Conservative. 25
The Henry George Monument.
The dedication of a monument , paid
for by public subscription , to tbo mem
ory of that great and good man , Henry
George , who lies buried in Greenwood
Cemetery , Now York , is a well deserved
tribute. Few men have lived who wore
finer examplars of public spirit and of
purity and nobility of character. His
whole career was devoted with a single
eye to the welfare of his kind. If he
showed on several occasions of his life
ambition for public office , no ouo who
knew him ever believed that there was
anything in the least ignoble or self
seeking in that ambition. Like many
other great men , he did not need a
monument to keep his memory fresh in
the public mind and heart. His life and
his great books , "Progress and Poverty1.1
and "Political Economy , " will prove
sufficiently monumental , "more endur
ing than brass or royal palaces. " Still
mementos in marble or bronze have the
.grace of gratitude and love to commend
-.them.
Hev. Dr. Edward McGlynn was the
principal orator on the occasion of the
dedication. This enthusiastic disciple
of the Georgian philosophy was in the
maiu no more than just in his eulogy.
But his fervor struck one false note. He
alluded to Henry George as having been
a persecuted man during his life. This
is an amazing statement. We know of
no thinker whose opinions fomented
such hot controversy to whose high
minded sincerity of belief and eloquence
of presentation all his opponents in Eu
rope and America paid higher tribute ,
no one who was more genuinely re
spected , even admired , by those who dif
fered from him. When he died , the uni
versal sentiment was expressed with no
uncertain sound that one had gone
whom the world could illy afford to
lose. This chorus of admiration called
forth by the man himself , as well as by
his writings , during his lifetime and
after , can scarcely be called persecution
"Blessings brighten as they take
their flight. " Chicago did not fully appreciate
preciato its excellent journals till the
strike of the stereotypers , which shut
off the newspaper supply. Then men
wore willing to give $5 and $10 for a
casual copy of a Now York paper a day
old.
If a woman says to you , "I will never
see you again , " hope. But if she smiles
cordially and says , "I shall always wel
come your visits with pleasure" why ,
travel as fast as possible.
So delicate is the adjustment of mod
ern political affairs that , in time of war
especially , history is always throwing
dice with fate. The unknown makes
faces at us.
Radicalism in politics is generally
truth turned desperate. Then it often
runs amuck , Malay fashion , and slays
with a dagger which never discrim
inates.
Fourth of July Abroad.
Independence day loomed up in for
eign countries this year as something
more than the patriotic holiday of the
Yankees. It has vividly forced itself on
the comprehension of other peoples that
the United States has now become a full
grown world power to bo reckoned with
most seriously in future calculations
of the international balance. This feel
ing is entirely apart from any question
of augmented colonial possession or ac
quirement of points of vantage in dis
tant parts of the world. That problem
is one wo have yet to settle for our
selves at homo with equal disregard of
foreign jealousies or of foreign prefer
ences. The conception which has struck
with such power oi impact is the first
realization of the actual , and still more
of the potential , fighting power of Amer
ica. This lesson , to be sure , was im
pressed on the foreign public in some
degree by the tremendous military
operations of our civil war. But it was
then associated with the convulsive
throes of a people saving itself from
disruption , and lost part of its effect.
The spectacle of a conflict undertaken
from motives of sentiment and philan
thropy puts our warlike undertaking on
a different basis. The ease and rapidity
with which wo have created , equipped
and mobilized an effective fighting
force , whose achievements have extort
ed the admiration of the world , out of
a condition of relative unproparediioss ,
have set military and political critics
hard a-thinkiug. Scarcely any nation
could have been poorer in actual organ
ized readiness aside from our navy for
a foreign war , but two mouths have
shown convincingly how easily we sur
mount obstacles on the artificial side oi
war , what dauntless courage and power
of effective work rest in our compara
tively undisciplined troops. To leap
from this to the logical development of
such potency is a short step. And what
stands true of the army is even more
true of the navy.
But the conviction of the power of
this country , which may seem a threa
to some of the continental nations , has
been signalized in England as an auspi
cious fact. The participation of so many
of the most distinguished Englishmen
of all parties in the functions attending
the celebration of the Fourth in London
and other cities was most significant
their expressions most eloquent in sym
pathy and approval. Had it been i
purely British holiday there could no
have been a more genuine enthusiasm
Though we did not need it to be sure o
English friendship at this juncture the
special exposition of that amity is th
more impressive on an auniversar ;
which carries with it the memory o
the greatest historic blow to English
prestige.
One of the most prevalent vices ant
one of the most corrosive is that trie !
of deceit wJiich at its worst is mendaoi
ty , at its best ' subterfuge. Commercial
k.ie is iiiii'of it , and social life culti
vates it in many ways as a saving grace
of good manners. Wo are no worse
probably in this country than in every
other highly civilized land , but there is
more than enough , and QUO finds pecul
iar pleasure in recognizing agencies
which tend to act as antidote to an in
sidious poison. At the West Point and
Annapolis academics lying is regarded
as the most flagrant of sins. It is the
unwritten law of these institutions that
the cadet caught in a lie is ostracized
by all his classmates , and so compelled
to resign. Mendacity is regarded as cor
relative with cowardice. The military
schools , which pattern largely after
these institutions , cultivate a similar
moral code , and the result cannot but
bo farreachmg. It attacks the evil at
the right end , at the root.
IS
Soldiers' Families.
One of the duties which the public
owes to the soldiers in the field is to
provide as far as possible for the fami
lies of such as had others dependent on
them. Various isolated cases of extreme
hardship have been reported , and it is
quite certain that many others exist.
The soldier's pay at the best is not ade
quate in many instances to make up for
the loss of the breadwinner , in the
service of his country. During our late
civil war in its earliest stage much distress - &
tress fell on women and children - | |
through this cause , but prompt meas
ures of organizing relief were put in $5
operation , and after a few mouths there
was but little substantial ground 01
complaint.
Something is already doing to meet
the similar exigency now , though the
demand on patriotic charity will bo
much less. But though the volume of
need is diminished the importance of
quick and effective method is pressing. <
To be of any genuine use ; as the war : ' a
cannot last a long time , there should be
the least possible delay. The work is
one in which women by their magnetic
influence and through the intense sym
pathy which they would naturally have
with the end in view are pecaliarly fit
ted to be useful. Wherever volunteer
regiments have gone forth it is to be
hoped that immediate steps will betaken
taken to put aid to soldiers' families
where need exists on a good working
basis. Money will flow freely to the
call once the machinery is adjusted for
its collection and distribution. A little
zeal in the natural uoncombatants will
go far to give a useful outlet to patriotic
enthusiasm when sex forbids to shou' '
dor the rifle.
American independence has lately
been the theme of myriads of eloquent
and would be eloquent tongues , but the ' * - $
form of our independence most inspir
ing to the political economist is our ab
solute independence of the .world in our
inexhaustible production of food , iron
and ooal.