur one seldom sees equaled.
 mean the burning of the Smithsonian
 institution. It was the pride of our country. In 1t art had gathered rarest specimens from all lands and countries
 1t was one of those buildings which seize you with entertainment as you en- ter and all the rest of your life holds you with a charm. I happened to see
 the first glow of the fires which on that cold day looked out from the windows of the costly pile. I saw the angry ele-
 ments rear and rave. The shout of af-
 frighted workmen and the assault of
 fire engines only seemed to madden the
 rage of the monsters that rose up to
 devour all that came within reach of
 their chain. Up along the walls and
 through the doors were pushed hands
 that snatched down all they could
 reach and hurled 1t into the abyss ot
 flame beneath. The windows of the
 tower would light up for a minute with
 wild glare and then darken, as | kt -<