Echo de l'ouest. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1883-1929, 1918-07-26

/
DE L'OUEST, a Red Wing, Minn., L
IA juliet ecoule. Maintenant qu'
les deux Republiques-Soeurs on
decide de celebrer chaque aimee le
deux fetes nationales, lie Juliet ct Il
IA juliet, l'origine de cette celebra
tion est dun interet particulier., G.
discours eclairera la jeunesse sur Get
ct fete qui CONNIE lie 4 juliet, au,
Etats-U -Unis est de base rationale.
NJ Michaud ct plusieurs autres ora
teurs distingues ont parle, a cette oc
casion, a un auditoire enthusiastic dt
cinq mile personnes de toutes les ma
tionalites.
Gas American of French descent,
deem it a great privilege and honor
to have been invited to address you
on such an occasion as the celebra-
tion of the National holiday of Fran
ce, of France that every true and gra-
teful American should always consi-
der the shield and foster Mother of
our infant republic. What, in fact
would all our efforts and sacrifices to
secure our political liberties have
really amounted to after 1776, if
France in a matchless movement of
generosity had not at the most criti-
cal period of our fight, poured her
millions in our empty treasury and
sent US her most valiant 1egions to
crush CORVALLIS and his Hessians at
Yorktown? Our great emancipation
movement would have probably col
lapsed, and the advent of the govern
ment of the people, by the people, for
the people, be indefinitely postponed
At the time that Lafayette, the no.
blest and truest friend that the Uni
ted States ever had, put his valiant
sword at Washington's service, the
government founded on the consent
Of the governed had not yet been re-
ally put to the test any where, except
in Switzerland. It will be the eter-
nal honor of France, that she first
suggested it and worked for it. Alone,
in fact, during the 18th Century, such
great French philosophers as Montes-
quieu, Voltaire and Rousseau bravely
chalanged to mortal combat, the pro-
tagonists of the Autocrat1c or Monar-
chical system of government. Rous-
seau, the simple, eloquent and SYM
pathic Rousseau specially boldly as
ked every potentate in Europe claim
ing to rule by divine right to mold
and control the destinies of his fellow
men. The Autocrats of the world
first paid but scant attention to what
they termed the mere dreams or va
porings of the French philosophers,
but when the United States backed
by the armies or Monarchial France
wrested their independence as a De-
mocracy, all Kings by divine right
had to take notice. The common peo-
pie of France that, through education,
had then become conscious OF their
rights as men and of their power to
so rule themselves, commenced to
protest energically after 100 against
the abuses of the monarchical power,
puttering at times like volcanoes on
the eve of a violent eruption. Slowly
but gradually during the last half OF
the 18th Century the sun of self go
vernment rose on the political horizon
of France, specially after the return
of Lafayette and his companions
from the battlefelds of free America:
Democratic ideas were after that
permeating the whole political atmos-
phere in France. In 1888, after the
adoption of the federal constitution,
the United States took their place
among the nations Of the earth as a
full fedged republic, with political
mechanism so evenly balanced as TO
likely ensure for our country, growth,
peace and prosperity. We may have
been then for most Of the nations
that recognized our independence, an
object of mere curiosity in our politi-
cal venture, but not so for France.
She watched with keen interest the
workings of our political system, and
when she became satisfied that every
thing there worked successfully, her
most farseeing statemen came to the
conclusion that once transplanted IN
the fruitful soil of France, republican
institutions could secure for the mas
ses q greater degree Of prosperity and
happiness, and every body from tna1
felt instinctively that to ac-
compl;sh the ameliorations contem-
plated, the old political system had to
90. In 1889, just 13 years after the
birth of the United States republic
the conditions were ripe in France to
a change sin the form OF go
Under the last three Bour-
hons. Louis XIV, Louis XIV, and Louis
XVI the corruption at court, the We
na1;tv in office and the extravaganza
in expenditure of public moneys, had
reached such shameful degree Ihat
every thing was in state OF aDsolute
in France: Most Oh
the working classes IN cities were
without work and the peasants on
farms groaning under the lntoleraDle
taxation were actually starving on a
soil naturally rich. Under such condl.
tions, the city worker and the peasant
alike had become sullen and hrmly
Determined to shake off at all cost
the heavy yoke that Monarchical, ty-
rannv and official dishonesty had kept
secnrelv fastened on their neck Tor
CENTURIES. Now, fellow citizens, 1t
seems that for the last f1ve years.
some elements of our population, par
the socialists and l; w. w.
in the cities and the national leaguers
in the country have tried to create
tho impression that they had not, IN
This country of the free, their due
share in good things of this life: IN
Tho light of a past covering hfteen
cant,1r;es can % in Europe, I consider their
IS cal1ed grievances absolutely un-
81 fo,,ndad % Those dissatisfied elements
IN % o,,r midst have not apparently the
81 s1;nhtast M idea of the immense differ
ence existing, between tnel5 10" 1os ,n+ ~
this free country OF ours, ana !ne 10y of
of working classes OF countries "; u
Europe ruled over by Kings and nal