The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-08-07
Gbr1rmorrM-S Star
Some Things Which Have Been Accom-
plisbsd During the Last Ninety Years.

m~enDOraOle IN history as pre- ebli-
nently the age oil inventions. an
no other century OF the world has
the inventive genius oi man been
so alert or lis efforts been So sly
nally rewarded as in this. In 1901
steam WAS successfully applied in
navigation in Scotland; in 1907
Robert Fulton made his triaftrip
up the Hudson in the Clermont,
and eleven years after the Savan-
nah reached England from Areri-
ca after a voyage OF twenty sixdays.
From that day 10 this the time be
tween England and America has
been steadily decreasing, until now
tits less than 4 week. Proportion.
al advance has also been mace in
other directions. What the Savan-
nah of 1916 would be to an "ocean
greyhound' of to-day, the scythe
and pruning hook in ISIS would be
TO the reaper and mower with
which the farmer in 1890 rode
around his fields and harvested his
crops with ease.
The streets OF Birmingham. En-
gland were first lighted with gas i'm
1902. and those OF London in 1914.
The first cable railway was patent
ed in 1S0S, and electric and steam
railways have Slu.e been added in
large cities to secure rapid transit.
LlihOcraphy and slerl engraving,
printing by steam and electricity,
siereOlyping ami machines for
making paper. and other inveB-
tons have made the press one Of
the creatssi-lf not the greatest
agents of civilization. In 1926 the
first railroad in the United States
was built. and to day Europe and
America are traversei IN every
direction with railroad lines. In
1885 Prof. Morse Transmitted mes
sages by telegraph, anl now Europe
aud America are next dor neigh
borS, and exchange gossip aud news
every day.
Telephones, monographs, sew
ing, knitting and weaving ma
chimes, and thousands of other de-
vices for shortening distance,
making work easier and life more
comfortable. are tu day in opera
ton, aud still invention goes on.
Instead of the oriental habit of ac-
cepiing things as they are and iiy-
ing as his father did, every Amer
lean and every European seem 10
ask whether he can improve upon
old methods and old appliances.
This restless spirit OF improvement
has not stopped with mere mater
ial successes. whose chief value
seems to lie in making the cnn.
ditiOn of physical life better. The
material advance and lie con-
quests OF science and invention
have reacted upon the moral, intel
lectual and spiritual environment.
and despite The assertions OF pes
simistS, the world is growing bet
ter.
Serfdom in Russia, slavery in
the United States and IN the
British possessions have been abol-
ished. Republlcsnism has been
established on the continent of
Europe, and the last monarchy of
the new world has given place to
a new government of the people, /
for the people ard by the people.
In matters moral and religions
the advance has been scarcely less
marked. BIgotry and fanaliriSm
has given way 10 brnaler concept
ions of human duties and relations.
Poverty and crime have not been
abolished, but a clear conception of
their causes has led 10 a more in
telllgent means Of relieving the
one and preventing the other. In
the labor world the advance has
been so great as TO almost cnnsli
ute a revolution. In the thou.
sands of years of recorded history
labor scarcely made the advance
1t has achieved in The present cen
tury. Not only in hours of work,
but also in remuneration, social
position and political power The
laborer of to-day Is on The plain I'M
measurably above that occupied
by the masses OF The past.
For this great result America
and Australia are entitled 10 The
greatest credit. Responsibility and
power educate. and with this en-.
lighlenment of the masses Ire
heretofore privileged classes has
ceased I~onuranca can no mi-lad
10 its detriment under the infiu.
ence of catch.words aud false is
sues, but the voters of America, En-
gland. France and Australia have
passed the stage. Enlightenment
means freedom, aud by means of
the press, free schools. the ie!e-
graph and rapid transit, this en-
lighienment takes place on great
questions with a rapidity which
party leaders themselves scarcely
realizes was so cOnvincingly shown
in the recent battle OF ballots, in
which The party that had espoused
the cause of monopolists and
trusts as against the interest OF the
people met such an unexpected
and overwhelming defeat.
But great as has been The pro
gress of the world in recent years
The future will witness granier tri-
umphs. Every material advance
will sooner or later bring iis moral
equivalent. The more perfect and
rapid the interchange of thought