The National tribune., 1896-10-01

ting that life 10 multi-leaved and multi-col-
ored flower. whose phases are many and oft
times bewiidering.
Max Nordau stands not alone in his denun-
citation of the times. There are others who
1 protest that the "time is ont Of joint" and
| aver that all things are awry. The world is
| growing more aud more wicked! Look ut the
| daily record of crime in tue newspapers; IT
was not always SO I"
| This is the vail that goes up from these dis
| consulate ones. forgetting that once upon time
we did not have means for knowing all that
! goes on about us whereas now nothing scarcely
| escapes the vigilance of the keen emissary of
the press who rene.rates every nook, every
Granny, in his eager search for news of tho day.
In like ratio we have the means for the pro-
| mitigation of all that is eleyatng and rehnin z
| increased. Never before was the dissemination
of intelligence SO great; never before were
there such aids to higher knowledge, such
widespread efforts to gain an education as now
But the short-sighted bewailec OF the wick ed
ness Of the world who so eagerly scans his
/ paper for the latest criminal sensation will
| overlook the record of deed of nobility. and
the great forces that contribute to the real ad-
| vancement of mankind will be as a sealed book
to him. All he can sce cares to see, is the
proof, to him. that the machinery Of the world
has hitch in it somewhere, aud everything is
going to wreck.
Happily all do not think so. Well it is for
the one who sits through his days bemoanng
the degeneracy of his race and age, that thcro
are those who are giving their time, their
labor their lives even, for the betterment OF
their fellows. who make progress possible and
advancement n settled thing.
This is a wonderful age! Who looking with
unbiased, intelligent eyes at the present situa-
tion can doubt IL? Some of us fail to compre-
hend how wonderful it is. Our indifference
to the great blessings that surround us may be
called National fault. 1t may be their very
lavishncss that makes it SO difficult for rs to
appreciate thenl as We should, or that we have
grown SO accustomed to the marvellous that
we accept everything as y matter of course.
But that we are retrogradiHg is statement
none Of US will accept without a protest. The
watchword OF the century, the real spirit that
animafes the age, is Progress The restlessness
that dominates and seemingly threatens to dis
integrate us is ouly striving after something
higher and nobler. As true as in the day
he wrote them are the words of the poet Lowell:
The hope of Truth grows stronger day by day,
4 hear the soul of man around me waking.
Like grea, sea. its frozen letters breaking,
Aud h'iging up to Heaven its sunlit spray.
Tossing huge continents in scornful play.
Aud crushing them with din of grinding thunder,
That makes bare emptinesses stare in wonder;
The memory of ~ glory passed away
I.'ngers In every heart. as ia she'll
hesouHds the bygonc freedom OF The sea,
Aud every hour new signs Of promise tell
That the great soul shall oncc again be free.
For high and yet more high the murmurs swell
vi inward strife for truth and liberty.
Whether the dawning century will surpass
in the number aud magituae of its achieve
ments the century that is just drawing to 4
close remains to be seen. As in the olden time,
there are yet more wonders in heaven and
earth " than we, enlightened though wo be- can
dream Of; and SO there can be no doubt that
tho Goth century will disclose much that
is now undreamed of-mnch that will enrich
world already rich in knowledge, and gain
for mankind still greater conquests and intel
lectuai tr.umphs.