Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-07-20

WV" NAV p"'o eiuilcil US, ana has
pointed out with wonderful foro
knowledge the dangers that beset us.
But does it follow that we are going
10 fall into the disasters that lie pre-
diets because the conditions TINT he
foretold arise? We believe entirely
the contrary, and our belief is found
ed upon II number of additional cor
ditions that NIacanley did not take
into his estimate. IN 1857 Macauley
had no means of knowing what effect
was going to be produced upon tho
human mind, and especially the hu
man mind i'll America. Ivy the spread
OF education. When we speak of ed
ucation i'll this connection we do not
coniinc the word to tho knowledge
obtained i'll schools, either public or
private. We speak of the S, read of
information, both of fact and opinion.
that all the modern methods OF com
munication have inti oduced. Chief
amongst these is the railroad, tho
telegraph, the telephone, and their
efficient handnlai,len, an unterrifed
and untramelled press. BY their
agencies every part of the country is
made to know the moment it hap
pens, whatever event that transpires
hat affects tho interests aud rights
of nll: and, ut the same moment, all
the citizens of the country have their
minds Immediately aud cOncurrentIy
turned into the right channels for
considering the event by the suggos
tons OF tho best minds and tho best
citizens of the country. In this way
we have the whole moral and Intel
lectual force of the whole country
concentrated i'll moment upon the
dlsordcrly element Mt any particular
SPOT whatever, and tho moral and in
tellcctual forces of the country are
incredibly increased by those very
fncts. The spread of knowledge
mems tho Improvement of morals
aud the diffusion of ownership of
property. And these two things con
stitute the basis upon which any
Government that lasts must finally
rest. Herbert Spencer, Buckle, and
writer's of that school concur in hold
ing that the effect of moral ur ethical
agencies upon civilization may be
neglected and that the main, if not
the solo efficient cause of social nd
vlncement is the expansion of the in
tcllcct. Tho work which Inns attract
eel most attention OF late is Mr.. Ben.
jamin Kifds Social Evolution"
which holds, on the other hand, that
the lesson written over all things re.
corded i'll history is that the un.
changing law of progress in human
society is n moral law. Aud Mr..
Kidd is right 1t is the education of
the human mind i'll devotion to ius.
tice and tender reverence for the
Christian virtues of charity that must
constitute the foundation upon which
any LASTING Government must rest.
Lord Mncanley was no doubt as
firmly convinced of this ms we are.
Bat he died before modern agencies
had shown how they could spread
knowledge, difluso ownership of prop
erty, aud carry devotion to Justice
and reverence for charity into every
home. IL never entered his mind to
conceive of how all men in America
would know mt 0 o'clock Tuesday
morning any important event hap
pehing in my quarter of this Union
at II o'clock Monday night, and
what the best mon and best minds
thought Of that event The case in
nutshell then is this. Our modern
methods of communication and our
free press educate all the people,
mako the overwhelming majority
property owners, and therefor @, in
terested in tho reign of law, and cul.
tlvate the minds of all in love of JUS.
tice and reverence for Christian char.
lty. Whilst we preserve these meth
dds OF educating tho people, those
who would disturb the public peace
will be an Infinitely small proportion
OF the population, and the over
whelning majority Of it will be unal.
terably attached to law and order.
What is that anchor which Lord
Macanlay thinks our Constitution
wanting in that is possessed by the
English Constitution? He thus de.
scriEes it. THE supreme power is
in tho hands of n class, numerous in
deed, but select; of an educated class;
OF class which is. and knows itself
TO be, deeply interested in the secur
lty and the maintenance of. order.
Accordingly the malcontents are
ilrmly yet gently restrained" But is
that anchor of steel OF an anchor of
rotten wood2 It's wood and fiber is
That part shall govern all. 1t is all
open an fagraht plea for class rule.
Now, wherever that exists and whilst
1t exists there must, III the nature of
things be perpetual protest from
those not included in the class.
There must be never ending strug-
gle by them for place in the class,
and 1t must finally result, if they are
IN the majority, either in turning
E,nOlnnl into n Sfafo ,,,il, =, N1..l: