The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17
Soda Water n. n Necessity.

In New Hampshire the other day po-
lice judge ruled that soda water is one OF
the necessaries of life. The occasion Of
this ruling was the arrest OF clerk in a
drug store for dispensing that pleasing
drink on Sunday. 1t was a test case, in
volving Sunday closing. and much attention
was paid to it. Since the decision the
drug stores in New Hampshire can sell all
the soda water they choose on Sunday.
OF course, strictly speaking, this article
is not necessary to human existence. or
even to human happiness. Generations BE-
fore a soda fountain was ever heard Of,
people lived, loved, courted, and were
happy on this earth. In the good old
State of New Hampshire itself genera
ton or two since, the country Ysu;h was
content to WOO his chosen maid without
any refreshment more elaborate than sweet
cider and Baldwin apples, or perhaps pep
permint hearts with notices on them. But
now he takes her to the drug store and
gives her an ice cream soda, if he wants
her to be really impressed with his gener-
osity and devotion.
Thus the necessaries of life increase. BY
and by we may be sending soda water
fountains as civilizing agents TO Genital
Africa or the interior Of Tibet Life is
daily growing more complicated. More and
more things are regarded as indispensable.
Whereas the youth Of 1915 thought himself
well OFF If he could start housekeeping in
a two-room pioneer cabin, with spinning
Wheel. loom, and few primitive cooking
utensils for his principal furniture, his de-
scendant of today must have a cottage of
at least six rooms, with "a room to eat in
besides the Kitchen as the old lady in
Mary Z. wilkins story expressed it, This
house must be furnished with at least an
imitation of Brussels carpets, oil pa ntings.
lace curtains, and velvet furniture. and
whereas the grandmother of the bride was
content with one silk dress, her descend
ant must have two or three, renewing the
supply every year. Business has become
as complicated as social life. And all this
we call civilization.
Undoubtedly, in one aspect of lac mat
ter, it is civilization. The infinitely varied
needs and appliances OF our life make one
important difference between US and primi-
tive man, who ate his food raw and xii ed
it with club, and lived in cave. II IS
with man as with any other animal, the
greater the variety of his needs AID
functions, the stronger and more subtle
his intellect. Grant Allen once pointed
out the fact that those animals which, by
reaosn of their prehensile organise can
grasp things, and get the idea of Three
dimensions in space-the squirrel with his
paws, the elephant with his trunk, the
quadrumana with their hands-are most
intelligent and progressive. So, when life
becomes complex, the people grow in wis
dom of one kind or another, and the
strength and subtlety of Intellectual de-
velopment thus gained may be used for
any purpose. But it ought to be generally
understood that this is not the end, but
the means; that if our marvellous material
progress and prosperity do not result in
higher moral development-in an advance
toward finer and more perfect social life
we are not truly civilized.