Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-08-31
The Age OF High Pressure.

| It has become almost truism to say
that every age has its distinguishing fea-
| ture, which gives to it an individuality
as unmistakable as that which differen-
| tiates the several members OF. the same
| family; and it needs but little examina.
ton to discover that the distinguishing
| feature of the present age is 'shigh
pressure Physical science has taught
| mankind the conversation and utiliza-
ton of the forces of nature, and recent
experiment has shown that sshigh pres
sure'' is the means by which the great
est amount of force may be extracted
from a ton of Goals. Humanity is fond
of analogy, and is ever ready to trans
fer its reasoning from the physical to
to the psychic world, -
Moreover, the advance of physical
science, and the application thereof to
the appliances of life, must in time ne
cessitate corresponding movement in
the world of action. AS the locomotive
or steam vessel increases in speed, so
must human beings move more rapidly
in thought and action. The humblest
servant upon line of railway is affected
in his movements by every mile of in
creased speed of the trains running over
that line.' The lowest clerk in an office
is affected materially by each increase of
postal deliveries, by every decrease in
the rates for kilograms, by every addi
ton to the foreign and colonial mail SER
vices It is quite true that we do not
spend so many hours in our offices as
did our grandfathers-but we do more
in the shorter hours than they did, and
we know nothing of the intervals Of.
quietude which they enjoyed during the
business day. Every man must work at
the top of his speed, and by the time his
days work is over he finds his powers
are exhausted, and he has scarcely en-
ergy left to seek the means of recreation
which lie around him. Our business
and professional friends are constantly
urging as an excuse for failures in the
exercise of social virtues the plea that
they are too weary to undertake that
exercise save at widely sundered inter-
walls, and the weary business man asks
for nothing when his days labors are
ended save ssto be let alone" Such
state of things can not fail to tell seri-
ously upon the character and genius of
people.
Leisure is thing unknown to the
bulk of men, or is regarded as some fav
distant haven which he scarcely hopes
GO TodCu Ill lutuEc ycdIS' aLu W bAN5
few fortunate ones who do reach it, it
too frequently comes when all capacity
for its enjoyment is gone, worn out by
the weary struggles and stress of the
voyage. The principals of our COM
mercial houses are already beginning to
see the result of this high pressure upon
their employees. There is a lack of
springiness or elasticity about them, anil
nervous hurriedness in their work,
which frequently defeats their efforts.
With growing average intelligence,
and a general spread. of knowledge,
there is also an increasing lack of bust
ness ssgenius.' It is more than ever
easy to get hundred men of ordinary
ability, and more difficult to- get one
man of originality and keen insight.
Men or more mechanical and less spon-
taneous than they were. Specialists
NAV be obtained for all departments,
but men of ssall round minds," capable
of taking wide views,ar few and far be-
tween.-Londo,s Globe.