Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-05-17

success. Idle and listless drones. how
ever high their station or gentle thei
blood, found no suitable place in tn,
primeval forests of America and disap
peared in disgrace and despair. Achieve
ments alone gave title of nobility. Amer
lean communities and commonwealth
were constructed on these principles
Here calmly and without crime human
ity made for itself new existence
This new social system, founded in tn,
forests of America, has been the mos
potential factor in the modern regenera
tion, progress and uplifting of man. 1t.
principles have permeated every civilized
country, bringing increased opportunity
enjoyment and rights to the masses. In
England itmade the yeomanry and com
mercial classes the dominating forces
in her national policies, giving her new
vigor, thus enabling her to attain hei
present power and greatness. Through
blood and war it regenerated France,
overthrew her entire social structure
and brought relief to an oppressed and
down-trodden people. 1t emancipated
the serfs of Russia. 1t has given free
schools and public libraries. 1t has
modified the cruel criminal codes.
Equality, fraternity, charity and philan,
trophy sprung from its prevalence. 1t
has thrown halo of hope over a worlds
sorrows. 1t has pointed to all nations
the way to be renewed Dutch, French.
Swedes, Germans, Irish and Scotch re-
nounced their nationality to obtain the
benefits of the new order. The bold,
adventurous of these nations, blending
with the English, formed a new race.
the American, superior to them all.
This race, the latest and best, not only
controls the destinies of continent but
has given an impulse to human affairs
everywhere, which will continue for
countless centuries. This great social
revolution was but precursor to the
great political revolution of 1776 when
these colonies revolted from Britain
and established their independence.
That revolution marked new era in
government. Then new sanction was
given to government. For the first
time government was organized on the
broad principle, THAT all the Just
powers of government are derived from
the consent of the governed" The
peoples divine right of rule and revo-
luton was established. Towering oyer
monarchs and rulers, over parliaments
and legislatures were placed the people,
the source of all power and the master
of servants who must obey. The dyna-
mic force of this doctrine has shaken
to their very foundation most of the
governments of the world. 1t has
wrung from reluctant monarchs con-
stitutional government, with Legislative
bodies elected by the people. In Britain
1t has given the prerogatives of the
crown to Parliament, reformed Parlia-
ment and made it representative OF
the people. 1t has destroyed the tyran.
nical doctrine that colonies were created
for exploitation and spoliation.
1t has circled the world with self
governing colonies. 1t drove Spanish
power from the Western hemisphere
and dedicated it to liberty and the peo-
pie. 1t has overthrown kingdoms; it
has marshalled armies; it has fought
battles; it has destroyed dynasties and
changed again and again the map of the
world. This great principle, with its
uplifting force is under every throne of
the universe and is the harbinger of
many and mighty revolutions yet to
come for its relief and reform. Itopened
a new chapter in the history of mankind,
each succeeding page of which, when
turned, thrills and brightens. The pro-
gress of this people under the prevalence
of these new social and political princi-
pies has been unparalleled. Our ma
tional story reads more like a romance
than history. From small settlements
scattered along the Atlantic coast we
have become forty-six sovereign states,
with possessions extending from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, from the ices of
Maine to the orange blossoms of Flor
ida. AS if by magic the haunts of saw
ages and wild beasts have been trans
formed into cities of splendor and
magnificence. The sombre forest, with
their melancholy shade, which then en-
veloped America, have been succeeded
by green meadows, cultivated fields,
rich orchards, fine farms, thriving towns
and cities. The trails of buffaloes.
winding through dense forest and over
high mountains have been followed and
laid by iron rails. carrying across a
continent the greatest inland traffic
ever possessed by people. Rivers
have been bridged that the widest inn
agination of engineers never conceived
possible. While subduing nature our
fathers were in continuous conflict with
the warlike savages of the forests soli-
tudes. Almost all that remain OF
these fierce and implicable foes are the
names of rivers and mountains and the
designation of places. Every step OF
advance made from the Atlantic to the
Pacific has been through danger and
difficulties; almost every spot sanctified
by courage; almost every place made
sacred by sacrifice and privation. In
three centuries the one hundred and
five colonist who settled here have
grown into almost as many millions.
From petty and despised dependents,
vainly petitioning parliament and king,
we have become great power, mos;
| pOtential i'm the affairs of tho xyo,.ld