The Minneapolis journal., 1902-04-26

= / 81
that the states have not. However, If any
terated and deleterious foods is to be
permitted to flourish indefinitely he is not
aware of the degree to which people are
becoming worked UPON this question
Z y No CAUSE FOX DESPAIR
Here and there among the strong toned
,optimists who speak SO confidently OF the
future Of our beloved American republic
is found a. pessimist and, now and then,
doubter. Attaching much Importance
to certain unpleasant. phases of our life
as a people, these prophets or fearers of
evil think that the golden days, the virtu-
Gus age, Of the republic are gone. and
doubt if another will succeed it. Europe,
of course is full of evil wishers for the
republic. Perhaps it was his long resi-
dence abroad that made the late r. j.
Stillman entertain such misgiyings for the
future of the land of his birth. In his in
teresting autobiography the brilliant
journalist tells of his return to America
in the first part of the civil war when
few OF the northern leaders doubted OF
victory, Though none of them dreamed of
what it would COST He continues:
And looking at the CORRUPTION of American
politics to-day, the venalty and the lndiffer-
ence to the true interests of the nation OF
most of the men who control the political life
at it's most important ,centers,s and the gen
eral tendency of our politics, 1t needs a
serene and far-reaching faith in human
progress to enable citizen OF the United
States who believes in a political ideal, to
regard the sacrifices then made as having
been profitable. see things dispassionately
and as an old man removed from the chance
:o1 personal gains orr losses, and, but, for, a
faith in human progress being the result eof
an eternal and inevitable2la law, 4 should say
that the blood Of that war had been wasted.
1t is a painful convictionfto die Without
expect to die with it-that generations and
unparalleled disasters must pass before my
country reaches the goal its founders believed
to be its destiny.
Certainly this is a painful conviction to
die with. Much there is in the history
of these times to give gloomy views OF
the future to those who want them, but
it is to be feared that Mr.. Stiliman was
too much influenced by that ancient but
usually unreasonable belief that the gold
en- age lies always in the past.
1t is the fashion of those who have lost
faith in the republic-and, they have not
been lacking since July a, 1776-to as
sumo that in the olden times all Ameri-
cans were of high moral tone, correc,
life and loftiest patriotism. Placing the
austere patriot gentleman of their owr
creation alongside the average, self-seek-
ing, corrupt or corruptible, petty politi-
clan Of our times, there is a contrast
pronounced enough for the most startling
| inferences as to our moral and poIitica
declension. til J.
They who make comparisons of thi:
kind forget that in the very bloom of it,
youth America had numerous corrupt anG
unscrupulous politicians. The very con:
tinental army had, contrasted with sucf
| men as Washington and Greene, the mel
of the Conway cabal and Benedict Ar
mold. They forget that the eighteenth
century was not ended before there ha6
been many instances of the most despic-
able kinds of politics and that Washing
grave. Municipal jobbery in New Yorl
is at least hundred years old and was
likely imported In a fourishing state
from old England, whose political cor.
ruption in the seventeenth century was
notorious.
The differences between now and ther
that chiefly impress such men as Still
man are the supersession of politics BY
business as the chief preoccupation of The
country's ablest men, and the waning O.
the intense emotional religion Of the
times before the civil war. The first, O.
these is very serious matter. s The
political problem OF the; times is how tc
draw back into politics the great mer
Clays and =Calhouns and Bentons OF oul
day are captains Of industry; the brain.
Of the nations are in business. Our politi
cal parties need great and inspiring
leaders. They need men of force who are
not ashamed to talk Of patriotic duty
devotion to the country, honor to tn.
flag. The men are here, sbut they labor
tin other fields and carp at the work o
lesser men.
| The loss Of the stern and rigid Puritan
faith. has taken out Of our national char
acter a certain admirable earnestness ant
1sausterity and deprived 1t of some ac
companying elements Of strength. Sub
stituting more agreeable. form of reli
! gion for the harsh one of the fathers WI
seem to have lost interest in life to com.
| and to have gained interest in the imme
date present and what,.it can provide o
4 profit and pleasure. We seem to TAX
more thought, of the people that are liv
ing and less: of these who are to COM
| after; to make more provision for indi
yidual comfort and enjoyment; to hay
Hess concern about the greatness an,
purity Of the nation.
But they who know the American peo
4 pie best know. that the old earnestness
1.-The old Righteousness; the old patriotisn
are not lost, but are only covered up by tn