The Republican., 1890-12-12
STEPS OF PROGRESS.
The Class OF Men Who Are Usually Lead
ers in the Community.


ers in the Community.
1t is a common thing to associate tho
idea Of progress mainly with past time
We are fond OF looking backward and
marking the advancement of man from
barbarism to civilization, from ignor-
ance to knowledge, from error to truth.
from darkness to light, and of congratu-,
lating ourselves that we live in these
latter and better days. Not SO common
is the onward look into the possible
progress of the future While there are
always some who cherish and believe
in changes for the better, yet to come. as
numerous and as great as any which
have already taken place, the majority
regard them either as visionary. or at
least so uncertain and indefinite as
scarcely to arouse their attention. Yet
whether recognized or not, progress
goes on, slowly, steadily and surely, and
its steps are trodden, one by one, first
by pioneers in thought and action, ard
then with more or less hesitation by
tc@ir followers until all have ascended
to that level and are ready for another
stage. This process is necessarily slow,
but there is no doubt it might be greatly
accelerated without losing any of its
stability. There are some in every gem
Grafton who live and think ahead OF
their times. Their horizon is too far
away for others to see it; they dwell on
heights which the world can not climb;
they espouse improvements which no
one will attempt; they proclaim truths
which awaken no response; they declare
duties which no one is ready to admit
They seem to have been born too soon;
fifty or a hundred years hence they
might be benefcent force in society,
but their own generation is not
sufficiently developed to appreciate
their thought or to accept their sugges-
tions. Yet such men, if true to them
selves, do not live in vain. Although
they may never see any fruit of their
labors, the seed they sow will spring up
after many days. Posterity will accord
the gratitude and honor that their con-
temporaries can not feel. If they are
great enough not to be discouraged by
apparent failure, and have faith enough
to rest their cause on its own intrinsic
be fulfilled. Others there are. however,
who seem exactly fitted for the needs
of the hour. Whether their minds are
occupied with fresh discovery or a
new invention, an improvement in so
cial usuage or public administration,
method of reform or a responsibility
hitherto neglected, their message is one
for which the community is ready and
of which it stands in immediate need
The time is ripe for just what they
have to bestow Such men are usually
leaders in the community. Mr.. Morley
says: "a man does not become cele-
brated in proportion to his general Ca
pacity, but because he does or says
something which happens to need doing
or saying at the moment" 1t is not,
however, these gifted ones alone to
whom the work of progress is intrusted.
Every thinking man and woman has at
times an ideal of something better than
now exists, and what to do with that
ideal is problem far too often left un-
solved. Too often there is nothing
done with it; it remains as vague
reverie in the mind, until crowded out
with more absorbing topics. 1t is not
yet generally regarded as a trust to be
fulfilled, an obligation to be dis
charged. People plead their want of
time, their lack of influence, their un-
certainty as to methods, their fear of
doing harm, rather than good, to justify
them in letting their ideals slip away
into oblivion. Yet, if every one did this.
what would become of the worlds prog
ress? And if it is right for one, why
not for all? OF course there is foolish
extreme to which some jealous reformers
60, of forcing their peculiar plans or
tenets upon an unwilling public, and
feeling Injured because they are not at
once adopted. This is absurd, and only
Injuries the cause they have at heart.
1t courts opposition and eXcites antag-
onism. Any invasion of personal rights,
any attempt at coercion OF thought or
deed, is doomed to failure. But the
most perfect freedom is always consist
ent with the most perfect sincerity. A
man who has new thought or a new
light on any subject has no right to
thrust it upon another against his will;
nor can he reasonably feel aggrieved
that no one will share it with him; but
neither has he the right to bury it out
of sight, still less to disown or to be
ashamed of it because it is not popular
If it is of any worth it must make its
way, surely, though slowly, into the
minds and hearts of men, and to assist
it's entrance is at once his privilege and
his duty. If he really believe that his
idea is true, or that the change he con-
templates would be good for society. he
should feel bound to be loyal to it at all
hazards. He ought not to interfere with
those who can not accept it. either to
compel or to complaint; but he should
live it, speak it, act it for himself, cast
his influence for it, and so, by his faith
and his sincerity, he will help on the
upward strivings of humanity, and do
his share in the progress of the world
Philadelphia Ledger.
Chinese Alligators in London.
Two examples of the Chinese alliga-
tor have just reached the Geological