The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-01-12

stroy our democratic simplicity and
stands as a menace to our free institu-
tions!7
The New York World says there
are more than a thousand persons in
the United States worth over one
million of dollars, and some of these
count their millions by hundreds, and
it is Mr. Gould's ambition to become
the first Millionaire.
And what a distance is there be-
tween the flint lock guns of the sol
diers of the revolutionary war and the
repeating rifles of our day! And as
late as our civil war, when the
Swamp Angel threw shells into
Charleston, a distance of five miles, it
was considered a marvellous achieve
ment, and it was supposed that the
limit OF long range firing had been
reached. But in the light of recent eX-
periments with new gun at Sandy
Hook, within the holidays, the
achievements of the Swamp Angel
are regarded as quite insignificant.
This new gun is a new departure in
gun-making, is made of cast steel, re-
ceives a charge of $50 pounds of pow
der, and the experiment proved that
it threw a shell a distance of nearly
fifteen miles. Heretofore it has been
necessary to build up these large
pieces by slow, laborious and costly
processes of forging. That they can
be cast strong enough to stand the
shock of heavy charges means that
they can be manufactured both cheap
ly and quickly.
In the face of this what must be the
armament of the future?
This wonderful progress has been
made possible by reason Of our free
enlightened and free
press-free schools and free opportu-
mites to every citizen, through every
avenue and in every vocation of life.
How many think of the happiness
that has been contributed to mankind
by the profession our good friend is a.
member of, whose gift brings us to-
gether tonight? You see none of thei
helpless, mumbling old men and wo-
men, who We're so plentiful less than
an hundred years ago. False teeth,
the blessing and contribution of the
dentist, has not prevented old age
from creeping upon us, but has inter
cepted and prevented it's isconveni- |
ences and ugliness-a precious boon
to man and certainly to womankind-
and has prolonged life by making the
mastication of nourishing food posi-
bic at a time when it is mostly need |
ed.
And where stands and how shares |
the school teacher in this work of be- |
neficence and progress? Can he not |
be Hkened TO the little insects in the !
unseen depths of the ocean, that lay |
the coral foundations of uprising is
lands? In the end come the solid |
land, the olive and the vine, the hab- |
itation of man, the arts and industries |
Of life. the Ravens Of the sea and |
ships riding at anchor. But the busy
toilers which laid the beams of a con-
tinent in dreary waste are entombed |
in their work and forgotten in their
tombs.
When was a monument ever erected |
TO a school teacher? But the marvel
Ous progress Of our times are largely |
the result of his patient labors. He
should live and deserves to live and
will live in the achievements of his
pupils.
But the most glorious thing connect
ed with our times is, that the march
of mind has kept pace with the march |
Of matter. There is on our shores no
persecution for opinions sake, and |
the intellect is no longer clouded and |
by superstition.
Do you grasp the full meaning of |
this? Just little while before Wash
ington's time guileless girls and harm
less old men and defenseless women
were drowned and burned as witches. |
Think of it! A terrible nightmare
had possession of the human mind. In
the seventeenth century perfect
witch panic prevailed. The Imperial
Library of Berlin contains over 10000
works on witchcraft and the titles of
nearly 10000 more. Wealth afforded