The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-02-23
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most certain to be greatly advanced in the inn
mediate future. Cooperative stores and banks
do not suit our American temperament, yet CO.
operation covers large part Of agricultural en-
terprise. and does it very naturally. Itmanages
every department of dairying, and is rapidly
taking hold of the marketing of farm produce.
This drift is sociaistic in the true sense of that
word. The next movement along this line is
likely to be postal savings banks and co-opera-
tive State insurance. The State is also very
sure, soon, to stand for pensioned old age.
We have proved our ability to pay annually
about S150OOO,OOO for war veterans. Childhood
receives State school system and increased
protection; but old age has just as good claims
upon US as 1t approaches second childhood. The
English Government has committed itself unre-
servedly to old-age pensions, and the French
Government stands pledged to the same princi-
pie, while Germany shows no signs of retreating
from its compulsory system of insurance for old
age.
We shall not deserve nor claim the rank of
profit for foreseeing a larger degree OF public
ownership of public utilities. Municipal owner
ship is, wisely or unwisely, to be tested, in this
country as surely as in Europe. To class this as
socialism need not terrify u.s. since it can at the
worst, be no more socialistic than public owner
ship of the highways and the common schools.
It Is not impossible that another struggle of
operators and miners will compel the people
that is, the consumers-to assert their rights
over the great carrier system and even the coal
beds themselves.
Whether party policy is able cheerfully to
grant modification of existing tariffs or not, 1t
is quite certain that the people has made up its
mind that the war tariff must come down. The
unbalancng of industries, by protection to one
branch of national effort, is always unsafe.
President Mckinley, in his great and last adj
dress, enunciated the new doctrine. that the
time had come in American history when foreign
trade must gage our legislation, rather than the
home market. He told us that commercial war
fare must cease all over the globe, and the civil
lied nations must learn to cooperate. Politi-
clans who cannot look over the machine will
find it impossible to readjust their thinking to
this new principle; nevertheless, we believe it
will dominate the growing internationalism. 1t
will not be possible much longer to retain a
question of this sort in the schedule of party
politics, to be decided upon caucus.
That we are bound to see greatly accelerated
movement toward country life is demonstrated
by the history of the last ten years. The rever-
sal of the drift toward congested population be-
gan as long ago as 1890. 1t has already lowered
the ratio of population that settles into towns
over -half-probably nearly two-thirds. De-
Quoting the one million of foreign immigration,
that adds itself to our population annually. the
ratio toward country living would preponderate
much more largely. The outlook is toward
suburbanism that will almost cover the whole
country. The development of electricity as
motor force sends the trolley into our most re-
mote districts, abolishing isolation, and equal
izing the privileges formerly belonging to the
city alone. The agriculturist of today has the
advantage in every way over the manufacturer.
He can live among the trees, and by the streams,
while the mail is daily dropped at his door, and
the telephone links him to his neighbors as well
as to the market.
The churches have come under centripetal in
fuences that are not likely soon to be exhaust
ed. During the last twelve months this has
created an affiliation between sects presumed to
be hopelessly alien. The fundamental reform,
however, is not likely to satisfy itself with
merely breaking down barriers. We have some
thing else to do before we shall see the country
churches rebuilt and the city churches reflled.
May not the church building of the future be
placed on business basis, so that church affairs
will be carried on without resort to trivial en-
tertainmentss We have already few such
churches erected, in which the rental of offices
=
work and worship.
1t is in our school system. however, that we
have marked the most distinct evolution, while
it is there that we may anticipate the most con-
structive efforts in the immediate future. We
have until very recently, aimed only at creating
the Individual we are steadily modifying our
State system of education toward the creation
of wise citizenship. The power of the State to
create national sentiment, and enable the whole
people to act unitedly for one political or ethi-
cal end, has been illustrated by the Japanese.
War is robbed of its worst features when
people can, through it all, count certainly on
every soldiers temperance and humanity, as
we'll as his patriotism. The level of human pur-
posing has of late, been distinctly raised. as in
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries it was
raised by the Puritans. We have now to aim
higher, not only as individuals, but as peoples.
Our public school systems mustof necessity de-
termine public morals as we'll as increase pri-
vate knowledge. They must make the nation
as well as its units.
The era of applied learning is also upon us !;
and while only part of our schools have as yet
become readjusted to the use of books as secon-
dairy to the study of nature, the garden school
and school gardening are rapidly becoming ac-
cepted principles. We may confidently expect,
before long, that at least one-half of each days
schooling will be out of doors, in direct contact
with things, instead of books. The training of
the hand is sure to be followed by the training
of the whole body. The principle of stufing a
child with information will pass away in favor
of leading the child in paths of independent in
vestigation. Much that has passed for acquire
ment or accomplishment is lapsing from the
curriculum, while more emphasis is placed upon
skillful doing. Industrial efficiency is sure to be
recognized as fundamental to real education.
We must get rid of that conception of education
which leaves careless workmen and ignorant
mechanics, farmers, merchants or craftsmen
who do not understand the very best possible
ties of the industries in which they are engaged.
The home and the school are rapidly becoming
cooperative institutions, If they are not to be
entirely merged in their work.
WASHINGTON DISPATCHES say that the Demo-
cratic leaders are concerned over Mr.. Bryan's
plan to enter into magazine discussion with
Senator Beverage. fearing that he will say
something to make his nomination undesira-
BILE. In reply to these protests Bryan says he
has not set his heart on the next Presidential
nomination unless he shall be convinced that
he can be elected. A closer friend of Bryan
says that third nomination would add moth
ing to his prestige with the rank and file of
his party. while third defeat would immeas-
urably weaken him.
DURING THE discussion of the rivers and har-
bors bill in the House of Representatives,
Champ Clark, of Missouri, spoke of the vari-
GUS positions suggested for President Roose-
welt after his term expires. Among these sug-
gestions were that Roosevelt should represent
New York in the Senate that he should be
president of Harvard, and that he should be
perpetual president of The Hague Court. But
Clark said, what to him appeared the most
tempting proposition was to make Roosevelt
general manager of the Panama Canal con-
struotion