The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-10-21
GREAT COUNTRY,
Herbert spencer's opinion OF Our HIu
,iN9llS II County. EEA @l!i

everywhere Iould, The extent OF wealth
and Nmugnilicence In cities, especially4tte
splendor" Of New York, astonished me.
Though I lave not visited the wonder Of Tie
West,I Chicago, yet some Of your minor
modern places, such rs Cleveland, suili-
ciently amased me blythe maryelous re-
suits OF one generation Of activity 70 Occar
sionally when In places Of some 10000
inhabitants where the telephone Is: In gen-
eral use, lelt somewhat ashamed OF our
uncnterprisins towns. From my fist I'M
presslons Iniay say that, though free in
stitutlons haYe' been partly the cause,
think, thoy have not, been the Chief cause.
In the Anti place, the American people
came into possession Of unparalleled for
tune, mineral wealth, vast tracts OF
virgin soil, producing i'abundantly with
small cost and culturc.5 Then they profited
by e.inheriting all the arts, appliances,
and methods deyelopud by the older socie-
lies, while leaving behind The obstructions
existing in them. u perceive in faces gen
orally great amount OF deterpination@a
kind Of do or die expression, which, join
ed with the, power oi work exceeding that
Of any other people, Of course produces
unparalleled rapidity Of progress: It is true
that those who rule, you do not do, il ;by
means Of retainers armed with swords, but
through regiments of men armed with
voting papeis, who obey the word Of com,
mand as loyalty as did the Dependents ioif
the old: feudal mobiles, sand thus enable
their LEADERS, to override the general
will and make community submit
to their actions as eifectually aS their
prototypes Of Old. 1T is 'lnubtless
true that each citizen, votes for the candj
date he chooses, from President downward,
but ibis hand is guided by. the, power be-
h}nh,. which leaves him scarcely any
cholte, S7 Use YpHrs political power ss We
tell you or else throw il away, is t,e alterna q.
tive offered TO the citizen. :" The political
machinery, as now worked, has little re.
semblance 10. that contemplated at the out
set Of your political life. America exem-
plilles, at the other end OF The social scale,
k change aNalogonE IA that WHICH hRa taken
place Under sladfy dessPotIsmy. 1l1to seelps 5ssIs
to me tho sovereign people is inst beeonl;
Ing . puppet, which. moves. and speaks as
wirepullers determine. y = = -
"Then you think Republican institutions
a iai!a.e p ',.'-,- = :, ''.. T'-''S'-
by no means. Imply 10 sHph 'l9n.
clusion. Thirty years ago, when often dis.
cussinIg politics with an English friend,
and defending Republican 'inSttntjons,, al
always hnve done, and do still, aud when
he urged against me the i'll working Of such
institutions, over here, Ihabitually replied
that Americans got their form Of govern.
mient BY 4 happy accident, not BY normal
progress, ,anlthey. would have To- So back
before they could go forward. Whui
has since happened seems to- have
justified thu: view, and what i see
now confirms me in tit.;I No ono
FAN form ANYTHING more than vague and
general $, eo}nglpsioha respecting therf intafe
The world has never beiore seen social
phenomena at all comparable with those
presepted in Tie United States. Society,
spreading oyer ,epArNoqs tfapts mid nTe
serving political continuity, is q new thing
This progressive incorporation OF : yasl
bodies Of immigrants OF various bloods
never occurred on such scale before,
Large empires composed OF different peo-
ples have been formed by conquest and
aFpeSFssaatloa: ssaa.t A.! TheH yopr immense system Of
rpa!lyaysaRdte telegraplg gteHJs to eotsaliJate
This vast aggregate Of States IN 4 Why
!hat no such aggregate has ever he(oIe
been consolidated. There are manymiuor
cooperating Causes unlike those hithorto
known That there will come hereafter
troubles Of various kinds seem highly
pYGhable, bnt you. have:triumphed over
!ssPp ts& ty Sst
IL ! think, tolerablyjclear. From biolc-
gIpal trnthHt II, Il to be inferred : that
the eventual P'9!lHres pl thR allied 'q.|
lation will produce d more ,pqWer(ul' tfpe |
Of man than tlas hitherto existed, I tIInk
that .whpteveri diAlcultiep thoy may have
to surmount, and whatever tribulations
they may have 10 pass through, Americans
may reasonably look forward to tho time
when they will have produced a ciyilixa.
iloA .1tSSa!4leeF S!le thaann5 Az any !y the world has
HIgIat .nI1'p,a ~ ...2!:l1!1!HA8}i| I: !!
A Nice Governor. q !, ! n -.
2 rNyr, NJ, n Nnn v. 80