the millionaire farmer—Twelve Vermont farms—The Western farmer and the railroads—Co-operative stores—“Land-poor”—Government aid for the farmers

272 CHAPTER IX. THE RUM POWER.

Harm done by the liquor traffic—Views of Bishop Warren, of the Methodist Church—Miss Frances Willard’s views—“Petroleum” Nasby—Rum in politics—Channing’s aphorism—Rev. Theodore Cuyler’s summary of statistics—Causes of drunkenness—Ways to reclaim the unfortunates—Control the demon by law—Public opinion—Bishop Foss’ reply—Restrictive measures

288 CHAPTER X. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Our harbors useless—Caught napping by England—Troops and the Indians—General Sheridan’s last report—General Sherman’s protests—Congressional inactivity—Admiral Porter hammering at Congress—A blast from the late Samuel J. Tilden—Desertions from the army—Statistics from General Schofield’s report—Frontier life for the soldier—Major Sumner’s plan

303 CHAPTER XI. LABOR.

Laboring men—Their mistakes and their grievances—Labor sure to be imposed upon—Driving a sharp bargain—Low wages resulting from competition—A laborer in chains recently brought for sale into the market-place of a New England town—But the people rise in their wrath—Does practical slavery exist in the United States?—Coal miners and factory hands compared with the consistados of South America—The store system of credits—Resulting evils to the laborers

318 CHAPTER XII. SELF-HELP FOR LABOR.

The importance of being a “full-handed workman”—Successful mechanics know more than one branch of business—This quality developed in new countries—Votes of laborers controlled by corporations—A curious experience in the West

336 CHAPTER XIII. IMMIGRATION.

America is a home—Not an asylum—Liberty is not license—No paupers need apply—Nor any contract laborers—Skilled labor welcome, if it comes to stay—Immigrant farmers will do us good—Too much hurry in granting citizenship—Foreign faction fights must not be kept up here—Transplanted stock improves rapidly

351 CHAPTER XIV. ANNEXATION.

We don’t want the earth—We need more neighbors—Not more children—Non-assimilative races would weaken us—The Old World’s experience at land-grabbing—Let Canada alone till she wants us—Likewise Mexico—We have enough discordant interests now—We don’t want to pay other nations’ debts

368 CHAPTER XV. THE INDIAN.

He has stopped fighting—Let us stop robbing him—The Indian will work—He has plenty of brains—Capacity for education abundantly proved—Records of the experiment at Hampton—He knows a good thing when he sees it—The beneficent effects of the Dawes bill—Even the Apaches have worked as good as white men

385 CHAPTER XVI. THE PRESS.

The editor is the nation’s schoolmaster—Also the most trusty advocate of the people’s rights—He brings the people together in spirit and purpose—Always ahead of Congress and the government—Rapid improvement of the newspaper—Independence in journalism—Trial by newspaper

399 CHAPTER XVII. THE SCHOOL-ROOM.

Boys and girls who are to be men and women—The schools are behind the times—Too much fuss and too little gain—Discipline which costs too much—Heads stuffed, but hands and hearts neglected—Faults of teaching—About faculties benumbed by routine work—What has been done can be done—The country boy ahead