OLD SETTLERS DAY 1894 P 5

BENNETT

Posted By: Stacey McDowell Dietiker (email)
Date: 2/15/2004 at 13:18:14

Garden Grove Express
August 30, 1894
Garden Grove, Iowa

Rev. G. H. BENNETT Address Cont'd

Young men! Does time hang heavily on your hands? Do not fritter away
opportunities, but delve into the printed page and enrich the mind and heart with
new thought and higher aspiration. Enlarge your mental vision and be better
able to think and talk and act intelligently, and to come into closer sympathy
with your fellow creatures. But the great conquests in practical life and
industry which have blessed society have brought us many knotty problems for
solution. We have been passing through times of depression. What are the causes?
They are many. The most prominent cause of our social distress is that one is
content with lawful interest on their investment. Everybody wants to get
rich too fast. When the profits on capital, whether in the form of money, land,
machinery, skill or learning are restricted to the bounds of legal interest
distress will be relieved. The uncertainty as to pending tariff legislation has
doubtless withheld capital from activity and left many without employment.
The entrance within our borders of unemployed from abroad every year adds to
the difficulties of the times. The use of time and labor saving machinery in
every department of industry is responsible, in a measure for our social
troubles. But shall we destroy these devices and return to primitive methods? By no
means, but solve the other phases of the problem and the labor saving machine
will prove a stupendous blessing. Another source of evil is that the young
men are leaving the farms and drifting aimlessly into the cities. Young men
might better buy eighty acres of land and go in debt for it, marry and establish
a home. It is a notorious fact by so doing stricter economy will be
practiced and property be more rapidly accumulated. Let the vast army of unemployed
become tillers of the soil and raisers of stock. It would reduce ruinous
competition in the trades, cause capital to change hands, put money into
circulation, and not materially increase the aggregate of farm products. But there is
another cause that is worthy of notice. It is the crowding of woman from the
home sphere. Our country is full of young women of vim and ability who enter
various employments. Our country is also, full of young men who lead aimless
lives and do not establish homes. Hence they allow woman to enter the stores,
offices, factories, schools, and the professions and crowd them out. Young
Men!

The time has come when you must brush the cobwebs from your brains, and
measure up to higher moral and intellectual standards; for the time is coming when
you will be compelled to marry in self-defence! But how shall these problems
be solved. Cases must be dealt with separately. Some may be overcome by wise
legislation others only by individual honesty and good sense. But what of
the future? Today we are not absorbed with the future as, with the brilliant
past and dazzling present. I do not fear the future.

American strength and wisdom have overcome obstacles and solved problems and
in spite of them all we have forged to the forefront among nations. Uncle Sam
is built for achievements; his make up is the profile of victory! This is a
day of pleasant memories. The pleasantest memories of my early childhood are
visits to the little log house in the orchard where my mother was born.

It was a typical pioneer home. There was the one room. Across one end of it
was stretched a curtain hiding the tall old fashioned cord bedsteads; under
them were shoved the trundle bed when not in use. In the other end of the room
was the old fire-place with its heavy andirons. In one corner stood the
spinning-wheel. Over the door hung the long rifle. On the wall hung the old
clock with wooden wheels its heavy weights, and slowly ticking pendulum. I can
see the group now sitting about the old fire-place on cold winter nights with no
light but the light of the blazing logs; and cracking nuts and popping corn
while listening to stories of hunting deer and turkeys and trapping bear and
wolves. Many of you have had a place in just such groups. They were happy
times. But years have come and gone. Scenes have changes. The old cabins have
fallen into ruin or been replaced with more imposing structures. The faces
other years long since have vanished.

All are scattered now and fled,
Some are married, son are dead,
And when I ask with throbs of pain,
Ah! When shall we all meet again
As in the days long since gone by
The ancient time-piece ticks reply
For ever, Nev-er, Nev-er, For-ever,
Never here, forever there
Where all parting pain and care
And death and time shall disappear,
Forever there - but never here!

To be Cont'd

Copied by Stacey McDowell Dietiker
January 19, 2004