The Progress., 1893-03-04
HOW MANKIND GROWS
REV. THOMAS DIXON ON THE EVO-
LUTON OF HUMANITY.

A Prelude on the Coming National Admin
istration-EvoIution Evidently the Di-
vine Method-God Works by Means-The
Never Ending siruggIe-Excelsior,
3 New YORK, Feb. 26.-The sermon of
fhe day in Association hall was preceded
this morning by a review of the new ad-
ministration about to be inaugurated at
Washington. Mr.. Dixon said:
We stand again upon the threshold of
o change of administration in our ma
tional government These courts are the
landmarks found at regular intervals
making our national history. We have
no such thing as a governmental crisis.
Our government is astronomical. 1t is
wound up to run four years 1t runs
four years
The formalities of an administration
change impress the eye with dramatic
Importance. In reality they are unim-
portant. The real change occurred some
time before in the minds of the sovereign
people. The officeholder in America is
merely a servant carrying out his mas
ter's orders. There is only one king
among us-the citizen king. The Office
holder is always and only a servant, from
the street sweeper to the chief of police,
and from the justice of the peace to the
president of the republic.
With our presidents the people have
lodged large powers. And they are
sorely abused The presidential chair
has sometimes transformed a second
rate politician into dignifed and patri-
otic statesman for the time.
Many Of our presidents have turned
from the petty demands of party cliques
and factions and the noblest independ-
ent action in a conscientious effort to
represent the whole people, whose will
they personify.
President Harrison i'm the close of his
vigorous administration has given us a
striking example of this broader, nobler
view in appointing as supreme court
judge man opposed to his own party in
politics. General Harrison in that act
showed himself to be president of the
United States of America, representing
60,000,000 of people-not merely the fig
urehead of a political machine. The
machine has howled most vociferously
Let it howl Honest and patriotic citi-
zenship rejoices and writes Harrison's
name line higher Oh the roll of true
fame.
In making up his cabinet for the new
administration Mr. Cleveland has treated
Us to a genuine sensation in politics. The
fact is Mr.. Cleveland is a very sensa-
tional officer-be it said to his honor.
The little machine tinkers can never pre-
dict even what he will do next. Mr..
Tilden said of him that he was the bold
est politician he had ever known. He
certainly is unique force in modern
American politics. He thirks for him.
self He carries out the will of the peo-
pie according to his own conception of
that will-not according the dictates of
q faction.
He has appointed Judge Gresham, an
independent Republican, secretary Of
state.
To say that this took the breath away
from the various little machines would
be to mildly express it. Such acts on the
part of a retiring president and an in
coming one of the opposite party are in
dications of the dawn of new day in
American politics. The day of party
worship is passing away. The day of
men and principles is once more return
ing. The party fetch has been the power
that during the past generation has well
nigh throttled true craftsmanship. Mr..
Cleveland begins his work well. He has
little to bind him to partisan pig politics.
The better element of our citizenship
look with hope and faith to his admins
tration.
The next four years will be eventful in
the history of our nation. In these four
years will be formed the lines of real
battle along which the hosts of freemen
are to fight in the next generation. Ira
ditions, memories and ghosts must go to
the rear. New men and new measures
for new generation and a new world,
The coming Goth century holds its own
problems. The children of the century
must settle them. With all its wild
dreams and impossible" propositions,
fsay again the new Peoples party has
sounded the battlecry for the next gen
Grafton.
Let the old parties shut their eyes TO
the fact if they will. 1t is among the
possibilities that this party of the masses,
as against the classes, will elect the next
president. The rise of this party during
the past four years to the poll of mil
lion votes was a miracle in American
politics. If the old parties do not heed
some of its demands, their deathknell
viii be sounded within the life of the in
coming administration. Let no young
man be blinded by display of power il
the passing moment. Tis power that
rules today may be thrust into oblivion
tomorrow The Tammany that rules
supreme today may be sinking mem
ory within a.decade. The new admins
tratiou may fall at the end of four years
never 10 rise again. Truth and right
alone eadure forever!
THE BRUTE INHERITANCE.