Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-09-18

affairs, He attends ali the meetings OF
the Cabinet, and he is moving about
among his future subjects more freely
than formerly. This Acquaintance with
his people will be good for boy who
has led secluded life, and it is to be
hoped that 1t will awaken among them
personal loyalty which will help the
young king in the dangers before him.
Spain is disturbed by the conspiracies
of the Carlists; by the restlessness Of
the Catalan provinces, which desire a
larger measure of self-government; by
the agitations of trades unions, social
lists and anarchists, and by clerical In
trigues and anti-clerical riots. Food is
high, taxes oppressive and wages low.
There is respect for the throne, but lit
tie real affection for it. The people
take only fitful interest in public
questions, but they break out readily
in rioting when they are angry. There
is no well-led, wellknit party to sustain
the governments policy; no statesman
of commanding influence upon whom
Alfonso may lean. For boy Of 49,
coming to the throne under such diff.
cult circumstances, one could wish
more firmness about the mouth and a
little more fire in the eyes.
An English scientist has predicted
that the valley of the Amazon will be
the center of civilization in coming
centuries, ind that England and Scot
land, most of Canada, and all New En-.
gland, will become hunting grounds,
homes for elk and deer Taking this
us starting-point, DR.. Edward Ev
erett Hale whimsically demands that
the Northern States begin to send their
Invalid wards to spend the winters in
the sunny Southern States, instead of
shutting them in close rooms, in gloomy
institutions, and warming them with
the Canned sunshine" that Is stored in
coal and wood. There are obvious diff
cultles in the way of this amiable de-
sign; but, aside from the scientists pre-
diction and the clergymans PROPOSE
ton, curious suggestiyeness turks be-
hind Doctor Hale's words. Canned
sunshine" which comes in various
forms and takes many names. is truly
Indispensable; yet it is possible that
some of us use too much Oft. This is
the age of the out-of-doors athletics,
and physical reliance on coal and wood
is the least of our offcndings. In the
region of the intellect, in the fields of
knowledge, fancy, sentiment, reflec-
ton, are we not somewhat too depend
ent on the canned sunshine" we find
in books! The men who made the
books sought their material Mt first
hand. Even If other men, recorders of
experience, may have supplied facts
and figures, it remained for the masters
to verify them by their own under
standing of life, and charge them with
the vitality of their overfiowing minds.
One of the differences between genius
and mediocrity is that genius takes
nothing for granted. 1t goes to the sop
as we'll as to ''tlle bottom of things"
and explores all the space between. In
SO far, even we everyday folk may
humbly follow it. We shall make
serious mistake If, instead of obsery-
ing nature, we content ourselves with
reading about her; or If, while weeping
over moving tale we neglect to re-
lieve the poor family in the next street.
The mission of the masters is to show
us the way of approach to nature and
human nature-but their canned sun
shine" must be used to light, and not
alone to warm. Wise men, and poets
as well, are they who cherish the see
ing eye, the meditative mind and the
sympathetic heart.