Page:The Battle for Bread (1875).pdf/23

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THE MONEY-POWER.
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elevate, and ennoble the people, to the last syllable of recorded time. To open up highways in the wilderness, and fruitful farms and blooming gardens—to beat back the tide of avarice, intemperance and injustice, that threatens shipwreck to all that is highest and noblest and best in our individual and national character—to uprear seats of Learning, and Temples of Science, of Art and of Song—-upon those vast domains of the West—to change the whole drift of things, to turn aside the fury of gathering storms of retribution, and inaugurate an Era of Peace, Plenty and Human Happiness—all this is very largely in your power.

To illustrate more fully what one man with large means, with comprehensive views and noble aims may accomplish, I will here present a very interesting account of the "Workingman's Palace," as given by Marie Howland, in Common Sense. This palace, Miss Howland denominates as "the grandest enterprise of the century."

What advances toward the attainment of serener heights of moral grandeur—of higher altitudes of social felicity—approximating the realization of the highest ideal of life, of which poets, seers, and prophets have seen in vision—"The New Atlantis Isle," "The Harmonic Age," "The City of Peace"—what grand strides thitherward would our poor old, restless, surging, selfish world make, were one-tenth of its wealth and talents directed in such channels of improvement and progress.