Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-08-20
WHOLE NO. 1859.
Excitement a Disease of Society.

German friend upon the state o
modern society, he made the follow
ing very forcible remark: "Excite
ment is disease. Man docs not ~nees
it. He ought not to have il. VIVA
healthy mind most Graves is pla
cidity; to do it's work in perfect
calm, without any stimulus except
that afforded by perfect bodily
health. Mind and body healthy
each will give all the stimulus the
other needs without resort to artifi.
cial means" There is so much mean.
ing in this that it will bear consider.
able amnlitication. Mental dissipa
tion and physical debauchery arc
alike disastrous in their effects alike
breed a fierce appetite for more
an appetite that will not be appeaseC
except by deeper and deeper
draughts, which finally ruin body
mind and soul.
The taste for mental excitement
now prevalent, through all classes Of
society, is strongly evinced in the
theatrical performances, tho promi-
nent literature of the times, the NOR
bid taste for sensational displays
involving danger to human lite. the
detailed accounts of crimes and exc,
cutions demanded of the press by
the public, and the general personal
uneasiness to be observed when peo-
pie have nothing in particular to do.
Few people, comparatively, can Sit
down and content themselves in
quiet thought. A philosophical
work would reduce them to the last
stages of mental exhaustion. A dis
cussion upon any solid topic is ineffa-
bly, wearying. Their mental notions
are, 30 to speak, shaky and uncertain
till they have had their Intellectual
grog.
This state of things is SO wide
spread that We are justified in calling
it disease of modern society. Its
symptoms are exotic suicides, spcu.
lative manias, gambling, embezzle.
ment, and crimes of q more heinous
type. What is the remedy? That
is a question easily asked, but terri
bly, hard to answer. Religion, legis'
lative enaetments, social philosophy
all seem powe.lsss to effect cure
We are sometimes disposed to think
that the only way is to let the dis.
ease run It's course, like smallpox
producing its unsightly eruption, un-
til the poison eliminates itself from
the body polite Society, as vt
present organized, may die Of the
disease, or peradventure it may sur
vive to enjoy better health after
wards.
The social science conventions do
not seem TO get at the root OF the
matter at all: They persist in inso-
lating single symptoms, and looking
upon them as the disease itself. One
member will tell you that the in.
ordinate love of wealth ia the mat
ter, taking for text the familiar
but utterly false maxim. "The love
of money is the root of all evil"
and proposes to enact laws that shall
prohibit the accumulation of giant
fortunes. Another assigns the evils
of society to drunkenness, and so on.
These things are results, not causes.
We do not profess ability to pre-
scribe a cure for the universal mala-
dy of the age. 1t will require the
sober study of philosophers for years
to come but of one thing We feel
very certain, that all systems of
ethics which place faith in the emo
tional nature of mankind, only sub
stitute one form of excitement for
another, without even approximate
ing cure.
Meeting OF the Northwestern Rail
way Commissioners.
DUBUQUE, Iowa, August 12.-Fhe
Railroad Commissioners from the
state of Illinois, Wisconsin, and Min
nesota met here to-day, for the pur-
pose of consulting. No session was
held in the morning, as it was expected
that the Iowa Executive Committee
would he here and meet with them.
Proceedings accordingly were ad-
journed until this afternoon, when,
the Iowa folks not putting in an ap-
pearance, the meeting was organized
by the election of j. j. Randall Pres
ident, and j. w. Hoyt, Secretary.
There are three Commissioners from
each state. Minnesota sends j. J.
Randall, Winona Ex-Governor Mar
shall, of st. Paul, and A. J. Edgerton,
of Martonville. From Wisconsin are
G.. III. Paul, of Milwaukee, j. w.
Hoyt, of Madison, and J. H. Osborne,
of Oshkosh. Illinois is represented
by Judge Steel, of Paris D. A.
Brown, of Bates, and ]. N. Pierson.
This meeting is only preliminary
one, that will lead to others, and 10
which the Commissioners hope to &C
complish much good TO all concerned.
Among the questions that will be
discussed and the objects sought to
be accomplished are the following
l. a uniformity of fiscal years
for all railroads in these four States,
so that the roads will all make their
annual reports at the same time.
2. The adoption of the same form
for reports by all the railroads in or
der to simplify the work of compar-
ing statistics in different States. This
is an important point.
3. To obtain a uniform classified
ton of freight in these four States.
The fact that freight is classified diff
ferently by different roads creates
confusion that can be avoided by
adopting q uniform classification.
4. To accomplish similar legisla-
ton in these four States on railway
matters.
nA-"Oh Lord Thou knowest,"
prayed Connecticut deacon in
church meeting. "that | am inflicted
with a most impious son. Thou
knowest that he will swear, and lie,
and steal, and do ali sinful things.
Al