The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1903-03-04

| IA'SiJ HS SOuAO oSNVAh PiiSh AiSh
than singly, and thus society was
formed. He became a social being
because he could not progress in
any other way.
But man is individual, as well as
social. II but few stages of life
have all his faculties been normally
developed. In all history we find
man more enlightened and further
developed in some respects than in
others. For instance, in primitive
times he learned the lesson of saw
ing and exchanging labor through
cooperation with his fellows; but
as social life expanded and became
more complex, some men began to
employ shorter and apparently sim
pier method of achieving their ends.
For example, many quickly lost
sight of the principle of justice,
and found that through the use Of
superior brute strength and force
they could frequently accomplish
their purposes more swiftly and
advantageously than by the more
peaceful methods of cooperation
and exchange.
Thus, as the world grew, strength
rather than justice, might rather
than right, became one of the guild
ing stars of men. And hence, one
of the inherent characteristics in
man which normally makes for pro-
gress (self-interest) became the
cause of much suffering and injus-
lice in the world. The dssire for
selfish qualification grew so strong,
that the other and higher attri-
butes, justice. the true balance
wheel, as it were, of progress, was
largely overshadowed or forgotten.
TO this fact, that men have in the
past lost sight of or forgotten JUS
tice, and have concentrated their
energies to gain supremacy or pow
er over their fellows, can be traced
nearly all the darkness and trouble
and misery that has ever appeared
in this world. All the wars, un-
just and despotic governments, OPP
pressive and unequal laws, relig-
ious, social and mental supersti-
tions, and unequal privileges of
this or of other ages, are traceable
to this one cause.
But man in his normal state, in
herently loves justice, and even in
the darkest of the worlds days of
injustice and oppression, the truth
has never been entirely exiting
uished from his mind. For in every
age we read of those who fought
and bled in the struggle against the
particular injustice or superstition
of their time, and for the enlight-
eminent or betterment of mankind.
All down the pages of history we
find leaders of liberty, who, in their
own time, were reviled and con-
demned by the established order as
! traitors, rebels or fanatics. Such
men were Savanarola, Columbus,
Luther, Cromwell, Jefferson. 1t
was in the hearts of such men as
these that justice was kept alive
and the seeds sown for its greater
growth in modern times.
Notwithstanding that the spirit
of justice and equality has in our
times gained great strength and
power, her victory has never been
! comnleta. Cn-incident with the
development of the broader civil
cation and more democratic spirit
of the last centuries, many ancient
customs have been retained and
still further strenthened which have
their basis in the doctrines of the
darker ages. Among these are
many of the old laws and customs
whereby, through the protection of
government, some still wrest from
others that to which they have no
right. In other words, although
man has in many ways advanced
since the days of Savanarola and
: of Columbus, yet he is in many
other ways, in his relationship tc
his fellows. still far from the prin-