The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-19
YOUNG MEN OF HISTORY,

What aney Have Dsna IN ,Realgisua,
sosial and Political zfsvements.
Probably there arr 10 Trbra 3nAsuezted or
more Intelligent critics OF tbs Sa<iousEe
ngious, social CD pslitical AacFuneass4ot
the day than are to be found amnng tia
ranks Of young men. b Is EatHFa1 that
this should be SO Young men are eager
for knowledge; they are forming opinions
and making upa theorycf life; 6heirminds
are open TO conviction, and all their inter
ests lie on thestde Of seefng facts exactly
az they are, Older men aEs often 80 coms
mitted to the theories and be1tefs at their
own youth that they are incapable Of fgdg-
ing new issues fairly; but young men, dur
ing their period of inquiry and deHbera-
ton, stand in an independent position.
They can examine carefully. they can hear
arguments from al sides, and what they
lack in experience they eftan gain by can
der, or by a certain intuftfve porceptionsof
the way the world is moving. Many m
doubtedly f2ilto discharge this youthful
obligation to ezanEine the fInpcTtant q ues-
tioas of life ia an Impartial spirit; they
accept their Fathers beliefs iR religion and
lowers, their opinions OF no value because
taken at second hand
A smaller but vastly influential class
have shown candor in examination and in
Dependence In G;udgment. Il is surprising
to note how many OF tho greatest achieve
mepts Of tho world have been the work of
young rnsn, throwing themselves with no
power only that OF their own convictions
-, @aI
political tendencies of their own times and
turning them In altogether different direc-
tions. Jesus Christ was 30 years old when
he began his ministry, and when he ended
1t at So he had perrnanandy arrested the
decay Of society and bad turned it In the
direction of continual progress. The small
band OF disciples who learned bis methods
and whom he commissioned to carry on
bis work, was composed entirely Of young
men. Most Of the great movements which
have reformed or intensified the Christian
religion came from the same sourca
Luther was IS when from his Wittenberg
pulpit he began to thunder against Tetzel
and his indulgences. John Wesley was 20
when he began his course of life at Oxford
which led to the founding of the Methodist
church.
Even more pronounced has been the in-
1uenoe of young men in the science of war
and in statesInausffp~ Alexander was
thirty-three whsn he drank himself to death
at Babylon AFTER beYlng conquered the
known world. Hannibal was tYenty-utne
when he led his army across the Alps into
Italy. Napoleon had won the victories
which established his fame as the greatest
living master Of the science Of war before
he was twenty-nine, Washington was
twenty-three when he was made COM
mander of all the forces Of Virginia, and
was still a young man when the American
revolution broke out, William Pitt was
first minister of England ut twenty-four.
Thomas Jefferson was thirty-three when
he wrote the Declaration Of Independence
James Madison was thirty-six when be be-
came, more truly than any one else, the
Father of the Constitution" Alexander
Hamilton was only thirty when he wrote
the larger part Of the "Federalist, +" which
Mr.. John Biske calls ''the most authori-
tative commentary On the constitution that
can be found"
These illustrations might be multiplied
almost without limit, especially in the
domains of literature and science, showing
that the influence which has crested new
schools OF poetry, art OF opened up new
fields of knowledge has bean mainly that
of young men Goethe's "Sorrows Of
Werther," the parent Of much that Is best,
as well SIS worst, in the literature Of our
day, was written when he was %; Byrou's
first canto of "Childe Harold which
placed him az once among the most famous
poets OF England, was written ct %;
Ruskin was % when hs wrote the first
volume of Modern Painters" Science
doubtless requires longer periods of study
than youth can give before its secrets are
revealed, but at least two men Of our own
day have made Important contributions TO
human knowledge az an early age, Edison
is still 8 young mAn, and Stanley had
found Livingstone and made his memoir
able journey across Africa before he was
S.
What the less intel ,ctuAl, but none the
less important, influence OF young men has
been in our national history, In subdRing
our wildernesseS, founding new states,
fighting the battles OF war snd peace. and
In performing the tasks IN which inde
pendence, initiative sud energy are re-
Quired, it wop!d be largely the history OF
our country TO tell: but the resalcs Of II
are seen in that rapid Development which
has made our nation 50 remarkable fer its
prosperity and the happines Of is people
The illustrations given are, however, sui
fcient TO show what possi bslit4es exist for
youth The fact is that unreaped FIELDS
are still ripe for hz-ves-. and that IN a.
directions life teens with opportunities
which the young nea Of today may s:eze
winning renovn for themselves aud being
OF service 10 the world. The generation
low in control u Affairs 10 committed 70
imperfect theories n religion, soCsology
aad politics, sad Il not too old fog change
they are too intent upon preserving what
they hsve even 70 90 Justice 70 new SIG
cestions Society always looks foz u
EAt9rEzztions - 10 Youaz mey