The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-06-04
Human Life the Payment.

Nations have been baptized in
human blood, and each foundation
stone Of progress has crushed the life
out Of some mortal. We daily read
the story Of deaths that come through
disease, deaths that we call natural,
and then we read the startling &C.
counts of deaths that come suddenly
and unexpectedly, to the we'll, strong,
vigorous and active mortals who are
busily engaged in the work of the
world.
These latter emphasize the terrible
fact that every human advance, every
evidence Of progress, every improve
ment that means higher civilization,
every wonderful machine, every great
engineering feat, every towering build
ing and every work that has form
stands as monument to some life
that has gone out that it might exist.
Digging and delving among the dry
bones OF statistics has resurrected
figures full of interest in showing the
value Of human life, not spared to
disease and old age but taken in the
accomplishment of some work of hu-
man progress.
These figures show that through
fierce war each square mile Of terri
tory gained or maintained by nations
of the earth has cost human life.
Some have cost more, some less; but
taking the world over, since history
began, the records show a charge of
one untimely death against each $40
acres.
Each pair of church spires that
point toward the clouds stand for
monument 20 grave somewhere.
Since records Of deaths by accident
have been kept they show that the life
or one mortal has gone out with each
two churches reared. All buildings
have taken part in the same work. A
poorly constructed scaffold, an inse
cure fastening, parting rope, swing
ing timber, loose board and scores
of other things that tell of human
fallibility have contributed to make
this record
Men have burrowed in the ground
and dug their own graves-their first
temporary resting places, where they
were to lie in death where moment
before they were in active life. Every
FIVE miles Of tunnel blasted from the
rocks and dug from the earth requires
the life Of one man.
We gather heat, light and power
from the sun-made coal that was stor-
ed FOR us centuries ago, and each mil
lion and half tons Of it costs one
miners life before it passes from its
ancient bed to the surface of the
ground.
Since man has delighted in what is
bright and lasting, he has sought for
gold and made from it the great lever
that moves the world; but it has had
its price. Each $4,000, 1000 of gold
has asked Coz u human sacrifice and
received it.
Since before the dawn Of history,
ships have spread their winglike sails
and carried man from shore to shore,
and recently harncssed steam has
passed them in the race; but from the
time when shipwrecks were first re-
corded until to-day the ships have de-
mandcd human tool, and ut the end
of each $4,000 miles that each one
sails it drops living soul into a
never-resurrecting sea, or casts it
dead into the arms of the shore.
Where boats would not do man has
suspended his bridges, and each one
Of these that spans navigable water
marks the spot where man was
brought to his death through an acci-
| dent.
So on the steel highway, where,
through the energy of steam, we rush
with theospeed of the wind, the law
says that one life must be given for
each 100000 travellers, and the law is
obeyed
Look where you will, these acci-
dents confront you. Life with its
requirements pays it's way with life
| ST. Louis Rnnuhlic