The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-06-24
Have We Progressed

IHe pTeSeUt year ID suggestive Oue
to all Americans. From Concord and
Lexington and Bunker Hill come to US
the sounds of marching hosts, and the
booming Of cannon; and the telegraph
is busy telling what is transporting at
these memorable places. But the sound
of marching feet are not those of men
going out to battle and the booming of
cannon has joyous ring to it unlike
that which greeted the ears of those liv-
ing one hundred years ago. What does
it all mean? It means that we have
reached the first milestone in our national
journey; that one hundred years OF
varied incidents have passed away and
that we to-day are a nation of frcemen.
Next year at Philadelphia will witness
the browning triumph, and when the
Centennial Celebration has closed, and
the nation allows the ardor of its enthu-
siasm to cool somewhat, it would be well
to stop and think where we do stand, and
whether amid all these causes for rejcic-
ing there are not some things which
bring to US feeling Of apprehension.
Our forefathers lettto us rich legacy.
BY their unerring sagacity and timely
wisdom they laid the foundations of our
national existence broad and solid.
Have we builded thereon a superstruct-
ure which every way corresponds to the
foundation? We point with pride to our
railroads and steamboats, and telegraphs:
we laud to the skies the power of a free.
untrammeled press; and smile compla-
Gently over what we term our progress;
but we fear that even in the midst of our
seeming strength there is a weakness.
We boast of our common school system
and of the benefits of education, and
yet to-day the amount of ignorance in
our land is depIorable, and by it men are
foisted to- power to whom honesty is a
stranger, and to whom personal interests
are paramount to national safety. If we
have advanced so much, why do we not
make better appearance in our halls of
legislation? Why is our cabinet file
with men to whom craftsmanship is I'M
known, and our Presidential chair filled
by man who dares not open his mouth
for fear of Il a'ling blunder.
We know that distance lends enchant-
ment to the view, and that in looking
back over the past we are apt to magni-
fy the virtues Of those old heroes who in
the early days did So much for us both in
the camp and forum; but it takes no very
great insight into national character (nor
are we blinded by false reverence, when
we say IT'D to see that the places of our
Clays and Calhouns, our Websters and
our Summers are being filled by men who
are every way inferior. Not because
there are no worthy successors, but be-
cause they are not appreciated. The
national taste seems to have became per-
verified, and TIE people run after strange
gods, and bow down to wooden images.
The floor of the United States Senate
which in the past was considered aplaoe
of honor, and worthy to be trod only by
those who had won the distinction by
sheer force of intellect is now so common
a place that the country scullion regards
it as his especial prize, and men of the
John Aerrissey stripe find it within
their reach whenever they may see fit
to distribute the necessary ducats. In
this respect We are surely weak, and
while the arts and sciences flourish and
every thing botokens prosperity, it is
well to consider whether this is not
result of the labors of those now gone.
and that in another hundred years the
results of orr statesmen's labors will be
much different.