The Russellville Democrat., 1877-09-06
ARE WE AT THE ZENITH OF
 OUR GREATNESS?

The vast improvements which have been made within the past hundred years, and the progress which might be made within the next century being under discussion in small groupe of friends the other day one party took the ground that we are now at the very zenith of our greatness. This party thought that it would be impossible for us to make as great advancement in the arts and sciences, Tn literature and inventions during the next century as we have done in the one just past. He took the ground that just as the wheel or the sphere revolving on its axis will bring any given point to the zenith and that it will then commence to descend again, so the cycles of time in revolving over our heads had brought us to the climax of our greatness and powerand usefulness, and that we would now commence descent from the pima cle of greatness at which we have arrived. This view of the case we shall combat, for notwithstanding the wonderful discoveries and the vast progress we have made during our first century as fref, separate, independent government notwith- Ing the advanced positioA we have taken among the civilized nations of the world, we think we are yet far from the summit of our gleatness. If reason for this sielles - wanted we simply point to the ignorance and iiliteracy all over the land, and ask can people, great portion of whom are ignorant, be truly greatf If fine gems of literature have been produced with the minds of great proportion of the people clouded by ignorance, what might we expect if all were trained and disciplined by a liberal education? If amazing i'm provements in mechanical inyen- tions, and grand achievements in science have been attained when only a portion of the brains of the people were sufficiently enlightened to grapple with these things, what might we expect if light were shin- ing from the great mass of mankind who are now groveling in ignorance. If the few who have been in the vineyard laboring have accomplished so much, what might we not expect if through the diffusion of a more general education tens of thousands of additional thinkers and workers should be added to the present force of workers?
 No, we are not yet at the zenith of our greatness and power. And while ignorance hovers over our land be- clouding the minds ofa great portion of our people we cannot be truly great. There is latent light yet to be freed from it's chaotic state and brighter rays may flash from this newly developed source than has ever yet beamed upon our vision. Knowledge is power; knowledge is greatness. If we would be great and powerful ahd revolve on around nearer the zenith of greatness we must dlffuse more general knowl- edge among the masses. Schools must he made more numerous and be better sustained. All means of enlightening the masses must be en- couraged and sustained. The mass es must be raised from that condi- tion of illiteracy where they are made the dupes and tools of bad men and interruptions, ambitious demagogues. They must be qual- fled to think and act intelligently. The press and the school system are the great means for accomplishing this purpOSn