Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-02-21
ADDRESS OF PROF. D. EcKLEy
HUNTER.

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Teachers Institute, at Us recent session.
No period Of the worlds history. per-
haps, has ever been marked rs distinctly
with tho spirit OF progression as tho pres.
ent. When the illustrious Dayy Crockett
said, abe sure you are right, aud then go
ahead" be uttered principle in the phi.
losophy OF the present generation. aud
furnished n caption for The prescut dis
course. Though the language is not as
elegant, nor the expression US refined us
that which should characterize a quota.
ton in public address, yet the injunc'
ton there given il heard, aud the latter
clause, at least, needed by the utilitarian
age in which We live The world Is alive
20 its interests. The command to ego
ahead" 4" is heard in stentorian tones from
the ''quar,er.deck" aud tbs 'forccastle,'
aud he who heeds il not will soon find
that the great boat of public progress
loaded, as she is, TO the guards, is fast
leaving him on the shores Of time, and
heading away for the great port Of Human
Perfections. Her track through the wa.
iers is plainly visible; her waves are heard
along the shore, and even the unpracticcd
eye may see that her velocity is being
accelerated with every stroke OF the piston
aud every revolution OF the wheel.
Yes, the age is a moving one. The
watchwords are, Plus Httra DC
yond; "E.rceisior'-kig higher The march
is onward, and it is not less rapid than
the fight Of time. Communities, states,
nations aud individuals are all engaged
ia the forward movement, and that com
munity, state, nation or individual that
hears not the order, that heeds not the
Injunction, is soon left in the lurch, and
It's former position, ii ever again reached,
is not atra;ned without labor the most
earnest aud perseverance the most unwa-
vering.
The wealth Of o country generally in
creases with its population. Ii il increas-
es in wealth, the natural increase OF pep
ulation will remain, and emigration wild
flow toward il. II, on the other hand, q
country does not increase in wealth, il
will receive but few accessions from
abroad, and its native population, through
emigration, will not be able to maintain
THE usual increase. Such a country will
therefore be left behind. even. when it
may be increasing, simply because it is
not keeping pace with its neighbors. This
may be illustrated in the history of two
Of the great States OF the American Union
-Yirginia aud Illinois.
1910. 20. 80. 40. so. 90.
ilissis niis, ,g.' stood .....is .... q % u Il
Virginia has been increasing all the
time at the rate Of eleven per cent. in each
decade, but Illinois has increased at the
rate Of one hundred and eighty three per
cent. Other comparisons might be made.
North Carolina, with u larger area, in
1910 was fourth and Indiana t,eeniy first.
In 1860 North Carolina was tcelfih and
Indiana si.cfh. North Carolina increased
Mt IA per cent. aud Indiana at POP per
cent. Tennessee in 1890 was sereateenfh,
aud by increasing at the rate Of 81 per
cent: 10 each decade, stood NH in 1910.
But here she faltered-dropped her in
crease frst to 20 per cent. aud then to 10,
and now she stands the tenth State in the
Union. So much for States and the man
ner in which they ego ahead"
know a merchant that has been in
business nearly forty years, and his stock
is substantially the same now that ii was
when he began. 1t consists of skillets,
ovens and other cooking utensils for the
Fireplace. gun fiints, seal skin caps, &c.
Thirty years ago it was considered we'll
stocked and was we'll patronized store,
but IL is now looked upon as a curiosity
shop, for it supplies but few Of the de-
mands OF the present age. 1t has lost its
place, lost its position, lost its power, lost
its influence, by simply holding its own
falling to keep up with the times. This
man, in bis beginning, may have been
Scare he ,cos right" but he failed to "go
ahead" and consequently, though he may
once have been right. he did not remain
right. When Rip Van Winkle fell asleep
among the Catskill Mountains, the strong
est expression Of loyalty was for ma n
to say, ."I am subject Of King George,
God bless him." But when Rip awoke
from his twenty years nap, and returned
to his native village, he found that tha,
very expression endangered his life aud
caused him to be called a traitor.