Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-05-17
ABILENE WEEKLY aEFIECTOR AsEN KANSAS May U igO8-TWEIvE PAGES

shone upon. There are 100000 9
people, freer and happier than an
100000 Of people assembled in an
one place in all the range Of history
Here In our land in the seat O
liberty, Is the power of civilization
There are about 1900, 10000 Of peo
pie in the world. II they were stoo'
up in two ranks and counted of II
every Is eight would be barbarian
and seven civilized. The work Of re
ducing mankind to obedience to laws
as well as the wilderness, lies IL
front Of us and not behind us. The
nation that is foremost in faith, fore
most in hope, and foremost in power
is your nation. ....
In 1t are FIVE great elements of itt
business life.
Its agricultural life,-The secretary
of Agriculture has said that this last
year the products of the farms Of
America were worth about $4,000,
100000, of this we sent about 1900
100000 abroad. Who bought the rest
Of it? Who had the money to buy I'll
The next great interest Of our bust
ness Is the manufacturing power. The
manufactured output was about $751;
000,000,000 and we only sent about
$500, 100000 abroad.
It's commercial life.-The next
element Of our national life Is our
commercial life, and the commerce Of
America, in dollars and cents, Is great
er between the states and within our
own borders, than the commerce Of
England. France and Germany with
their own people, and with all the
world besides. =
It's banking power.-The banking
power of the world is estimated at
$31, 900, 900. 900. Sit, 900, 100000 of which
is in our own country. One half of
the commerce of the world is in our
own land; one half Of the railroads
Of the earth are in our own land. The
power Of civilization is in our own
hands. II we should stop doing work
for 5 days mankind would suffer. If
the mills Of America should, for
60 days. close all their spindles, man
kind would suffer; II the shoe shops
Of America should shut their doors for
60 days, mankind would suffer; II
the farmers Of America, for one
season, should abandon their cotton
fields. wheat fields. or cornlOlds, man
kind would suffer.
Its Intellectual poweP.-And here
is the intellectual power Of the world.
The sun has ShonS brightly for 5000
years on Egypt. India and Asia. The
soil was rich, the intellects keen.
Why have they never made steel J
pillow, why have they never made a
hoe, q reaper. Q sewing machine, a
telegraph instrument, a telephone or
q locomotivei Why have they never
made any more than an az, a ham,
mer or a sword? Why is there no
flag for Egypt or India with
100000 Of people? Why is It
that here in libsrty's land is the old
ct flag without a change, that man
kind knows? What faith has been
the inspiration Of our nation? What
has inspired the mighty works we
lave built? The armor plating of one
If our great battleships has more of
thought and more of achievement in
t than the building of the greatest
VI pyramids. The making of a single
involves more skill and
bought than the building Of all the
titles Of the orient from ocean to
'cean. The man who first made an
K to cut down trees multiplied the :
'ower of his arm. The men VINO
arnessed animals to pillow, and the
nan who first built wagon to carry :
pads, multiplied power. The man .
Tho made the first steam engine man
featured power. The man who first ,
uilt a railway multiplied power, and /.
Dining road to road, and system to !
ystem, have multiplied the power Of
his mighty people. '
Its engineering power-We are the !
ation that multlplies power by ma =
hinery. l once stood by a tripham- :
Ter that would strike a blow of $4,000 =
ounds, and wondered at the power of
, and then at the thought and skill >,
lat invented and made It. Then an n
ngineer Of one of our great steel :,
Iaking plants told me of the making =
armour plates and of a ram driven a
= hydraulic pressure that would press y
4 ingot Of steel six feet thick down =
IL inches with pressure of 49, =,
70 tons. A skilled army Of $4,000 =
en- work daily in these great works, =
ling with machinery daily more than =
rs ever been done by men before our =
me. a,
How comes 1t that the thought n,
hich does 1t, the power which arms In
10 mechanics Of America with skilled a,
ought and faith in that work, how A
mes 1t that 1t is in America, and &c
Vt in these ancient lands? What is Ic
q faith that is behind It all? What n
Its US at the pinnacle of civiliza-
IN? What makes our mandate the d.
andard Of International morals? N
ow comes It that the president, a a,
mmon citizen, educated in the COM N
on schools, trained In the colleges ne