New-York tribune., 1891-12-18

generation that the perfection OF the old education for
all the requirements Of life has been questioned The
eopmg aier the desired results within the accustomed
lines led to the creation of that most abused and ns
used VOID culture
THE MEANING AND PERvERsIoN OF" CULTURE
The Concord School gave It vogue and emnencc
WIN Emerson and his cotempogaries 1t meant II full
mnd trained in college. earnestly and ind-striousy
sFaspHig all knowledge, impartaly sitting testimony
ana uaa'nl, and with Catholc judgment seeking
the truth. ana with martyrs courage defending Il.
culture became popular. 1t was the badge of &
hlGher order OF se.eced morals. I: excused the
universal range OF supcrfcahty. II stood for little
Information about everything, and accurate know
cage about any hing. IL became the veneer Of The
quack, and finally the decoration OF the dude. But
1t was not cultre either in lts lofty significance or
It's degraded use which the times required. They
hecded The practical training OF youth I0r the new
ahc "efnor rCsI%aeS which science ana Invention HAD
cIc3ed The old education simply trained the MIND.
the OH education gave the In elect a vast o.
information useful IN the library and useless in the
the boy from the common school In tp couming.
room or the mill was in his disciplined mind and
graduate Of the chronological ms inte that he has
passed the apprentice period and learned more than
tne apprentice ever could know.
0, despair for the pesslmist (Applailsc)
could be brought in contact with the realities Of TO-
day. they would feel that the world was upside down
ent in the mills, the factories. the furnaces the
superb machinery the wonderful tools tn. complicated
mechanism. the hot competitions and the individual
absorbed in the which characterize our day
they would wonder how they were TO sustain them them
selves with their equipment and live. Our National
pride IS promoted by contemplation Of the giants o.
history In the Senate In the pulpit, at the bar and
OF youth that the DISTINGUISHED characters Of the past
presented through tho lenses of the years IN heroic
would be caamity If modern criticism ami research
stripped Washington o; his majesty hamilton Of MS
OK his intellectual superiority or Daniel webster o.
hs peerless prceminencc but for all praetci nses o
passing the worthes Of the past are as far from rs
as King Arthur and his knights OF the Round Table
or william Tell with his arrow and his appe'
THE DANGER ATTENDING NEW CONDITIONS.
One of the most eminent Of Engands scientists has
elaborated the alarming proposition that in the de-
structicn OF old methods and the eXactng require
ments Of new conditions period might arrive when
that Nation would die by starvation. The same aTtl
ces whicA constituted its business and income would
be manufactured by other cOuntHcs better and more
cheaply and 1t would lose its market and revenues
Ii could not raise its food, and would have no money
10 purchase from abroad. Longer hours and lower
wages might postpone but could not prevent tho
catastrophe The weeping philosopher says that for
mcrly pesence and disease kept down population
and thus saved the world from an excess OF mouths to
feed and bodies 10 cOthe, but now medical skill and
sanitary science have prolonged life. Wars, he argues
then served to prevent increase, but now all moral
and political influences labor for peace kued only
a million Of men. mostly Germans was NapoeOn-s
chastity protest alnst the charge Of murder. and yet
that frightul numcral only portion of those who
The tendency Of our times is for the people TO
l.: crowded centres where the Immigrants aHd con
tinuay to tie difficulties and necessities Of the com
munitT Competition is the law Of our age, and the
survival of tie ftcst fruit Not 0uy are lndividu
states and nations lie in a tariff biz in one
Try throws out Of employment and reduces to paupcrsm
tens OF thousands In another. New machinery or
greater ski anseIs the market for some product from
one place to Us rival. The rolling mills OF Alabama
may pat out the fires in Pttsburg. The cott0n-mils
OF Georgia may stop the spindlcs in Massachusetts:
CcspneSs and excellence have become the factors OF
prosperity for nations and for towns. Our plain duty
is not 10 waste precious hours in vain regrets for the
good @ 9d Fes or w1g W H. our e pace o por
IcSs may have been faster than our preparations. but
met, the new Is afways better than the old. The man
vino dies for principle is hero but bn he who no staryes
is fool. 1t is only generation since carpenter
could also plan and build house and single
Watch or TS sny part Of either Machinery has So
multiplied and subdivided labor and stimulated PR
comes TO the Individual and upon that he must show
exceptional skill The common school has been the
character and il has superbly done its work but now
the system requires either to he strengthened to be
ing we celebrate The unsolvcd problem which gives
heataches 10 parents anxious thoughts to teachers
ySn Young men and women who have The rudimonts of
educstion but are trained neither for any trade nor
anv business. They will not join the ranks of nm
sldred labor, and cannot work beside the mcchanc @
minor place aready overcrowded where compensation
IS small and promotion difficult They are discourt
aged as they sec those who are better equipped ana
disciplined rise to competence or independence.
THE NEW SYSTEM OF INDUSTRIAL LIFE.
The strength Of our liberty has been that it rec
ognized individuals and not classes. 1t Is still and
always must be the pivotal principle OF our institu-
TONS 1t was possible in the earlier period and IN
sparser settlements, TO the same idea into social
and business life But the inventive genius OF the
century has radically changed our original conditions
II has proved strong for capital and trade Or
carnations combined. II has placed them IN antag-
OLisnl, and II las united them Tor mutual pY0tecuo.
Invention is , Frankenstein of industrial life. 1t
is soullcss creature Of human genius, and relent-
cssy pursues It's purposes. IL lnlctS untOlo misery
upon the few and confers equal benefits the many.
Ii has destroyed the apprentice s. stem 1t has sub
stituted employer and employees for master and ap'
prentice. Where individuals found work and instruc-
Of complicated machinery. The skilled workman who
out by Il device which renders his tools obsolete lie
suffers haId,hps and priyatons untn he can acaaI
almost new trade, or lie drops INTO the crowded
ranks OF unski!lod labor ,,,
Inventive talent can neither be curbed nor Danlshea.
The necessities OF our commercial success ueiI & tS
encouragement. The limited express train files aiong
the rails at sixty miles an hour but t.e cool ana con,
hdent photographer by the roadside ulzes the spee1
OF light, ana prints locomotive and car as perieGty
uDon the sensitive film II they were standing st at
the station. SO 1t is our duty TO meet the emeIgehf
OF the hour by calling into play and exercise the latent
FORCES which God has implanted In man 10 sucdue anu
bend TO his Will the powers OF earth ana ar & Ine
Atheist says progress Is Destructive agent put e2t
NOR reneaI The Christian believes that progress is
the development Of opportunity for a higher ana pei
life ana the SONS anu QAusHp-ES Va INV
he ready 10 throw aside the old and prepare TO wei
come and work with the new. CivlhzatlOh destroys
to wild game which is the support Of the savage, ana
he must earn his subsistence from the soil or die Ie
Old warrior wraps lis mantle about him and SINKS
stoicaly into the grave; the young brave hurts HIM
self with vain but dauntless courage upon the eating
Guns on the bayOnets OF the soldiers and his death
onr Is Tie requiem OF the hope and happiness OF the
FTiie Int for those who adapt Themselves to the
Situation arc homes and comforts never known be
Erc and moral and intellectual lie, which lifts
them upon higher planes OF usefulness and enjoy
mont %i) ilai losses and gains mark every mile.
stone in The upward march OF man. (Applause)
WHAT THE COMMON SCHOOLS HAVE DONE.
The common school is aroused by the clang Of the
combat and seeks TO better equip its recruits by
evening classes. This method is help, and great
,e Inn, If is still the old education Of the head ard