Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-01-08
PITHY AND POWERFUL.

The folling are extracts from speech
made by Congressman Reed, of Maine:
at is not the leaders and foremost men
who make the nation; it is the nation
which makes the leaders.
at is not in grent things alone that the
hold of the past on us is shown. The
triffes show it. The two buttons which
adorn the back OF your coat have no
earthly use now, but three hundred years
ago they were put on TO bold ssthe sword
belt up. Sword and bel. have both dis
appeard, ior both were in the way after
men left off fighting, at word, but the
buttons stay.
"There has never ,een moment since
time began In which every human being
did not count for what he was worth IN all
that was achieved by his nature and his
race.
III Congress and the village constable
do not closely resemble Plato md Aristo-
tie, they oou,e quite as near as their con-
stituonts will permit. Tho people OF
country always get as good government as
they really desire.
"WheD mems passions are aroused, es-
pecially in the fiercer epochs, they say and
believe what they wish to say, and believe
not what they ought. What men will be-
lieve at any time depends not halfso much
| on the TACT as on their state of mind.
"Men are so made that there is not now
on the earth one man SO rich, SO success
ful, DO fortunate, that lie would not need
all the aids of culture and religion to keep
him from suicide, il he was sure there were
no further or other success. This keeps
us all in the harness.
"You cannot keep the people out of gov.
ernment and progress. If their intelli.
gence does not rule. their ignorence will
"The pathway of time ia ttrewen with
the failures of leaders.
"lf human progress had been more q
matter OF leadership, we should be in
Utopia to day. Our great nation would
not be convnlsed over the mighty question
of the appointment OF government clerks
nor would all Europe have been watching
only month ago the Ameer of Afganis-
tan and spelling ont the nnpronouncabl
names of that unknown land. War wOul'
have ceased long ago, and perhaps govern
ment by the people would huye become
automatic in all its branches.
"The reason why the race OF men move
: slowly 10 because it must move altogether
The poor, the ignorant, the dOwntroddel
are always aayipg to the rich and the edu.
g Gated. inarticulately too often, hut with
E voice that brooks no denying, If you ad
: vance, You must take us with yom.' 1t Is
3 not the knowledge OF great men, the skill o
great sages, that makes civilization. Their
\ are no orators to-day az persuasive IA Cicer
: no philosophers or wise men greater thai
, Ariato,le or Plato. Yet civilization wa
not OF their day, hut Of Ours, The sui,
light of k0wledge for ns has got beyon'
, the hill tops. The valleys of To-day ar
not az beautiful IN were the hills Of yore
but they TEEN with life and health an,
, ver,lmre.
. Electric motors arc cure to come. b.
and by we shall harness the tidal wave
and make merchandise OF the power q
Niagara.
ave do not appreciate this tremenhou
searching mnipotrnt aud omnipresen
, control OF popular opinion because most o
onr lives are passed in easy sutmiSsion Il
: IL. Bnt IL behOoves man to take hee,
. before he begina to run counter to IL
} whether he Tonga To proclaim n create
principle which will free race or mercl,
wants to wear his hair long down his back
/ In most cases he will simply lie suppressed
, "The devil is as sc'lnlous in this worl,
as water under n ship If there il m.
chance of n leak the water ia right iher
ready TO take advantage Of II.
"Whenever the control Of public sen,i
ment il lifted for moment ynu see tn
need OF il. What terrible things mobs d,
, "The location OF great manv rocks i
; found by running against them."