Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-04

diy acquired demoralizes society more
,han anything else"
Fifteen years earlier. some philoso-
pher exclaimed:
Nov at last, when immortality is
Increasing at such a frightful rate,
reform movement is begun to reduce
the evil. 1t is TERRIBLE, Carnal pleas
ures arc followed by every one, and
they all want to make money. no mat
ter how"
In 1876 Lashman complained about
the materialistic tendency of the
time" and in 1922. a Freiherr Won
Stein said:
"The country is overpopulated, our
industries are too rapidly progressing,
there Is much overproduction, and we
live too we'll"
In 1907 1t was stated that "the fever
ish chnse after money and profit rules
our times"
Frederick the Great complained that
he was tired of ruling people with
the minds OF slaves" and in 1888
Albrecht Halter wrote that "the hearts
Of our citizens. the very marrow of the
state, Is hollow and rotten" During
the Thirty Yenrs' war It is no surprise
to learn that murder, highway rob-
berries, bloody feuds and arson are de-
fling the country" but It is less known
that at the time of the Reformation
close observers found the people blind
to their own good with the lust OF
gain Increasing \ picture of those
times is given in the legislation en-
acted. An ordinance of the city of
Magdeburg, 1906, begins thus:
IA consideration of the fact that the
manners and the appearance of the pea
pie have, of verify, changed much'
1t is further gathered from this ordin-
nnce that the people indulge in "flthy
habits, want Of order, desire to make
II show, righteousness, violation of
the Sunday laws. disregard of the sac
redness of an oath, and dlsobedience
generally to the authorities"
Similar conditions seem to have ex-
listed all through the dark age. AS
early as 430 A. D.. Salvian writes:
How the wealthy Of our times rob
the poor and ruin the country Is best
known to the Spanish provinces, of
whom the name alone remains. and to
the African provinces, which are
ruined, and Galla, which has been de-
vastated."
Ancient history, too, abounds with
testimony of similar character. Inn
perial Rome soon found agriculture de-
clinng superstition rampant and bad
morals prevailing. Cato Numbered
against the immortality of his time.
Polybius. the Grecian, complained of
corruption and the waste of public
funds, OF poverty, of chldless mar
riages, and the ruin Of the country.
lsocrates suggests that colonies be
founded where tramps may he en-
ployed. Demosthenes declared that he
would not believe a famous general
even under oath, and Aristophanus
charges his cotemporaries with greed,
demagoglsm and immortality.
As far back as history goes, similar
the good old time" ai-ays existed as
a conception of AN ideal rather than as
a reality. unless before the fall.
Different conclusions may no doubt
he justified from these statements.
They seem to imply that mankind
remains morally pretty much at the
same level and that whenever a
downward tendency becomes too APP
parent, moral forces are set in action
to counterfeit It and restore the
equilibrium. Our age is not worse
probably, than former ages. There is
some consolation in this. but 1t is not
entirely satisfactory. The possibility
Of progress towards higher plane is
apparent to all and Its realization has
ever been the exalted theme of NOR
alists, the aim of reformers, the vision
of seers. The lesson of history, how
ever, Is that such an elevation of the
race is possible only when educational
efforts shall be directed towards the
regeneration of the individual. BY
no other means is 1t possible to re-
deem the race from the conditions
complained of in every age since the
days of the hieroglyphics of ancient
Egypt.