The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-16
NO eENlusEs WANTED.

dyspepHo citizen writing the Eagle the guise
Fourth of July orators rebukes nation
for its failure to produce genius.
is one of the glores of democracy that does not
produce genius which inconsistent with the principles
Of equality We have declared that all men are created
tree and equal The progressive evolution OF our country
is bealng out the assertion Every sense of justice is out
Iaged every time with natural gifts oustrips with
effort plodder who natural gifts There
IS defense under the democratic theory for the man
was superior But men are born superior and
trend of our national life is to overcome the inequality
And we are doing it
More in Wellington, Kansas write than could
write London shakespeares day; and yet no man
in all educated millions can write as Shakespeare did
Ten times more pianos thumped in Wichita today
were in existence in Beethovens town but not one
person among our panothumping millions has the musical
knowledge Of Beethoven.
But the enlightenment Of the people Of Wellington
the plane they occupy is greater than that far greater
than that of the people London of shakespeares day
the knowledge Of music in Wichita is greatly in excess
that held by the people in Beethovens day In this
country talent being diused the single mountain peak
Of genius impossible. happily So This is the dys
peptic's letter:
an it IS not out Of season to ask those ten thousand
aaerers who preparing speeches for that occasion
The question What you going say in behalf of your
country? VIII you continue say that the American
people the that the ages have produced? You
hardly anything else. But can you prove it. OF
viii you attempt prove it? Can you tell them that
America has produced greater poets physicians mus
cans orators painters architects lawyers statesmen sol
dier navigators noTests hnaneiers philosophers
than italy Spain France, Germany. Russia England or
Sweden? Can you tel them in your nationality has
excelled Shakespeare Virgil Dante Gray Burns Byron
Moore. Goethe. Petraroh Khnger. Borne Lessing and
Muller in poetry7 Can you tell them that we have pro
3uced in the medical science than Pasteur
and Koch? Can you tell them that we have produced
greater musicians than Beethoven Wagner Sullivan Rub
ensts.n Strauss Mozart and Lszt2 Can vou tel then
that III the natural science produced the SUPER
Tors OF Darwin Euler Jassieu and St Hilaire? can YOU
tell them that Cassni second any American astron
omer; that have produced greater statesmen than
Rcheleu, Fox. Pitt Canning Bismarck waenstein Peel
Dr Dsraen?
The fact Is but it viii not DO FOR you to say sol Amer
lea lacks men Of genius It has not now poet musician
painter sculptor, novelist an actor of the third
class and but few statesmen Of the second class
America has more talent and probably less genius
than any nation earth size population taken into
consideration We have statesman OF the first class
because pays better be politician: no physician of
The hrst class because il better To be Quack no
musician OF the arst class because the national demand Is
Tor banjo picker sculptor scarcely anv class be-
cause Americans are too sordid to Dsrpetuat s 60 -
their great in marble; great painter becsps ts
voice or an ignorant denlsgogue would denounca srv
ment that would foster ART; great novelist hesrs
demand is for yellow literature no great poet because
pays better to be writer If comic songs. no eeaf actor
because it pays better to be a clog dancer.