The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-02-11
PRACTICAL MEN.
NiAaARA'S POWER AT LAST
UTILIZED.
LET'S UTILIZE OUR MORAL
NIAGARA.
Some Rambling Thoughts.
BY "NEMO."
Some Rambling Thoughts.
BY "NEMO. !"
(Copyrighted.)

character of some men. It was related
that the only remark made by miller
when he at last gazed upon the Fall'
ct Niagara, was, "What lot OF mill
wheels 1t would turn" He was held uI
to derision, as a man whom nothing
could stir except practical results. But
such man has his rightful place. AS
the event has proved, Niagara is now
regarded with fully as much admiration
for its creation of power, as tor Its seen
cry. The simple savage stopped before
it in awe peopled its weird mists with
spirits gazed, grew hungry and depart
ed. Generations of white men have
followed. They came they saw were
conquered and still left it to its thun-
derous waste of power. Then arose
men of fearless heart, who, like the
conquerors of our swamps, our forests,
and our prairles, SAID to riotous nature,
"The sons of men have need OF thee. "
At last the broad bosom of the stream,
still in beauty gliding, is the donor OF
light and heat, power and transport;,-
ton to the thousands who are gather
ing to it. like children to generous
mother.
Praised be all practical men VINO are
not confused by the noise OF many
shoutings; who stand like rock in the
rush Of the thoughtless throng who
dare to ask for actual results from cul-
ture and popular enthusiasm. Diogenes
was of these unconfused ones ;sweeping
aside polish and artliclall.ies, he dared
to ask his age whether it had produced
an honest man. If in all its gaining it
had failed to upllit character, then its
progress was like Niagara un-
beautiful but essentially
futile. A hopeful spirit is Of great
gain but upon the minds Of even the
most hopeful of us must be forced
deepest questioning as to whether civil
lization may not possibly be progressing
backward in these broad States. We
talk of millions; we pride
ourselves on the vastness of our terrific
ry we tell of Its onward sweep and the
very noise of boastlng so fasclnates us
that we are 10th to ask for real evlden-
ces of power. A few statistics in one
direction are unavoidable. They shall
be very limited in number.
Roughly speaking we have in this
country 1876, ,OGO publlc-school teachers.
By latest figures from the Bureau of
we spend yearly l78 millions
Of dollars on our common schools,
whose buildings are valued at 439 mil
lions of dollars. There are enrolled in
public and private schools 15 million
children of school age. So much for
There are here very nearly 100000
paid teachers of religion, the clergy |
they officiate In a somewhat larger
number of buildings. Their work is
aided by the labors of IS thousand
Sunday-school superintendents and le-
gions of teachers. The enrolment of
pupils Is nearly equal to that Ill public
schools. So much for religion.
Is there not in these two organized
forces very Niagara of power?
But despite education, there are vast
who seem utterly unprepared
to struggle for existence. Though |
knowledge is increased like a flood, and |
men hold their hands aloft to praise
free education, 1t still has failed to give
worthy ideals to the dwellers in our
ails, the tramps on our highways, and |
The traitors in our political life. De-
,pite Religion-and Science-and Edu-
triune hope of the race,
thousands upon thousands OF men are
Deastly and grovelling, selfish and cruel.
In their m ost essential relations they |
still remain III the deepest darkness 81
witness the swarms of id1ots and the
yibbering hosts of the insane. To
we may we'll say =
"Of what avail to tame the lightning's
speed,
To quell the waves and hold the winds
in leash,
In health no more be Labor's need,
If loye be smothered, honor spurned,
And beauty crushed i'll MammoE's
blind stampede?
What boots it to have turned
The soils dull sons to nervous factory |
slaves,
1t pain that stunts. it pleasure that
depraveS
Hurry the haggard millions to their
graves?
What profits it to heap
Hoard upon hoard in hideous towns,
and miss
The pure sky and the sweet airs kiss
To weigh the stars and lack the gift
Of joy,
Outstrip the storm and lose the boon
Of sleep?"