The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-02-18
PROSPERITY OR DECAY.
VIII the History of Greece and Rome Re-
peat Itself in America?

WI Ine History OF Greece ana ROme Re-
peat Itself in America?
Some would-be philosophers are fond
of assuring us that our decline and fall
must come, because they came to Rome
and Greece. The future artist must
stand on Il broken arch of London
Bridge and sketch the ruins of st.
Pauls Thence he may remove his easel
to New Gorlls remains, as viewed from
the dismantled piers of Brooklyn Bridge
We candidly confess that the necessi-
ty for this catastrophe has never i'm
pressed us, and if art must needs wait
until London or New York relics are it's
themes, it may be forgotten capacity.
No shadow of grief can cloud the life
of this nation as long as it is true to it's
mission. We have seen one period pass
without diminishing our welfare. The
pioneer movement, which gave us our
territory, homes and government, de-
veloped in so doing, the sturdiest man
hood and the best administrative genius
Our fathers have subdued nature and
left us to complete the triumph in every
fresh invention and discovery of science.
And now we have come to the second
stage of existence, known as that of ac-
cumulation. Wealth and increased value
of every kind has made the United
States the center of gravity for the
earth's population, and new possibili-
ties are arising on every hand.
What has been the usual course of
other nations at this point? Luxury,
ease, disintegration and defeat, prompt
ly answers the critic quoted above.
And so it has We admit that. But
need history repeat itself at such crit
ical juncture? Decidedly not Because
certain dynasties committed political
suicide, must we go and do likewise to
justify these melancholy visionaries
and their representations? Rather is
it true that the great drama of the past
has been enacted for our warning, and
the whirlpools which destroyed others
are marked in it's chart that we may
avoid them.
The Anglo-SaXon race, wherever
found, is not showing many signs of
decrepitude as yet, whether here, with
three hundred years of life upon it, or
in England, with two thousand. Wealth
is being consecrated to helpful philan.
thropy to the building of charitable
institutions, to the maintenance of all
those appliances which solidify civiliza.
tion. True, we stand to-day upon the
dividing line; but, if we mistake not
the banner of our progress turns to-
ward nobler manhood and not a baser
sel6shncss and lust. Look widely and
with enlightened vision, and the horo-
scope of our destiny bids us hope and
never fear
We have entered into promised
land of intellectual activity and ele-
waited moral sentiment hitherto un-
known. The 353, ,797 trained and quail
fed teachers of our common schools,
initiating twelve millions of pupils into
the richest treasures of knowledge are
dealing with n juvenile population
which numbers almost as many souls
as did the entire English race century
ago. These are supported by 800 higher
institutions, with 1873, ,902 students.
Stamp these minds with scholarship
and science, these hearts with breadth
of sympathy, the splendor of heroism
and fervent patriotism, and need we fear
for the future of American We say:
No! For the enlightenment which has
gone forth can never be obscured, nor
can the ages backward roll The hand
of the Deity guards and guides those
who have said: 'In God we trust"-
! n, Y. Ledger