Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-17
rHE PROCESS or c17IIlzATIoN.


There are two schools among those who
discuss the progress of civilization. One
of these schools claims too much, and the
other limits too little 1t is true that |
civilization has produced very small in
provements in some respects, but it Is
equally true that it has produced very |
considerable improvements in other re-
spects. Undoubtedly its most marked |
effect has been upon what is called mate
rial progress. In the past century the
advances made in science have exceeded
very far those OF the preceding five hun
bred years, and the consequent revolutions
effected in the modes OF living and travel
ing and lighting and heating and manu-
featuring and doing business have in the
aggregate sensibly ameliorated the condi-
ton of a large percentage OF the inhabit-
ants of what are called civilized countries.
The growth of comfort has been particu-
larly great. 1t is not so very far back to
the time of Queen Elizabeth. but at that
time the most wealthy people in Europe
could only display a thoroughly barbarous
magnifcence, while the masses lived in
such squalor as is now confined to small
quarters in ourlargest cities. There were no
carpets, nor bed furniture, nor pillows, nor
sheets, nor undertaking such as is worn
now, nor crockeryware, nor markets, nor
vegetables. The well.to-do tradesman or
farmer wore one greasy leathern suit
score of years went to bed contented on
bag of chaff with round log for pill
low; ate from wooden trenchers; streWed
rgshes on the earthen floor in lieu Of car
pets lived nine months on salted meats
did without other vegetables than sun1ry
salads and kales often eschewed chin
neys, and sat with infamed eyes under
blackened rafters, drinking heady beer, al
through the winter evenings. There was
even less comfort for the common people.
They were fed and lodged like hogs. They
were filthy in their habits, coarse and cal
lous in their tastes, imbruted as to their
minds. Undoubtedly great change for
the better has taken place in the comfort
of the people, and its extent is not enough
realized. At the time of Elizabeth, and
for that matter almost century later, no
sovereign prince could have procured the
conveniences which are to-day within the
reach of every mechanic who earns
| from 81 so to 81 per day. And it is
certainly true that through this great in
crease of comfort the masses have been
enabled to stimulate their intellectual fac
ulties more than ever before. That the
intellectual advancement Of the people has
not kept pace with the growth of what
may be called external civilization, is evil
dent; but it must be remembered how
| very little our ancestors had progressed
| beyond the stage Of barbarism when Science
inaugurated the present era of rapid
changes. The world to-day is undergoing
an entirely new experience. 1t has no
presidents to guide it. 1t is plunged into
conditions amid which it grows bewildered,
and sometimes shows symptoms of losing
its head. But notwithstanding the nov
city of the situation it must be re-
garded as in the line of healthy
progress, and though the tendency
of sudden emancipation from long
borne yokes is generally towards
slightly and extravagant courses, the ulti-
mate consequences of making life sweeter,
easier and more joyful to the many, cannot
but be wholesome. Just now it seems to
us that the most useful, because the most
SOLDERING knowledge that can be impaired
to the people, and especially to the work
ing classes, is the history of the past out
of which they come, but concerning which
they are more ignorant than they should
be. Il is the custom of the day for the
poor to contrast their lot enviously with
that of the rich. There is no useful lesson
in this habit, but if they were enabled to
compare their own condition with that of
their class generation or two ago. they
would see that the world indeed moves
and that demagogues never lie more shame |
lessly and wickedly than when they de-
clare that the condition of the masses has
not been improved.