New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-26
UoT ,rO CROV GREAT MEN.

NOW no GROW GREAT MEN.
Under this heading Professor Z. A. Free
man discusses, in "The Universal Review"
the statement of Mr.. Lowell that 1t IL
the first duty of nations to produce
great men. "The Spectator" began the
discussion, and Mr.. Freeman considers us
observations as well as Mr. Lowers
OF course the question is full of difficulties.
In tbc first place. it has to be determined what
is meant by great men. In the second place,
tbc settlement. not only of the duties, but OF the
first duty, Of nations, is obviously anything puO
easy. Mr.. Lowell's statement does not appear
to he n sclf-cvident truth On the contrary, IL
rather challenges question. For, taking the
conventional meaning of the term great men,"
il amounts to this That the first duty of ma
tions is to produce the conditions most favor,
able to the development of those individuals
whose special proves Is brought ont in critical
circumstances This Of course, is tantamount
to saving that nations ought always to be in
volved in great difficulties of one kind or an
other: and that looks very like reduction to
absurdity Professor Freeman finds Mr.. Low
ellis position quite hopeless, and fairly gives
percnce. No doubt if we knew just what Mr..
Lowell had in his mind when he spoke Of great
men it would be easier to gauge the truth or
error of his hypothesis. In a general way no
seems to hold that this country though pro-
ducing great men in the past, has ceased to do
so and he thinks it ought, in some not clearly
defined way, to resume the production.
Now the special function of democracy is not
what Mr. Lowell says. 1t is to secure the
greatest happiness to the greatest number. IT,
and so far as it fulfls this purpose, it does not
tend TO the abnormal elevation and develop
ment of individuals, but to the steady improve
mcnt and advance of the whole commonwealth.
In carving out this movement, however, it
does ord opportunity for the manifestation
of various forms of special capacity and great
ness A democratic nation blessed with set
tied peace and order prosperous in its COM
merce and production, disciplined in submis-
sion to its own laws certainly does not present
as favorable conditions for certain kinds Of no
toriety as exist in an unsettled country, with
weak laws, or with dcspotic government.
In the case of the United States, the ability
to produce great men has been proved when
ever the occurrence Of crisis created strong
demand for them. The Rebellion brought such
men to the front promptly. When the war was
over, the energy and special capacity which
had been employed in the saving Of the Union
were directed to peaceful enterprises. Thence
forward these qualities or forces manifested
if less picturesquely, scarcely less usefuly in
forwarding settlement, organizing transporta-
ton and distribution and pushing production
/ IL, ;rl,o In n
| demand of the time being for executive power,
that power was supplied to the needed extent.
| The work to be done was arduous, seriou>SBn-
crossing. II was not of kind to be recorded
in bulletins to create enthusiasm, to incite
partisan feeling. But it was work Of the first
importance, Of the highest bcneiicence, and es-
scntialy the class Of practical work which de-
mocracy lives in and by
Great merchants, great manufacturers great
railroad managers and builders, great inventors
take, in such an age, the place of great states
men and great soldiers, and while less effective
from a spectacular point of view, it would be
rash to assert that these are less deserving OF
Of less consequence in any way to their genera
ton. Democracy, moreover, while tending to
supply popular needs above all other things
docs not lose the ability to produce great men
in any kind. Given the need and the men APP
pear, and even more surely and seasOnably
than in States whose masses are forbidden &c
develop freely. If in poetry and literature
there is a dearth of great names at present
all that can be said is that as regards the pro
ductions of the intellect the whole WORLD
seems to be in sort OF baclwater just now
But even here democracy is justified, fol
though it can for the moment boast no over
shadowing names in literature, it certainly j:
producing a larger quantity and better qualit,
Of literary work somewhat below the line o.
greatness than ever before The great men o
history have come as deliverers, champions
teachers and guides. But it is better not t.
need dcliverance than to have deliverer, n
matter how great and civilization grows bette
and more vigorously under prosperous an,
peaceful than under adverse circumstances
however thrilling and exciting the spectacl
of the latter may be. Bismarck doubtless
great man, but would it not be better 70
Germany and Europe if the conditions whic
: cngcndered his greatness had never existed
if Germany had been free from the necesst
! Of mlitarsm, and if the democratic spirit ha
2 so mastered the continental nations rs to clea
the field of dynastic wars? The first duty
t nations is not to produce great men, unless th
+ duty is so literally construed as to imply tn
l elevation of the whole people to greatness, an
| that is the mission of democracy.
, ------
, The Senate acted wisely in striking from Il
= Naval Appropriation bill the House provision f.