The Labor enquirer., 1886-06-26
Must American Civilization
Follow in the Tracks of
=. Ancient Times
Babylon, Greece, Rome and Ara
bia are Warnings We
Should Heed.
Modern Civilization Is Harb0ring
Within Its Bosom the Elements
Which Have Always Destroyed.
For The Enquirer.

The pages of history record the rise
and fall of many civilizations, Babylon
ian. Chaldean, Egyptian, Grecian, Ro-
man, Arabic, Chinese. All have fallen
but the Chinese; even it is crumbling
beneath its own weight. Arts, sciences,
letters, have been cultivated ; morals
taught, integrity practiced. riches &C.
qulred by very few in all. Some grew
like the oak tree, impactly and extend
ing existing through centuries, and
even when crumbling sent forth ehoots
of surprising strength and beauty. But
others are more like ferns that flourish
for a season, or mushrooms that live a
day.
In America our civilization has
bounded to its present perfection in
three generations and already have the
signs of dissolution been made manifest.
Nations, like individuals, grow old and
die. America, like spendthrift son,
has squandered its inheritance among
Gamblers and thiever; sown in the po-
litical system the seeds of disease, so
that ere maturity it is suffering from the
infrmities of old age. Have the Cau-
cassian nations lufficient intellgen.
and strength to continue the march of
progress, or must they, having attained
a higher point tn n ever a Utilization
yet reached, fall into decrepitule and
permit some Younger, perhaps despised,
race to climb to more exalted civilizl-
ton still2 If Europe must fall behind
is it necessary for America to lapse into
ruin? 1t must be confessed that the
past gives but little hope. The Grecian,
Roman and Arabian reared splendid
temples, founded thorough colleges,
diffused philanthropy, won glorious vic
tories, made wonderful discoveries, yet
they fell and tens upon tens of thousands
of volumes embracing the efforts and
patient researches of generations of stu
dents and philosophers, were destroyed
by intolerance and triumphant ignor-
ance All the evidences of American
learning and progress could be as effect
ually smothered, concealed and de-
stroyed.
Within the bosom of modern civlliza-
ton we are harboring and encouraging
the same elements of destruction that
have brought civilizations and nations
to the dust-opulence and beggary, lux
ury and want. The requirement of great
wealth creates large number who have
no interest in defending their country
and smaller class that have no ability.
Whenever in any nation 2 per cent of
the people own 80 per cent of its wealth
either internal forces consume or eXter-
nal power conquers, for patriotism is at an
end and native or foreign tyranny Is in
evitable. This condition of affairs
America is rapidly approaching. The
usurer bv mortgages really owns the
the greater portion of the tlllable soil,
ID6 UdnkeT ny Cuo COuIIOl VI Iuo
currency has the finances under
his rule, the railroads control commerce,
to great measure the telegraphic mo-
nopoly creates public opinion, while all
these direct legislation IN their favor.
There Is little but few illusionary sub
terfuges that to-day prevent the direct
ownership of IS per cent of the wealth
of the country by 2 per cent Of the peo-
pie. The philosophical student and
patriot have little grounds to hope that
the usual course of nations will be
changed and America continue to ad-
vance in liberty and civilization.
Perhaps we may learn from the ex-
perience of ages, but it is more than pos
sible that America has passed the prime
of national life, and though it may ex-
tend in possessions and increase in
wealth, vet the seeds of death are gnaw-
at the vitas of the greatest republic the
world has ever seen. Though skilled
philosophers poirt out the disease there
are few to present national remedies,
and the people are too ignorant, too di-
vided, too prejudited to apply them.
A change for the better or worse must
soon occur. Upon the intelligence and
patriotism of the masses does the nature
of this change depend The false teach
ings of pulpit press and school leave
little hope in this direction. AS in re-
llgion, so in politics and social science,
prejudice and passion rule instead of
reason, while avarice directs and the
competitive system compels each to In
iure all in order to exist. Like snow
bound wolves, we are devouring each
other, and for ignorant and intelligent,
innocent and gnlty there seems no es-
cape. A Cooperative Commonwealth
might supply sufficient stimulus to a
people to enable them to continue the
march of civilization, stream of water
in the desert might restore hope and
strength to the faintIng traveller, but how
to lead a people to this oasis of light and
| life it is impossible to discover. Can
prejudice be overcome, false education
eradIcated, before the verge of the prec-
ipce Is reached, over which all ancient
natir ms have gone? fear not; hope
for the best. A. ID. Z.