The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-10-23
The lightning Age.

The era in which we live may be aptly
termed 'The Lightning Age" Until the
application of steam and electricity as
means of locomotion and intercourse, the
world lived comparatively apart, and made
but slow and gradual approaches toward
universal communication and interchange
of ideas. Different nations, separated from
each other by broad expanse of land or
water, heard from one another only at long
intervals, and cor equently felt little inter
est in what was Transporting within their re-
spective borders. Facilities for travelling
were slow and limited, and the inhabitants
of different countries mingled but little
with each other Ideas, customs, ETC.,
were comparatively local, and even in the
same nation provincialism prevailed to such
an extent as to make the people almost dis
tinct and free from common ties and sym
pathies.
Since the commencement of the nine
teenth century, however, new order Of
things has been inaugurated. The practi-
cal application of steam and electricity to
the uses of man has brought the whole civ
! ilized world into the closest contact, max
ing the people thereof one common family
familiar with the habits, motives and
controlling influences Of one another. Not
ripple disturbs the ordinary course Of
events with one nation but what the tele-
graph flashes the fact throughout Christcn-
dom; not an idea is put forward to the adj
vanccment Of science or government that is
not at once reverberated oyer every enlight-
ened land. Provincialism is fast disap
pearirg, and the angular peculiarities Of
any particular section arc being rounded
and smoothed away.
In our own country, especially, the In
crease Of population, the construction OF
railway and telegraph lines, with other
modern improvements, the occupancy and
development of unoceupled territory. has
made almost magical advances within tho
present generation. The era Of slow and
meihodical approaches upon tho wild and
unsettled portions Of our territory has
passed away. Railroads are not now con
structed as tho needs Of the country de-
mand, but to make the country and neces-
state the demand. They stretch their iron
arms far out beyond the confines Of civil
zation. and draw the tide Of emigration "a
settle and develop unoccupied wilds.
States, which ten years ago numbered their
population By the thousand, and their rail
roads By the single mile, now count the
former By the hundreds Of thousands, and
the latter by the thousand. Valleys, where
rays upon the Indians rude Nigwam, row
glisten with church spires. The trappeI
has given way to the farmer, and the tradci
n TO the merchant. Trading posts hay'
grown TO thrifty towns and villages 4
cities.
Some orator is credited with having ex
pressed the sentiment q few years past
THAT Il had been remarked man was fas
pressing upon the heels Of the flying buffa
10, but il could COX be truly aaid that tn
quarry had been outstripped in the chase
and turned backed upon the haunts Of civ
ilizationr Il Is q sentiment fraught viii
truth. The iron horse has, during the pres
ent decade, sped away out upon our vas
plains, beyond the habitaiion Of map--on &
the misunderstanding the bewildered mon
archs Of the prairie back into the lace Q
the encroachiDg pioneer. Emigration nov
ushes westward u steam, scorning ~
slow-ioegine OK wagon 81 the last decade
fcn more rc1rs and every plain viii b
doftcd nilh The cottages q the entcrpElein,
farmer. The abodeinca VAL survive but q
relic - 5 past age and the b11Alo, q
numberless IS they arg today, VIII b pre-
served only ro7loeirai curiosity. 81
Loes KEfaiy