The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-03
Ghe GatelLiqsl1ter.
A SINGULAR ARTICLE.
The Physiology and Psychology Of The Re-
suit Of the Late Elections Ia Ollie.

} suit Of the Late Elections In Ollie.
10y Dr.. &c. NsEirOZ, Of zsas,llle. Ohio. ErOt
s az P'''''a'' Of the zAn'''il' As'd'@5 Of Ned
4 For several months past thspeople o
the State Of Ohio have been subject 10
physical, physiological and psychological
= strain in an exciting political contest. Poll
i teal contests Of more or less public int
: rest occur annually. Those Of wider ant
1 moreprotOundlnterest at irregular periods
That which terminated since our last ses
. sion, was, in It's progress, considered o
more than ordinary public interest. The
press, with It's tremendous power, had
. been at work many months. As the test
Of the vote drew nearer, large numbers Of
people have attended public meetings
both by day and by night, which were ad.
dressed by the most brilliant extempore
speakers belonging to the several parties
engaged In the contest. The object each
had In view was to obtain votes, to swell
their ranks, aud elect their candidates at
the election Just past.
Eloquent appeals were made by extern.
pore speakers, and through the press, to
the passions, prejudices, as well as the
judgm ents, Of their hearers and readers.
Public meetings were accompanied by
music, vocal and instrumental, preceded
or followed by professions, it'll music
aud banners; and not unfrequently from
some near eminence, the roar Of artillery,
The subject matter oil the speeches and
addresses were important, and unimpurt.
ant, pertinent to, and sometimes altogether
foreign TO the main purpose Of the cam.
paign.
The speakers, as we'll as the press, en-.
deavored TO instruct, and mislead, their
readersand hearers. And all were inspired
by the single purpose Of the success OF the
cause and candidates they advocated.
Such an intellectual commotion, It
seems TO me, Is a proper subject for study
by the Psychologist and psychologist. At
all events, am going to try, and my pres.
ent purpose Is, therefore, to present to you
the steps and conclusions OF such study
OF the results OF the late election.
Let NE at this point distinctly state that
no political, statistical, or economic con.
siderations will enter into my inquiry. Il
will be pure and simple, physiological and
psychological, using the latter term as i,
refers to mind phenomena only.
Though the subject seems az inextrica.
BILE puzzle, when viewed from other stand.
points, the Psychologist and psychologist
necessarily approaches its consideration
by endeavoring u separate its apparent
complexities into the simple elements
which compose all complexities.
First tall political considerations are
purely mind work, For, II not, some OF
our domestic animals would be concerned
with them.
Second The organs Of mind in the hui
man being, or body, ia the brain, and to
some extent, the nervous system.
Thtrd-The work oil a political campaign
is educational, whatever that may mean
and with physical inquireTs, like myself,
isneither obscure, indefinite, nor shadowy,
as will be presently shown.
So far, it appears 70 me, therei not, and
cannot be any ground for difference
among students of the phenomena Of
political campaign.
UnavoidAbly, the further consideration
OF the subject will fall partly within and
party beyond the region Of physical dem.
OnstrAtion; and will, therefore, afford
more or less ground for difference in con-
illusions, as the subject is approached.
My-own investigations will be from an
exclusively physical standpoint.
Mind phenomena have been from the
remOtest recognized as being duplex, that
is, divisible into what are known as In
stinCtive aud Intellectual. Those recog.
nized as Instructive are concerned mainly
with the preservation, multiplication and
perpetuation OF the individual p9sssssor,
and kind. They are transmitted from Pc.
rent to offspring comparatively perfect at
birth; but are capable Of being added to,
and extended by the necessities, exigen-
cies and accidents common TO each indi-
vidual life. Those called intellectual are
brought into existence by external con-
ditiOns and circumstances.
The next inquiry will be how do the in.
stinctiye faculties come so perfect with the
birth OF the individual; and how do ex-
ternal conditions and circumstances,
to-wit, educational. develop intellectual
capacities and phenomena?
10 me, both are very plain, though am
aware that am not on debatable ground,
and Just beyond the reach of physical
demonstration.
All through nature, inorganic and or
ganic, from the tiniest atom OF matter to
the total of the Auniverse, function and
structure are inseparably associated.
Every result, no matter what it may be or
how brought about, in the world Of matter
| Fa;aA hoe hhhinH 10 1na,,t.I -.
arrangement OF material. A time.piece
never performed the duty OF wagon,
though both have wheels. and the wheels
in both turn round continuously in the
performance OF their respective duties or
functions. Each has function, and the
materials OF each are nicely adjusted by
the makers to perform their special func-
tions. The makers Of the time.piece and
wagon must use material existing, ready
made to their hands. In other words, the
mechanics who make watches and wagons
may be said TO educate, or give forms OF
structure to the materials OF which they
arc composed, so a. to enable them to per.
form their respective functions or duties.
Now, it seems to me, that is just exactly
chat educational processes or influences,
do TO the material ofthe human brain. As
in the case Of the time.piece and wagon
the mechanics have to use material ready
to their hand, so the educator can only
hope to do like work with brain
matter already existing in the papils
bony Crania, that is, give forms Of
structure, 70 the end that certain
functions may be performed. Soeduca.
itousl process can make brain matter
for the pupil. That must have already
been done by dame nature, or it never can
be done. For the material Of the brain Is
provided for as orr existence is provided
for, from parents tn offspring.
By education, then, must be understood
the giving forms Of structure to existing
brain matter, TO the end that intellectual
functions may be performed.