St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-08
THEN AND NOW.
ur civilization a failure?

IS OuT CiflllLdtlOll u tdlluTeC
The question, asked in irony by the
author of 1.-The Heather Chinee," may
well be asked in earnest by every
thoughtful man. Orators delight to en-
large upon the advancement of the
present age-the progress that has been
made in the arts and sciences, in litera-
ture and i'll mechanical development
And no doubt there has been advance
ment. But is it for the better?
We are wont to regard the days when
there were no newspapers or books. no
railroads or telegraph lines. no steam
engines or electric appliances, with COM
mlseratiou, aid are wont to wonder
how people could exist when deprived
Of such conveniences. And yet people
in the olden days were just as happy rs
we are. Life had as many aIlurements
a century or two ago as it has at pres
ent, and at time when civiliz alton was
yet IN embryo men and women were
contented and happy, and lived to a
green old age, never suspecting that they
had missed any of the opportunities for
enjoyment, never aspiring to condition
that was unattainable.
1t must be confessed that civilization
has its disadvantages. and that in the
light of existing conditions the semi-
barbarism of the past has many attrac-
tons. The trouble with the present age
is that invention has been directed
towards the destruction of life and hap
piness as much as towards their preser-
-
more deadly now than they were when
the Philistines and the Jews fought for
tie possession of Caanan. The habits
of the rich in days of old were perhaps
far more luxurious than the habits of
the same class are at the present time,
but the middle and poorer classes were
tar more abstemouS. The latter were
slaves. and their masters. with wise
regard for the safety of their property,
denied them all that would tend to
enervate them or destroy their useful
ness. The middle classes were engaged
in constant battle. Slavery menaced
them IN case of failure III their projects:
the prospect of luxury in the future
stimulated them to renewed eXertions.
As class they were frugal, free from
facilitating vices; progressive and am-
bilious. They lived long in the land,
and enjoyed that peace and content
ment to which we of the present as arc
strangers.
We read much CT the debaucheres of
the men of old, but shut our eyes to
the designations that surround us now,
Then all occasional banquet furnished
excuse for an orgie; now saloon in
every block tempts to perpetual ca :
rousal. Then wine flowed as freely as
water, but only Oh occasions of festiv-
ity; now the beer barrel and the whisky
Jug are constantly on tap. Then IL was
an occasion for remark when a king
got drunk; now there are hundreds of
thousands Of American sovereigns who
are never sober. In those elder DAYS
motherhood was esteemed the highest
honor of woman, and Cornelia, standing
before her king, pointed with pride to
her children, and said: These are
my jewels" now the woman who is
childless considers herself supremely
blessed.
A few centuries ago men were, per-
haps, intellectually inferior to their
posterity of today, but they were phys
ically much superior. With the ma
jority of mankind physical strength is
more highly esteemed than either moral
or intellectual greatness. The heroes
of the day are the men who win battles,
who vanquIsh their opponents IN the
fiStic arena, who are experts at the oar
or in the tennis courts, who win ball
games, or foot races, or bicycle tourna-
ments. And yet until recently but little
attention has been bestowed upon phys.
ical culture, and the Caucasian had
become puny creature, lacking in
manly vigor, absorbed in money getting.
wrapped up in his own conceit.
Civilization has brought 10 us MANY
advantages. but has also brought MANY
vices. This would not have maitered
much if with the vices had come the
moral force necessary to overcome them
ANA keep them i'll su5jection. For hi.
reason IL is that many ASK the.nstlyr,
TIE question. us our CIVILIZATION 4 f.tI.
urr?" and are unable 10 arrive a.usl-
isfactory answer.
But There is hope tor the i,it,ir,.
Public sen iment is b.l..s Z.
peeially in America. D-,1
iiDerlneS are no ION. .
society; drunkard, ;li,.irl'
IN high postiUas: VIZ.
Is becoming more aiiu .i...> ...t T.. Z ~