Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-09-23

He Writes Philosophical Essay to the
New York World to Show That the Ma
tion Has Again Started on an Era Of
Prosperity.
l(Copyright, 1897, by the Press Publishing Com
pany, New York World. All rights reserved
PORTLAND, Me-, Sept. 11.-Civiliza-
ton is education, but it is something
more. 1t is not only the bringing out OF
the human faculties and powers, but il
is also the successful application of
them to the problems of life The laws
of inanimate nSture we can easily un-
derstand to be inhexible If we are once
sure that we have taken observations
enough, we are equally sure that mani
mate nature will work the same way
under what seem to us the same circum-
stances. OF course, we never get perfect
knowledge and are always finding out
exceptions, but in general way we
are always right about matter and al
ways feel satisfied that we can predict
what it will do. The steam engine will
always work its machinery and the cars
will always turn on their wheels.
1t was not so in the beginning We
used to be very much in the dark and
felt our way to all these things But
while we have come to the simple truth
that inanimate nature can be fathomed,
we are MS much as ever in the dark as to
the action of great bodies Of men. Never
theless there Is reason TO believe that
mankind as a mass acts by determinate
laws the courses and directions of which
we are every day more and more find
ing out
This nation has had to have a special
education in finance, because its circum-
stances and surroundings were and are
different from those Of any other nation
in the history Of the world. II is true
that before our day vast empires have
been peopled by immigration and have
flourished. but our empire has been
peopled not long ago, but in our day,
in which there has been invented every
appliance to enable men to exploit the
riches OF the earth Moreover, beyond
any other period in the world's history
capital has been essential to the utiliza-
ton of the riches of lands such as ours.
Costly Capital Makes Lasting Wealth.
We in the east are very much prone
to blame the west for its attitude in
financial struggles. but the western peo-
Pile are under strong temptations al
ways. They can see the wealth of their
country aud all its great possibilities,
and, becoming impatient at the slow
approach of confidence and capital, are
tempted beyond measure 10 use all those
appliances of the art of financiering
which seem so easy and are in the long
run so ruinous. We had our periods,
we in the east, when we ran 10 paper
money as to a savior and found it a sa-
tan. Our very constitution, in its tax
ing away from the states the right TO is
sue paper money, is the result of the
sufferings undergone by our ancestors
in the east, which sufferings are depict
ed in Summers History of American
Currency.
We have learned the lesson, but ought
not to be too impatient with those who
have not We have learned and others
will have 70 learn that in the end il is
capital which costs that makes wealth
which lasts. It is true that we may
make capital which does not cost, but |
it is a dangerous demon and the harness
is expensive and the break ups frequent |
With our new country we are under
going an education which older nations
have attained for themselves in their /
own surroundings already We have to |
learn for ourselves. not because we are /
not bright enough to learn as quickly /
as anybody or TO learn from anybody, /
but because our circumstances are differ
ent and our temptations greater. We
think our country must be an exception,
and hurt ourselves much in finding that
it is not.
What a nation finds ont for itself,
however, stays longer than what some
one else finds out for it. The last few
months have been full of education for
the whole American people There has
been nothing really new about il, but
there has been one more repetition 70
make the lesson solid In time no one
will dispute the sure succession of
events. and thereafter patent remedies
for hard times and patent elixirs for
will have had their day
Downing of the Greenbaok specter.
What a striking resemblance there is
between 1896 and 1897 and the years of
our Lord 1878 and 1871 These years
are within the personal memories of
every man in middle life In 1878 the
air was resonant with denunciations of
he wicked men who would not issue
al the greenbacks which a suffering
people demanded. Here was sure rem
sdy for great ills, and yet the remorse-
less rulers would not stir a finger or
print single bit Of paper.
John sherman was denounced on all
hands Samuel J. Tilden declared that (
MY vast central reservoir Of coin
sould protect US against the failure of
he proposed return to specie payments
h 1879. The farmer was az his worst.
mined. destroyed. eaten up by taxes and !
lsury. Down almost to the very day Of {