Smyrna times., 1866-08-08
Influence of the Mechanic in Politics.

Material force, embodied in vast aggregatiOns
OF men, as armies or large fleets of warlke YES
sells, was once the instrument lV which one ma
tlonSustaned its influence OreXtended its pow
er at the expense of others. This was the age
of brute force. BY it the Roman Empire rul-
ed the known world The Roman generals and
statesmen were but the guiding and controlling
agents OF Rome vast military power. Force,
physical force, gave her the great prepOnder-
ance OF power which accords to her the fame
of the strongest nation of antiquity Her work
crs were either slaves in reality and by the force
OF law, or they were so by the force Of circum-
stances. The soldier and not the artisan repre-
sentcd Rome, IN an embodiment Of force.
In the lapse Of time all this was changed,
and brute force gave way to his master, the in
tcllcct. Diplomacy undertook to do what arms
before had accomplished, and until the present
it is greatly relied upon to retain or extend the
power of nations. But behind it is the rrinci-
pie OF material force Might makes right
Is the guide of diplomats as Of unScrupulous
generals.
n new era has introduced the mechanic and
the inventor as an agent in the affairs Of the
nations The nations rest their lease of power
and designs OF enlargement, either of territory
or influence, directly upon the intelligent me-
chanc. This fact was eXcmplified in our late
war, when the inventive talent and the readi-
ness in contingencies of the material Of our
armies, enabled us to overcome natural obsta-
ceS and to repair hostile devastations with GER
tainty and rapidity. Was a swollen stream to
be brdeed an untathomable and treachcrOus
mOrass to be made pasSablc, or an oversight to
be remedicd-thc mechanical talent of our sol
diers furnished the brains and sinew to do the
work. As much was due in the general result
to the skill and practical knowledge of our citi-
Zpn SoIulpr- - fhp cou l,iDotjnOS of :
or the pertlnacity Of leaders.
But we had another element Of success, also
due to the inventive talent and useful workman
ship Of our mechanics Untiring industry and
stimulated genius gaye us the Rodman and
Parrot gun andshe Sharp and Spencer rifle
These We're indeed sickles Of death patent
rcapers in his glory harvest. To their ethcien-
cy the result Of more than one battle is due. =
Victory attended the labors Of our intelligent
mechanics. TO them as much as to any human
agency are we indebted to day for united and
free country.
The present European war has, so far, given
us another proof OF the important position OF
the mechanic in the affair of the governments.
The Austrian army was as well drilled, discip.
lined, and supplied as that of her adversary
The cause for which either was fighting could
not be counted upon as a means for infusing
enthusiasm in the rank and file Both had
good leaders, and III all respects, save one, the
forces were equal. That one was superiority
given by the inventor and the mechanic They
won the victories for Prussia. The Irresistible
needle gun, inferior to our best breech leaders
but vastly superior to the best muzzlc loading
piece, drove the Austrians from one position
after another, until at the battle OF, Sudowa tn,
Austrian army was dispersed in rout, and tho
I fate Of the Austrian empire almost decided
The mechanics Of country have a right
under such circumstances, 70 arogate to them
selves a proud position They are, and vii
be, the arbiters of the nations. The govern
ments in times of peace are strengthened anC
sustained by their labors, and in time of wa
mechanic unravelas the Gordian knots whicl
the pen of the diplomat fails to loosen? Th,
Patent Uficc is as valuable as a means of prcpa
ration for war as West Point or a NWa
School.