Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-07-29

OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. JULY y, ING
TINES CHANGES.

/. IS evident that we live in an age of
progress. Just whether the progress
is onward, or upward. as we generally
assume it is, or downward, like a cows
tail-to use Billy Adams favorite smile
is Difficult; question 70 determine.
If we leave the decision to our orthodox
neighbors, it must be the latter, for the
old idea of burning lake OF birthstone
for the punishment of transgressors,
which was held. to be so important q
requisite as means of salvation, has
been supplanted by q modern view more
in consonance with the spirit of the age.
Whether the present idea is altogether
preferable, when it is considered that
there are some people, who deserve such
merciless torment, is a matter, we must
admit, of grave doubt. Ii there is no
burning lake for some salamanders who
infest our sphere, then indeed it APP
pears that there is wide gap in the
adaptation of things but seldom OBJ
served in the economy of nature.
But to discard the metaphysical,
which is introduced merely as a chemi-
Cal formula in g. lecture to give our ar
ticle prcfundity it would not other
wise bear, we note the fact that modern
experience has upset the philosophy of
former ages in many particulars. The
wise old saws OF even the revcred
Franklin, have been smashed into frag
ments by the research of DR.. Thrall.
The former declared that keeping early
hours was requisite for manly vigor.
financial prosperity and earthly wis
dom. The latter enunciates the mere
agreeable but nevertheless startling doc
trine that to sleep late. until the sun
has removed dampncss from the herb
age, will not only add very materially to
earthly blessings and enjoyment but
promote that dessideratum Of all ages,
longevity. AS another instance of this
advance of intellect, selected at random
from the many, it was believed until
very modern date, that water was ali
element possessing complete mastery
over fire, but it is now known that
carbonic acid gas is a much more ef-
ective agent in cutting off the supply
of oxygen which promotes combustion,
and that water may, under certain con-
ditions, literally add fuel to the flames.
A score OF more of years ago, it was
considered the proper thing to beat
knowledge into the heads of youth by
the application of counter-irritant to
the other extremity, but modern expe-
rience has taught that even the inferior
animals can best be swayed by kind
treatment.
1t remains, however, for the Phila-
delphia Sun to cast the greatest shad-
ow over the intelligence of past ages.
1t asserts unequvoically that soap is
playing hob with the human family;
that it is the source of many of the
dreaded diseases which have, from time
to time, sent thousands of people to
premature graves; that the evil cannot
be overcome except by entirely dis
carding the use of soap, as the finer
the quality and the higher the price it
commands, the more putrescence
enters into its composition. If true,
the SUMS article sheds flood of light
upon a hitherto Opaque object. We
republish it in this issue, in order that
cur readers may gather some scintella-
tons from the luminary that all at once
has assumed such extraordinary magni-
tude and brilliancy.
The question now arises, What shall
we do about it? Shall we discard soap,
and escape present danger at the risk
of future ills? Or will this astounding
discovery be followed by another theo-
ry, that cleanliness, like early rising, is
the cause of much bodily in6rmity ?
=" When doctors disagree, who shall de-
cide?" In the midst OF perplexity and
doubt, which is the best course to pur-
sue? How may we determine whether
progress is forward, or backward, or
upward, or downward, when everything
is subject to perpetual change?
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF OUR PEOPLE.