The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-12-22
The World Is Growing Better.

not inquire wisely concerning this. Eccles VIII.
On Friday morning we printed ample extracts
from the Thanksgiving sermons of the day be-
fore. 1t has for many years been the privilege
of the Herald to furnish to the reverend clergy
Of all denominations wider hearing than it
would be possible to otherwise obtain.
We may be pardoned, therefore. if we dissent
from some of the statements made in the pulpit
on that occasion and affirm that the views ex-
pressed are not cOrrObOrated by either current or
past history.
The clergy are walking in the shadow of an
imaginary gloom and prOcaming it real. The
world they tell us. is rapidly going to the bad,
and they call upon their people to check the
flood of disaster which is likely to overwhelm us.
Catharine. the wife of Luther, once said to her
husband when he was in a pessimstc mood.
Martin, is God dead?" In like manner we are
inclined to ask these gentlemen if they have
more fear of the devil than they have faith in
Providence? Is Satan really getting the mas
terry over mundane affairs. and will Deity sur
render to a superior?
They first startled us with the assertion that
corruption is rampant rOtOus and well nigh ir-
resistible. We should dislike to accuse them of
imperfect and incorrect information, but we
cannot accept so grave charge without hesta-
ton. The conviction which has fastened itself
upon our mind after many years of careful and
critical observation is that American politics
were never SO close to fair play as they are to-
day. The number of deals and bargains which
were the disgrace of former years is palpably
on the decrease. This last election had in it all
the usual elements of excitement and eXaspera-
tOn and yet he must be either rank partisan
or blind critic who dareS assert that it was not.
on the whole. conducted with credit and honor to
the people of this nation. If compared with the
elections of a previous generation it furnishes
ample cause for gratitude. The opportunities
for bribery have been limited by stringent laws
and the rights of the citizen have been so hedged
in that Il bold treSpaSS such us was common
enough thirty years ago, SO common that it was
taken as a matter of course. eXciteS public com
ment and disgust. We venture to declare that
the politics of this country never in the his
tory of the government so free from entangling
alliances as they are at this moment.
Not that they are wholly pure: not that they
are what they ought to be or what they will be
some time hence. but that the tide has set i'll the
right direction and that great deal has already
been accomplished.
They told us, in the second place. that the Ii
ii
fiuence than ever, and they bewailed the fact
with fearful pathOs and eloquent periods. But
here also they are mistaken. While it is true
that we have not reached the millennium. it
must not be denied that our politics are diluted
with less rum than ever before. Neither can it
be denied that an almost dominating sentiment
prevails in favor of temperance.
In the last century. at every Scotch banquet a
tod r.,
the guests lest they should become apoplect!c.
and at the end of the feast a large ma ority were
either under the table or sleeping off the effects
of a too large Indulgence. Our own fathers too.
thought it inhospitable not to offer liquor rs a
welcome to every new visitor. 1t was found in
the hallway and on the festive board where the
take was regarded as eccentric. and the entire
realm of society was, like a cranberry meadow.
ankle deep in liquid of some sort.
Those times have gone by The present is I'M
like the past; to-day is better than yesterday,
and though good folk hope that tomorrow will
be better than to-day. they have ample reason
for cOngratulation.
These are samples of the assertions made
There were many others of similar depressing
character, but we have no room for more When
a clergyman treats of theological topics we know
that he has been equipped thereof by careful
training and large information. We sit at his
feet, because he knows more about these mystic
rOuS matters than we do. But when he dis
courses of political economy and the elements of
social progressive have no desire to restrain
his utterance and would defend him in the eNer-
else of his right-we expect him to take broad
a scholarly and correct view of the subjects. If
he fails to do so we cannot repress our disap-
pOintment.
We suggest, therefore. that the clergy should
revise their opinions. and we have no doubt
that they will conclude, with us. that while the
old ship of State is impeded by many barnacles
there are fewer than in the days of the past
Evolution is fixed fact. We have finer sur
roundings than our fathers enjoyed, but while
we are grateful for that fact must see to it
that our children have still better environment
than the one which affords us so many glorious
opportunities York Herald
Mamma Loa, the great volcano Of the
Hawaiian islands is again in state of
eruption