Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-05-25
THE SOCIAL UPHE4 VAL.


Those who read and reflect cannot fai. TO
recognize the fact that the ethics of the age
are far beyond its practice. When the two
shall have reached the same plane, we shall
have the much talked Of millennium. The
moral forces are always reaching up to
higher plane than the physical, and this is
the law, else there would be no such thing
as progress-and progress is the eternal
order.
But that the world is on higher plane
than at any historic period in most respects
Is every where evidenced to the student
The constantly iterated statement of the
aged that the good old times were better
than the present, is simply the memory of
youthful enjoyments, and will not stand
examination. Masses of men move slower
than. individuals, but when education has
accomplished its legitimate work nations
have new birth in day-the history of the
world has fully demonstrated the truth of
this assertion, and witnessed in the revolu-
ton which swept over our country twenty
years ago
The evidence of government tagging
behind the morals of an age was forcibly
shown by John Bright in his speech at his
installment as rector of the University of
Glasgow-when he said
Great Britain has trodden for two cen
turtles in the footsteps of the Caesars and
has accepted the barbarous policy Of pagan
Rome, while at the same time, with n vast
and unconscious Hypocrisy, has bull: thou
sands OF temples and has dedicated them to
the Prince Of Peace"
This is a terrible but truthful arraign.
ment, but at the same time il emphasizes
the advance made in English sentiment
despite all, for had John Bright of two
centuries ago made such declaration before
so influential a body as the University of
Glasgow, il would have doubtless have cost
him his head. But il is an immense gain
that 50 great a truth and pregnant rebuke
can be safely given by so influential man.
And it is because not only England, but
Europe has followed the same policy that
the terrible social condition of its civiliza
ton is what il is And one of the alarming
signs OF the times is that here in America
we have public sentiment that is striving
for that control Of the government whose
traditions are those of this system of gov
ernment now resting on a mine of dynamite
The world has been warred against to bene-
lit English trade, or rather English caste.
She is to-day q nation of few Thousand
aristecrats and millions of practical serls,
just Us Rome was u nation OF politicians
and slaves. The structure OF her society is
a false one and supported by force. 1t has
ieen her policy 10 make her the workshop
81 The world. She has body Of land.
holders, but no agricultural population, lor
the men who till the soil do not own il.
All this policy 80 relentlessy pursued for
Two hundred years has been adopted by the
lew iOr precisely the same object that il is
now resisted-ease of living and the com.
forts Of life. Take all these questions as
they may be, underlying them all is bread,
comfort, leisure. And whenever the balance
is disturbed to a degree that large masses of
men are distressed and in want, the peace of
society is disturbed And the fate of nations,
governments and cities that have grown
10 opulence, followed by the pauperism OF
their masses, illustrate the law Of compen.
sation.
These questions which now face the
old governments of Europe afford the most
impressive lessons for the study of Amer.
can siaiesmanship We ought to learn from
them that the less important functions of
government, at least for us, is the care for
material development. The energy and In.
ielligence OF the people will take care of that
as they have in the past. The true office of
government is the advancement Of correct
principles. We may avoid the errors aud
crimes OF the older governments for the
condition of the world does not provoke
them as II did In the darker centuries of the
past, but the necessity exists now, as al.
ways, for adherence TO the highest standards /
Of morality in the policy of government
~The nation that rules not in righteousness
shall perish lrsm the earth, is much truth
to-day as in the age In which 1t was written,