The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-27

encouraging. The political oondition ~ the
country grows worse rather than better.
Peace does not prevail at the Soutb. nros.
perity does not prevail anywhere. There ia
no content among the people. Justice does
not prevail in the land. There ia no nro,eo' oCo
tion for life or freedom with us. Immi9ration
Is falling OIL, and will continue to fall off be-
cause labor does not bring its fair reuard
The Legislation OF the country is so shaped as
to make the rich richer and the Door poorer.
In the struggle for wealth, virtue is lost. and
Mr' Sprague ventured to say that "tbere was
less virtue and morality in American society
to-day than in any other civilized societv on
the face of the earth" The country is on the
brink OF preoipice, and Mr.. Spragus has of
late come to doubt whether General GRANTS
election would suffice to save it.
Now, 1t is very bold and very commendable
in Mr.. Sprague to say these things, if he be-
lieves them, because they are not things
which either Congress or the country likes to
hear, or which many public men, whatever
they may think, venture to say. They are
not at all in the regular American Eagle"
strain OF orstory, nor is it their aim to tickle
the vanity of the American people. which ia
the highest object which too manv of our
public men are apt to propose to them selves.
MIR. Sprague is entitled to the credit of having
courage to esay what he believes to be true
and that is about the highest credit which any
american statesman can claim, or crave, now
adays.
But we hope Mr.. Sprague is mistaken in
his opinions. We think he paints the shades
OF his picture too darkly, and gives too little
thought to the lights by which 1t is really
relieved. We think he is quite right in
believing that we have not made the progress
we ought to have made in restoring to the
country the peace and prosperity which were
interrupted by the war. But the task was
M md fko
impeded by obstacles Of a very unusual sort
We think that the country may reasonably
hope that some progress is at last possible,
and that we may look for the gradual fulfil
ment of our best hopes. We shall either
accomplish what we have undertaken, or time
will show that it is impracticable or unde-
sirable; and, in either case, we shall have
gone through an essential part of the expert
ment.
But Mr.. Sprsgue has probably found out
by this time that the part which governments
perform in promoting the public prosperity is
by no means all that is required, and that all
forms and modes of government are at best only
tentative, xperimental-sttempts towards
securing the best that is possible under the
circumstances, and that none OF them can
hope to achieve perfect state of society, or
wholly to eliminate the evils which so alarm
Mr.. Sprague in our own. We hope we shall
grow out of very many of those which he de-
nounces, and are quite sure we shall, sooner
or later. We hope the people will see the
wisdom of sending more capable men to our
public councils; that corruption and venality
in Office will grow more and more odious and
less and less common, and that higher and
juster views will obtain, in business relations
and in social life, than now. 1t is in this
direction that Mr.. Sprague, and others who
share his views, must work if they would
remove the evils of which he comp aims. Mere
denunciation will not do it, nor is it likely to
result in any good if it seems morbid and
sullen rather than hopeful, and is not fol-
lowed by active efforts to remove its cause.
In society so flexible and with resources so
abundant and so easily brought into active
use as this, there can be no excuse tor
despair, and no good reason for respondent
inaction.