New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-20
LESSONS FROM DISASTERS
Should Lead to Development of In
telEgence and Conscience.
r. me Editor Of the Tribune


Sir: Following the frightful disaster In Long
Island Sound. there WILL OF course he dilisent m
quiry into the conditions other excursion oOa'S
all boats. doubt, including the ocean Ahers-
as to whether they have sufficient protection IN
case of fire. whether they have fire drills at stated
intervals as required by law; whether they nave
sufficient life preserverS; whether these are IN
good condition; whether boats carry more passeh-
gers than allowed by law; and finally. possibly
finally whether there ought not to be hreprocI
requirements for passenger boats just as there are
1reproof requirements for public buildings
Possibly. but not probably. this inquiry VIII De
extended beyond boats. The IrOquois disaster Ieu
to an examination of theatres and even got so I"r
as other public buildings. not only In chicago put
throughout the world; but nobody thought Of look
ing into excursion boats. 1t was first necessary
that an excursion boat and many people shouio
burn. This is one of the weaknesses OF human
nature. What Emerson said OF the Enghsh ne
might have said of all humanity:
Heavy fellows. stepped in beer and heshpots. they
are hard of hearing and dim OF siSht- IhelI
frsGe ard Doi,tics and persecution They cannot
well read principle except by the hght OF Iaso'S
and burning towns
Not only are the great masses OF us unmoved
except in the presence of flaming occurrences
listening indiferently to arguments Of duty or op-
portunity in the abstract but We see such niue
way ahead when the fash comes like travellers
laundering along rough night road Frahkhh
could get few listeners to his sound ana farseelhs
arguments for union. II only when they felt
the lash OF necessity and the impulse or anger ana
resentment that the coonists began to act IN uni
son. Say men, Let us reason together. ana you
can scarcely collect bakers dozen but say, Let's
go fight about it." and fathers and mothers must
keep their young boys of the streets LOT rear 9s
will follow the fife and drum. ,--,
Can we not through our schools ana tnroush
Intelligent and sympathetic cooperation IN the
home develop the brain that II will be a NJ Gus
todlan of the body? Cannot a species OF intellect
be evolved which will not only respond 10 these
strokes OF circumstance, but whose responses Will
be followed by logical and continuous thinking ana
appropriate dong-by active. constructive persist
eut citizenship? 800
Has not an education failed lamentably which
turns out a reader who Will eXpend his or her
interest in such calamity as that on the General
Slocum with "Oh, wasn't il awful?
Tho newspaper and the newspaper alone, creates
the necessary awakening. The schools keep IN
stock the needful information, and have the for
mula from which to develop intelligence and con-
srfence Is not the solution OF the problem the
bringing OF the two together? Are not the stlmu-
Iating effect the concrete applications or the news
naneT as obviously needed the schoolroom as the
KNOWLEDGE and Training Of the schoolroom are
needed for the profitable reading OF the newspaper
in after life? FRA 10 80 ~ n HiiJ,I
Chicago June 16 1904.