The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-10-21

some estates, even of great fortune, find that
their properly is all gone 10 whole cities,
Eip whole States, banks Suspend specie pay
men,s--violste their contacts, solembly
made, and pay in promises TO pay-not in
certificates Of property but certificates OF
bebt.l 5AlilIsshut down their gates, and men
are turned out of amploymeueby The huad-
red or orthousaod, with the prospect Of imme-
dia,e idleness, md remole hunger.t; fsl
Money lenders, whosars slways dipping
lnio the stream Of commerce, and ladlIng out
what hence they may, now refuse 10 lend on
ANY Terms, on what was once considered the
best security. Our own citys "promise 10
payn fails. to cammand The needed COIN
Wba: is the cause of this trouble? He should
very i'll discharge his dulyss a 2hilosophic
thinker, and teacher Of religion If he did not
try TO point ii out, was true, he was not bu-
siness man, but for many years he has stud.
led The history of commerce, and, living
among trading men, he had had his eye open
TO what they did, thought, suffered and felt
He did not, however, pretend 10 speak with
authority. Commonly, in his teachings, he
could say, 81 knotu this is true" To-day he
could only say, "I think this is true"
To understand the present commercial
trouble. and be prepared 10 make use of its
consequences, it was necessary to look deep
er than The surface at some things, which lie
great ways off and far down. All mans
conscious activity was at first an experiment
an underlakiug-of which the result is not
known until after the trial. All experiment
is liable 10 mistake. There are many ways
of doing thing, but only one way of dong
| il best and ii is not likely that every indi-
vidual of the human race will hit the right
way the first lime trying What succeeds we
keep, ard il becomes habit Of mankind.-
He took it. All the experiments ever made,
however ruinous 10 the individual man, have
TO The human race been worth all they cost,
and it was not possible for the human race
TO have learned at a cheaper school than tha,
dear one which experience has taught.
In The military period of mans history, war
was the chief business. The great families
were founded BY 'sons Of thunder" and kept
up by war. The great estates were got by
robbery; aristocracy was dyed blood red.-
New all this is passing away. The military
period is giving place TO the industrial. Ger
many, France, and England, are The Euro
pean leaders in his industrial civilization /;
but they keep the old tilles--baron, duke,
lord. Here we have an industrial democra-
cy. The dollar, moi the sword, is the badge
of arisiocracy. Great families are founded
by trade; great estates are got by buying and
selling and social rank commonly depends
on money, the only bequeahable excellence.
Nobody asks-"Whal ancestors have you got
in the graveW but what money in your vault
wha, horses, lands, stock? Hence property
is sought, not only for the comfort and luxu-
ry which il brings, but also for the social dis
lnclion il confers. II takes the place Of all
the virtues. II is in American society what
''imputed righteousness is in the church
/ the social salvation of man. Titles are moth.
ing. No American Mr. Macaulay would
care to be made baron, lord, or duke. Ev-
cry penny.a.lirer from Maine 10 Nicaragua
| would laugh at him. Money Is here what
title is in England-a patent of nobility. Il
can ''ennoble fools, and so,s, and towards"
So it is the only object Of American desire
Oh course all men ate eager 10 get il, and SO
rush into irade,> the favorile bushes of Amer.
lea. Business here is entirely free from old
restraints, political, ecclesiastical, social, and
so there is a wide field for new commerc rcial
experiment. On the whole, our American
experiments of industrial democracy suc.
ceeds very well. The increase of property
and of population is enormous In 1900
years France only doubled her population
twice. Whist was five millions in the year oil
$50, under Ahtonius Pios, was only twenty
millions in 1850 under Louis XIV, while in
go years America has doubled her population
four times, and what was three millions in
17sO was more than twenty.four millions in
1850. In some States the growth seems fab.
ulous. In 1880 Aigiers became a French
province, and the government sought to
stimulate emigration hiiher, but in 1897 there
fWC.c uOt l<U,OuO EuiorooAo III hiSioiot WING
in len years The state Of Wisconsin has gone
up from nothing 10 100000 men. The in.
crease Of taxable property is quite as remark
able. Fify-seven years ago Massachusetts
was only worth ninety millions OF tax
able property to-day che ID worth more
than ten fines that amount, her annual earn.
ings being $300, 100000 Our experiment,
then, has pretty successful. hes. s', =
| Thoughtful men, eager 70 be rich, and
leave Distinction, 10 their cbildren, buy up
lands in advance Of population, build rail-
roads, and in the old States, they seize the
great rivers and develop manufactures, per
haps d little fasier than the stale of the ma.
\ tion, in iis present pecuniary embarrassment,
would justify. SILL mors, within . few
/ years, mines of geld have been discovered in
California and Australia, which have pro-
lduces results notyet comprehended. II has
iIected the price. of all things, and as no one
knows what quantity Of gold is 10 be obtained
lnobodys knows how high the pricss will 60
bat very: sanguine men suppose they wil
| stz<<v~ ha; vvosont vaIuo