Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-06-06

coal, while the fall In Its streams Is
comparatively light. 1t 10 an interest.
ing coincidence that the parts Of the
country having the most water-pOwer
have, as a rule, the least coal. West
Virginia Is an exception. as are certain
limited regions elsewhere. In having
liberal supply Of both. The abandoned
water-wheel, with the moss growing
over Its decaying wooden paddles. has
had place in many sweet scenes of
rural quiet. Equally prominent will
soon be the modern water-wheel In
any picture representing the stirring
industrial life Of this new century.
If a cheerful prophet Is to be be.
lieved. the dread scourge of consump-
ton will within very few years be
entirely wiped out. The limit has been
set at % years hence for Prussia, and
20 years later than that for England
America Is not In the reckoning. The
cheerful prophet is Alfred Hitler.
whose article. carefully fortified with
statistics, is causing profOundest inter.
est among scientists Of Europe. and
has just been republished In American
Medicine. Hitler presents statistical
chart showing that at the present rate
of decrease deaths from pulmonary
tuberculosis will cease in Prussia I'm
about the year 1927. by this time. he
argues. the disease will have decreased
very greatly in England also, though
the death rate from 1t there will still
be about eight per 10000. Within 20
years more, he says. England, too. will
he free from 1t. The figures upon
which Mr.. Hitler bases his conclusion
tell a plausible story. The Prusslan
statistics do not deal with the phthisis
rate alone. but with all the deaths
from tuberculosis. The decline Of this
rate to any notable extent began in
1886 and has been very rapid since
that time. From 1876 to 1886 the rate
was 81 per 10000. In 1887 the drop
began and continued down to 1000, the
date Of the statistical report. when 1t
had fallen to II per 10000. In Eng.
land, In the same period, the drop was
from "a to ID. The rapid fall In the
l'russian rate Is ascribed to three
causes: a. To the precautions against
Infectious diseases. due to the dlscOv.
cry Of the tubercle bacillus. (2) To the
improved conditions Of the working
surance laws. % To the establish.
ment Of sanitarlums. In the United
States the death rate from tuberculosis
Is frlghtfully high and Is said to be
easing.
~6A
In this day Of common motive and
combined activity the Individual seems
to be ut a discount, comparatively In.
significant beside the great purpose
and progression Of which he Is part.
lie Is a mere bit Of machinery rather
than q complete. individual engine.
Apart, by himself. he Is Of small mo.
ment; It IL only his strength as a unit
In the collective whole that counts. To
be an effective factor he must sink
individuality. The whole training Of
the persent day Is toward self.repres-
sion. and this Is us 1t should be. 1t Is
somewhat anomalous that self.repres.
sion makes for character. 1t does, Just
as self.denial makes for power, Just
as mute, unquestioning service makes
for generalship, ability to direct. Thus,
instead Of cheapenlng manhood the
present day business life gives 1t CO.
ordination. fiber ana tone. 1t Is u re-
filming yet a strengthening process.
1t Is a more even yet more potent
and effective life that we lead these
days. 1t Is concerted effort and com.
mon enterprise. gradual, sure. continu-
Gus: as against a rlOtOus individuality
Of former times, sporadic, full of mis-
takes, uncertain. 1t Is the difference
between trained energy and misdirec-
ton. concentration and waste. Finely
tempered and powerful individuality
brings success to-day no less than for
merry. Perhaps the road is little
longer now. but achievements are
more substantial ana enduring. On
the whole, there Is no good reason for
the man OF to-day to despair because
he Is ground down." II he has the
intrinsic merit. the grinding will de.
velOp It. II he lacks II. he IL perhaps
even better of as factor In the big
ma chinery than he would be In indie.
pendent action.
%6
At any rate, 1t Is not our business.
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