The herald., 1894-01-07

Lu6 dbp6Ct6 VI HhbuI6 hIo uOb rs
terrible There lie more beauty of
scenery and the surroundings
tend to a co-equal development OF the
faculties of reason, imagination and
taste. Europe is not 80 productive as
many parts of Asia, aud cannot sustain
so dense a population on the products of
the soil. Though there has been and
still is superstition, it was to no email
extent borrowed from the east. 1t is q
fact that civilization has increased as
population has emigrated for permanent
residence from the rising toward the
setting sun. The elemants OF enterprise
and courage are developed by emigra-
rion, aB we'll also aH the disposition to
inquire and inveetigate. Though super
stiuion remains longest with an immo-
bile population, still migrating and
rowing people have never been noted for
knowledge or progress in civilization.
The Morse were a strong people, were
adventurous, enterprislng and coura-
geous, but they made no advancemt in
civilization till they coIonized the pro-
ductive and populous districts OF
Europe and settled down to regularity
| of life. Civilization has progressed
most rapidly where there is numer-
GUS populationy and peaceful oceupa-
tions are most widely diversified, and
such q condition cannot we'll exist ex-
cept in a country where food produc-
tions are abundant or are easily OBJ
tanned.
Superstitious people are facile subjects
of oppression, and where superstition
generally prevails government is inva-
riably tyrannous. None mas been more
30 than in India, for the masses have
been consigned to depressing toll, and
deprived OF all but pittance of food and
comforts of life. Governments in Eu-
rope have been far better, but for many
centuries they were all barriers to
progress. Great minds now and then,
even during the middle ages, broke
through the trammele OF ignorance and
superstition, yet their discoveries in
science and their social and economic
doctrines butslowly elevated the mssaes,
because knowledge wac not generally
diffused A nation cannot be said to be
civilized because it has a few learned and
enlightened men. There must be wide
diffusion OF knowledge, and it will not
take place unless there lie leisure on the
part of the masses for observation and
thought. The status OF nation in re-
gard to civilization may be gagged by
the condition of the laboring classes.
The history of all countries, ancient or
modern, proves, where other conditions
are equal, that that nation is least civil
lied which least requites the labor that
produces food, clothing, implements OF
industry, and constructs houses and
useful pu bile works. Where knowledge
is generally diffused. reforms in govern
ment and social institutions originate
not with rulers, but with tho people
themselves.
The proposition that civilization pro-
crosses more rapidly in productive
country has sometimes been c. M 5ated.
There are some countries whose heat
and moisture are so great that vegetation
grows SO rapidly ana in such rankness
as almost TO DEFY human effort to con-
troll and subject it. This occurs where
| rainfall and heat are excessive and
| never where irrigation is necessary, and
more labor is required in the former
| than in the latter to produce equivalent
results. 1t is true that when wealth
comes easily there is tendency to lux
| urious liie which is obstructive to
growth oil civilization. The estimation
in which achievement is held has some
thing to do with progress. Where
public sentiment is so vitiated that
wealth is regarded more highly than
learning, where the people bow down
more to Cresus than to savant, there
will be less ambition to gain knowledge.
1t is rare that an opulent man becomes a
litterateur, scientist, economist or pub
licist. Such cases have occurred but
more frequently in a country where
knowledge holds higher place in pub
| lie esteem than riches. Those wko be-
lieve that hard conditions best
| promote progress because they
compel men to work, take New
England as en example. In the
main and comparatively, New England
cannot be said to be productive coun-
try, but it must be remembered that
| civilization did not originate there. The
first emlgrants from Europe were in
their day among the most advanced
people OF the world, and they were rein
forced by the immigration of similar
class for century and a half. The pop
ulaton OF New England are entitled to
great credit for that they have not only
preserved but improved on the
civilization they inherited from
their immigrant ancestors. 1t has often
| been said that it is a good country to
emigrate from, and the New England
people have recognized its truth, for
they have colonizsd many portions Of
the nation. They havs not lived on
what New England produces from the
soil they have drawn from the most
productive sections OF the nation. If
they had been confined to the resources
| OF their own section it is not probable
that they would have advanced as they
have, for they could not have acquired
the general competence which has given
them leisure from toll and time for the
development of that knowledge for
which they are distinguished. In but
little of this country are soil and climate
suct as to forbid the growth Of civiliza-
tion, and hence no potential facts can
be adduced to disprove the proposition
that productiveness of soil is a condi-
ton essential to the termination or
growth of civilization.
1t is an historical fact that the most
rapid strides in the attainment of
knowledge have not been made in coun-
tries sparsely inhabited, but in those
whose population has been numerous
and where occupations have been diver
sitied. That it ia 80 is philosophical,
because these conditions stimulate act
ivity and afford opportunities for COLI
sion of mind and, provided that elim-
attic conditions are not unfavorable to
health and longevity, a great food pro-
ducing country is best able to sustain a
dene0 pOn,llation Thara ia more rapid