Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-25

ing to COncede that God ever intended |
that country like this should be vast
ed merely in order to maintain few
tribes of lazy, indolent, useless men
and women in whom there was want
ing every element Of civilization. They
believed that God was ready to distri-
butte the virgin soil Of this country to
His stewards and like the Master re-
ferred to in holy-writ He expected that
whatever was entrusted to the servant
should be made to yield 80, 80, and
100 fold. The Indian produced moth
ing; you are producing everything.
Change Not Accidental.
"This great change is not an acct
dent. We are reaping today what our
! ancestors have sown, and by the word
ancestors | do not mean merely the
old settlers of Wapello county, for the
lives and characters Of those old set
tiers are so linked with the early set
tiers of America as to entitle the ear
lier settlers of this great continent to
some share of credit for the wonderful
prosperity which surrounds and over
whelms us today.
"We are greatly interested in the
efforts made by people from various
countries in their attempts to plant
colonies in this country, but more es-
pecially are we interested in the set
Element by colonists from England. As
Webster said eighty years ago, 1t may
be said now: We cherish every MEM
ory of those worthy ancestors; we cele-
brate their patience and fortitude; we
admire their daring enterprise; we
teach our children to venerate their
piety: and we are justly proud of be-
ing descended from men who have set
the world an example of founding civil
institutions on the great and united
principles of human freedom and hui
man knowledge. To us, their descend
ents. the story of their labors and sui
| ferings can never be without interest.
Character Brings Results.
"The character of the men and
women OF the old Puritan colony that
settled at Plymouth In 1920 has had
much to do with the peace, happiness
and prosperity which has since come
to every community of this great coun-
try of ours. :.
among all the new settlers OF
America, both English and Dutch, ana
French alike, one element was COM
mon devotion to the cause OF liberty,
and hatred of oppression and wrong,
and the essential elements of self-con-
trolling manhood were common
throughout all the colonies. Every
where it seems to have grown out OF
a germ of devotion to religious free
dom developed on this secluded contin-
ant. their men was shut in by the sea
on one hand, and perils from fierce
aborigines on the other. In the en-
poyment then of unknown civil and re-
ligious liberties, of equal laws and
mild government, the colonies rapidly
grew in spite of Indian wars.
Is Part Of Majority.
'srhe, history of this country shows
that all Of the communities that have
existed in the various parts OF the
country since its early settlement have
!. not measured up to the standard OF the
early settlers of New England. But il
! is a great pleasure to know that
: large majority of them have, and an
! pleased to believe that this community
, has shown itself entitled to be listed
!. with that large majority. What die
the early settlers of Wapello count!
! believe? What did they teach? The!
believed in virtue, in marriage and II
+ the sacredness Of the home. The PEG
ple who first settled this county were
; as a rule, young couples,-young mel
i, and women, who had been reared il
homes Of honesty. virtue and Industry
! farther east. and had fallen desperate
! " in love with each other, and Will
q confidence in each other, and that Tin
i bounded hope and confidence whicl
springs from the hearts of such a TN
{ ion. came to this county to take the1
7 places in communities here, and buil'
f np such homes, and such communitie
n as their fathers and mothers had bull
in Ohio. Indiana. and other easter
states. Yes, and these early settler
knew. I think, better than some Of lie
t what 1t takes to constitute the idea
!: home. They lost no time in readin
l. worthless novels, nor on pets, nor poe
q die dogs. but they rounded up, as
n rule from half dozen to a dozen hal
DIV. bouncing bustling boys, and carr
< est, modest. lovely girls. They BIZ
I lieved in truth and honesty. So muc
so that the man or woman or boy Q
u girl who would deliberately lie Q
D steal was condemned and ostracise
Il by the entire community. They BIZ
,, lieved in justice and uprightness; S
~ much so that fraud and unfair dealin
~ :. and the taking Of advantage Of tn
~ poor, weak and helpless, was treate
- by the community as next to an III
-, :. pardonable sin. They believed
y, - obedience to parents and so, every DO
- - did the work that his father command
w ed him to do and every girl laid he
-. hand to that which she felt that he
-. mother desired, and no child, howeve
20 young or old, so long as he RENAME
20 in the household Of his parents, WE
NJ permitted to raise his voice or h
Or hand against parental authority. The
ti- believed in obedience to teachers, s
al that the children we're required to taxi
III full advantage Of the limited oppo
I'd tunities which the poverty of the cor
N munity afforded in the way of school
They believed in obedience to law, {
that whoever stood up against the la
as it was written. and authority as
as clared by the courts, was considere
ed and treated as an outlaw They b