Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-07-11
(By John Anderson Jayne.)

Wnen henry WadsWOrth EOng1ellOW
wrote the startling lines, "Lives of
great men all remind us, We can make
our lives sublime, doubtless he little
thought that he was penning a line that
would be an inspiration to millions and
make his name immortal. Yet such is
the incalculable, immeasureable value
of suggestion thrown broadcast to the
winds that these lines did serve such
noble purpose.
We of America are apt to think at
times that in America, and in America
only, there is opportunity for men to
rise from humble beginnings to COM
manding positions in the affairs that
have to do with the state and native
land. But the truth is that in other
lands as we'll as our own, in this pro-
gressive age of the world, manhood Is
bound to make its influence felt.
Even in lands long dominated by
the thought of the divine right of
kings and the submergenee of the com,
mon people, men of strong personality
and true character are breaking through
the crust of aristocracy, and not only
demanding but compelling thei. right
to have voice in the shaping of public
affair. We are accustomed to this in
the United States. Every generation,
since the flinging of the Declaration
of Independence to the four winds of
heaven, has presented to liberty low
ing people SOME Franklin, Lincoln, Gar
field or Grant. In our own American
congress today there are many who
have risen from low estate to help
shape the affairs of the nation. Many
a congressman has risen from the hum
blest of cradlings to the mightiest of
commandings.
But what shall we say when looking
across the Atlantic to the "mother
country, to the proud and conservative
English parliament, we see there
mingling on equal terms of the blue
blooded, more than fifty men whose op-
portunities in youth were so small and
meagre as to give no prophecy of great
ness in the days that were to come.
1t is worth while to sit up and take
notice of what is going on and the men
who compose its august body, as illus
trative of the principle that as noun
tain spring sooner or later finds it's
home in the sea, so true worth and nam
hood wherever it is cast, must pause
for a moment and see some of the great
ones of parliament and note their hum
BILE beginnings. First and foremost
among all the workers in English af
fairs doing their work for the common
people is John Burns. 1t is only 3s
years ago that he was working in a
candle factory at but few shillings
per week wages, spelling out his A B
C's by the light of one of his own il
luminants. Today he is cabinet min.
lister on a salary of $4,000 per year.
Kier Hardle, another leader, AZ years
ago was an humble worker in the coal
mines, never having had day IS school
ingto help him as came to the estate
of manhood Today he is the leader of
the English Labor party and is honored
and respected everywhere. William
Crooks, who carried the election at
Woolwieh for the Labor party. began
his life in the poorhouse. George Mich
OILS up until his 10Th year was an agri
cultural laborer and tramped England
as a navy looking for work. At the
age of Alfred Gill was selling daily
papers on the streets.
Only few years ago a young fellow
by the name of Will Thorne was glad
TO take any job that came his way;
today he is the first Simon pure Social
ist to be elected TO parliament, and is
making friends for himself by the score
and winning constant recognition for
his parity Young William Abrahams
worked in the pits fo- over 2l years.
Today his position as leasler of poll
teal thought is undenied. From the
mines in which his father had toiled
-~-..su..<.~..z.z-zu.