Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1905-03-10
FRIpAY. MAEcE Ia. 1905.
What is Progress?

gwen Us blNhN' w NM
conutly's population. ~ her wealth. or
the development of her natural re-
sources. or the extension OF her Influence
among the nations, are elrluenis oil pre-
pyessiye movement The multiplying oi
opportunities. the dissemination oil
knowledge. the Invitation Ia aud eNer' |
else of inventive genius as well rs the
stimulating Influences which lead TO
scientific research, are all evidences that
tn. spirit az what We call Progress Is
operating to the quickenins oil human
activities. These are all signs, but can
NOT all these conditions prevail aud Tue
true spirit Of Progress he lacking: Va"
th-rr he such moN emrits rs shall i've III
results without there be the underlying
firm strata of moral worth and religious
uprirhtness Rome became the ms
tress of the world because OF her H.
crease in wealth and martial prowrsS,hut
it was not true living Progress, because
the lack of morality proved in time to he
her oy.rthrow. The history OF the
world previous to the Roman Empire
and since then presents many instances
of national weakness simply resulting
from a want of individual morality.
although in other respects growth ana
increase had been most marked. We
call the present age one OF marvellous
progress. The tide of development aud
increase has swept the world during the
past half century in mighty strides. We
call it Progress. If so it will last; II 1t
he not true Progress founded upon great
eternal principles OF moral worth, then
it is a tremendous sham, the end OF
which will be the overthrow of empires
and republics None can deny that 1t
saverv strenuous age. The whole vast
scale of human energy is engaged in a
perfect turmoil of eager striving. The
rich and the poor, the educated and the
ignorant. the strong and the weak, NEE
hourly antagoristic forces, From th'
President down to the miner III thu
bowels OF the earth the spirit of strenu
osity is being constantly intensified b,
the awful competition. There may be
vision of this subject from many a stand
point. One is before US at this time
The press supposedly reflects the sentl
ment and thought and life of the bus.
world of humanity. The first object 0
the press is to make the venture pay
Stock demands dividends. The peopl
hny that which satisfies their demands
Papers which furnish what the publ
wants are a safe investment; Others ar
losing venture and soon die a seem
ingy untimely death. That which tn
public demands of the press is a prett
sure index to the trend of thought whic
, prevails. Now what is it that bes
q
of one OF the most prosperous metropol
tan newspapers we find the following
Eighteen columns of advertisements
fourteen columns devoted to so Gale
sports; ten columns to murders, robbie
les assaults, embellishments, elopement
accidents, fires, and the like. Five co
umns filled with the doings of the stoc
market; five columns telling all tn
society news of the day; three columl
advertising and reporting theatrical pc
formances and other amusements; tw
columns to legal notices and reports {
the courts; two columns to other miSce
laneous news items; two columns d'
signed as advertisements of would b
artists pictures; three columns devote
topolitics, mostly personal squabbe
and pictures of graft and dlsloyalty
three or four columns of pure unadulte
ated nonsense; little over one colum
consisted of editorials on some minC
public questions of the day. abont hal
column was given to strictly educ;
tional matters, a"d forty lines reporte
all that was deemed necessary of tn
moral condition of the people, tn
churches aud religious movements: !hi
division of space is a pretty fair sampl
of the metropolitan Journal of the day
The one referred to is not one of tn
Yellow Journals but recognized new
gatherer and knowledge disseminated
Here is a picture of what the people al
most thinking about. Is this an age G
such kind of progress as will continue t
move on through the centuries, upliftin
and ennobling mankind, or is it Of sue
nature that in time revolution will owe,
throw law and order, repeating histor
which has many times been written b
the race? The optimst is a wise fe
low, but the pessimist is not always
fool
THE MARCH VERMONTER.