The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-02-03


around him. He seeks the latest in
vention adopted, the most progressive
idea in vogue in that society, and, re-
turning home, lauds that country upon
its latest progress. This, too, is be-.
coming the spirit of society in the
most remote and inaccessible parts of
the world. An instance of the rapid
ity and vim with which nations of the
most conservative type have embraced
these advanced ideas of social life is
seen and known in the rapid advance
ment of the japanese nation.
America has largely produced this
social condition now permeating it's
own and all advancing society. Born
in revolution Of social ideas from
those before existing, it's entire sub
sequent history, socially speaking, has
been revolt against the past. Hav
ing no past, no place in history, o
memories to cherish, it began life in
tent only on carving it's own name
highest on the rock of destiny. From
England, France and Holland there
came to this "land of opportunity"
those whose minds had looked beyond
the rut in which their social life had
been cast. Liberty, fraternity, equal
ity, these the thoughts which, denied
in the old world, sought expression in
the new. And, when in 1776 was pro-
mulgated that world famous ''Declar-
alton of Rights" holding call men to be
horn free and eos.al," the foundation
was then laid for the greatest social
revolution the human race had began
since the time Of Luther. 1t is true
that there was more philosophy than
history embodied in its paragraphs
more of the ideal than the real; never.
theless, this very ideality has been the
actuating cause leading man, by COM
parative criticism of the real with the
ideal given, to elevate the real.
II that body assembled in the town
hall at Philadelphia had left out the
theory of social freedom and equality,
then Bellamy might never had had to
develop theory of economic equal
ity'' or have become an advocate of
absolute governmental paternalism.
The embodiment Of the theory of so.
cial equality therein presented, was
productive of two influences: one good.
the other evil. The first generated in
dnstry, stimulated and created energy,
individually and nationally; and today
American ''push' is constantly moving
the car of progress. On the other
hand, false notion OF liberty was en-
gendered in the minds of the con-
stantly increasing millions who sought
this land of freedom. Freed from the
intolerable oppression, the calling re-
straints upon individual energy our
emigrants had known in their old
homes, they failed to grasp the true
meaning of liberty. They assumed
that liberty TO be absolute, whereas
true liberty is comparative only-the
results of these two influences on the
anomalous social conditions of present
life.
The social spirit engendered by these
two influences was not confined to the
"New World" AS the perfume of the
magnolia tree is borne by the breeze
miles from the field wherein it BIOS
SONS, so the social spirit of democratic
America was waited north and south,
east and west, bringing with it, here
and there faint breath of it's progress
sive spirit. And American social life,
once despised and ridiculed, whose
"energies were so soon to slacken,"
whose liberty was so certain to end in
"anarchy," today stands second to none
on the face of the globe. From a ma
tion of three millions it has risen to
seventy millions in almost as many
years. True, it began its life on a civ
ilized foundation. But why has the
offspring of European civilization so
far outstripped it's parentp The an
swer can only be that theory of abso-
lutte "social equality" around which
was gathered those tenets, resting in
justice and right, upon which the