The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1893-02-17
THE GREAT CONTEST.
Each Individual Mind Battlefield FOR
Ignorance and Intellect.

Ignorance ana lntellect.
Editors CHRONICLE:
There is contest at hand aud hazard,
which, in its nature, is quite unlike to
most our influencing conflicts. It's POI
tency may at once be apprehended by its
taclt yet determined advance As the
verdant and flexible fbers are transform,
ed into either offensive, stagnant filth or
into compact neutrality-suspicious. gems Of
radiant hue; so are We affected by its
mystic procedure.
As our next national disturbance some
predict war between the churches; some
{oretell mighty conflict between capital
and labor but the conflict here referredte
is the one between ignorance and intelli-
gence, This present contest had its orr.
gin in the fifteenth century, when mans
ingenuity was awakened from its state of
torpor and he began to delye into the re-
cesses of nature. Then it was that the
knowledge OF our planets shape, size, and
character began to be ascertained, and
men in pursuit of sudden wealth began to
traverse the oceans explore their coasts,
and to make known the wonderful pos
sessions to be obtained and achievements
TO be acquired by bastard exploration.
In the meantime the art of printing was
discovered, and the diffusion of the
! thoughts of ancient writer's stirred mems
minds to speculation concerning the
world in which they live. This followed
by few years Of turmoil in peopleing the
Oecident with pale faces, and the spirit OF
Independence was aroused in our ancient
sires. Then came the conflict to which
we owe our freedom. This ended, though
the heroes were poverty-stricken, they
had learned another grand lesson, and the
requirement of knowledge became more
and more essential, since they must main
neutrality-suspicious.. Though they had but
few books, few schools, and little time for
the cultivation of the mind, as result Of
their efforts this enviable government has
been reared, and in its records are chron-
icled the invention of the steam engine,
the telegraph, and others equally astound-
ing, while through its cities run the cleo
trio cars, and its people can converse by
means of the telephone, though separated
by great distances.
And yet this contest is not ended nor
nearly so, but bids fair to continue for
greater time than it has in the past. Nor
is this the first OF its kind, for we are
gravely told that such was at hand when
Romulus and Remus were sucked, and
, that intelligence predominated while
Rome was being built, but when ignor-
ance attained the upper hand, Rome was
doomed to die And prior to this other
nations have rose and fallen. The Per-
sian empire rose with intellect, but per-
: ished amid ignorance.
There is continual strife existing, and
the prosperity OF nations, races, and even
individuals is either retarded or promoted
by it,
Ignorance and intellect may well be
styled leaders of two opposing armies,
which fight not only upon all parts OF the
globe, transferring power from one nation
to another, but the mind OF each individ-
ual may be regarded as battlefield,
where these mighty powers cope for dom
= ination. Each bright youth in the land
! is being affected by the contest. Zach
father is seeing the characters of his chill.
dren fashioned before him, either to lead
lives of respect and honor or lives of mis-
| cry and perhaps of disgrace.
The imperative duty Of every parent
4 should be to educate his children, let it
require whatever sacrifice it may. The
time is now fast approaching when he
who can not read and write will be as de-
: pendent upon those who can as was even
the slave upon his master. We should
become alarmed for our welfare.
Our State is doing much for the cause,
and our county is now supporting better
: schools than ever before Let the good
work go on, Benton County has as good
= material as there is in the world. Why
} not use it? Dilatory parents, step for
ward and join the band. Lets put Old
6 Benton in the front rank. LOOK.
CAMDEN, February 10.
= THE ST. LOUIS REPUBLIC FREE.