St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-01-19

ing, lords in waiting, grooms OF the
court chamber, sergeant-at-armss
barge. master and waterman. eight
bedchamber women, eight ladies OF
the bedchamber and 50 on and 30 on.
All this is only a type of the fabulous
expense of foreign governments. All
this is paid out of the sweat and blood
Of the people. Are the people salts
fed? However much the Germans
like William, and Austria likes Fran
els Joseph, and England likes her
glorious queen, these stupendous gov.
efnmental expenses are built on .
groan Of dissatisfaction as wide a.
Europe. If it were left to the people
of England or Austria or Germany or
Russia whether these expensive estabr
lishments should be kept up, do you
doubt what the vote would be? Now,
is il. mot better that We be overtaxed
and the surplus be distributed all over
the land than to have it built up and
piled up inside Of palaces?
Continuing this international COM
parison. I have. to say to you that
we have a better climate than 10 te
be found in any other nation. Ws
do not suffer from anything like the
Scotch mists or the English fogs OF
the Russian ice blasts or the typhus
of southern Europe or the Asiatie.
cholera. Epidemics in America are
exceptional, very exceptional. Plen-
ty of wood and coal to make a roar
ing fire midwinter, easy access to sea
beach or mountain top when the ar
dors of summer come down, Michigan
wheat for the bread, Long Island corn
for the meal, Carolina rice Cor the
queen of puddings, Louisiana sugar
to sweeten our beverages, Georgia
cotton to keep us warm. In our land
all products and all climates. Are
your nerves weak? GO north. II
you- throat delicate? 60 south Do
you feel crowded and want more
room? Go west. declare it: This
is the best country in all the world
to live in. How do I know it? ]
have $4,000 new reasons for saying
it. Six hundred and fifty thousand
people in one year came from tho
other side of the Atlantic to live in,
America, and they came because it
is the very best country to live in.
While making this international
comparison let us look forward to the
time which will surely come when
all nations win have as great advan-.
tages as our own. As surely as the
Bible II trse- the whole earth 10 10 be
eaYdenized and set fee.
Many years ago in this city ! gazed
upon a scene which for calamity and
grandeur one seldom sees equaled. ]
mean the burning of the Smithsonian
institution. 1t was the pride of our
country. In it art had gathered rarest
specimens from all lands and countries.
1t was one of those buildings which
seize you with enchantment as you en-
ter, and all the rest of your life holds
you with charm, i happened to see
the first glow of the fires which on
that cold day looked out from the win
dows Of the costly pile. 1saw the angry
elements rear and rave. The shout OF
affrighted 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 it into the abyss of
flame beneath. The windows Of the
tower would light up for minute with
. wild glare and then darken, as
though fiends with streaming locks Of
fire. had come TO. gaze on in laughing
fmockery. at all human attempts and.
then'sunk again into their native dark
ness. With crackle and roar and crash
the floors tumbled., The roofs began
here and there to blossom in wreaths
and vines Of fame. Up and down the
pillars ran serpents Of fire. Out from
the windows great arms and fingers OF
flame were extended. as though de-
stroyed spirits were begging for defiv-
erance. The tower put on coronet OF
flame and staggered and fell. sparks
flying. the firemen escaping, the terror
accumulating. Books, maps, rare cor
respondence, Autographs of kings.
costly diagrams burned to cinder or
scattered for many. a rood upon the
wild wind. to be picked up by the ex-
cited multitude. Oh. it seemed like
some great funeral pile in which the
wealth and glory Of our land had leaped
to burn with its consuming treasures.
The heavens were biackened with
whirlwinds. of smoke, through which
sho. the long red shafts of calamity.
Destruction waved. its fiery banner
from the remaining towers, and in the
thunder of falling beams and in the
roaring surge OF billowing fire I heard
the spirits OF ruin and desolation and
woe clappihg their hands and shout
ing: "Aha! aha!"
I tnrned and looked upon the white
dome. OF yonder capitol. which rose
through the frosty air as imposing as
though all the white marile Of the
earth had come to resurrection and
stood before MS, reminding one Of the
great white throne Of Heaven. There il
stood, unmored by the terrors which
that day bad been kindled before it.
No tremor in.its majestic columns. no
frown on its magnificent sculpture, no
fiushsof excitement in its veins of mar
BILE Column and capital and dome.
built TO endure until the world itself
skaters in conrulsions OF the last
earthquake. oh. what .. contrast be-
tween the smoking ruin on the one
hand and that gorgeous dream Of ar
chitecture on the other! Well. the day
speeds on when the grandest achieve
ment Of man win be consumed and the
world will blaze. Down will 60 gal.
leries Of art and thrones Of royalty,
and the hurricane of Gods power viii
scatter even. the ashes Of !. consumed
greatness and glory. Not one tower
left, not. one city unconsumed. not one
scene Of grandeur to relieve the desola-
tio1. Forests .dismasted, seas licked
up. continents sunk. hemispheres an
initiated. Oh. the roar and thunder
ing crash of that last conilagration!
But, from that.ruin of blazing earth
we shall look up to see the temple Of
liberty and justice rising through the
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