The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-03-19
is OUR CIVILIZATION A FAILURE?

] EuiCOI OtCESe u NatEoWS or the
Barlow Record pronounces our civil
ization a failure.
"Tis true; tbs true It's pity; and
pity tbs It's true" that Adam, beguil-
ed by Eve, ate the apple and was driv-
en- out Of the garden of pleasure into
the cold and sordid world and made
to earn his living by the sweat of his
face
Had Adam not done this, man today
would be lolling under the shade of
the trees the live-long day; all he
would have had to do in the way of
procuring food would be to open his
mouth and let the luscious plums and
peaches fall into 1t.
But be was driven oUt with the
curse upon him, Root hog, or die, -
and everything considered, it seems
to US that he has done fairly well.
He has annihilated space; he has
joined the ends of the world together;
he navigates the air; he has made it
possible to hear the human voice for
a thousand miles; has bottled it so
it can be repoduced at any time with
perfect intonation and infection: he
can tell Of the coming and going Of
the winds; he can tell of the approach
of frosts and billiards.; he has placed
the earth in a balance and weighed
it; he can tell the distance to the re-
hottest stars and is still unsatisfed,
and every day is prying into the mys-
teries of nature and compelling her
to reveal her secrets.
Man has founded empires, some OF
which have crumbled and fallen, but
on their ruins he has founded others,
with the object always in view OF
making the world better than it is.
We scout the idea that man is nat
urally depraved; we do not believe
that he is conceived in sin and
brought forth in wickedness. We be-
lieve that next to God himself in pur-
ity and innocence is the new born
babe. We believe that mans natural |
impulses are good and that he is vast |
ly better than he is given credit for. |
We cannot get our consent to believe
that man is evil and only evil
At the very dawn of history. in the
very twilight of the world, we hear of |
graft in government, and these stories
have been repeated ever since with |
more or less exaggeration.
The very first United States senator
from Florida, Mr.. James D. Westcott,
this state in this august
tribunal before Mr.. Mathews was
born, speaking of the corruption in
government, almost in the very lap
5uage Mr.. Mathews uses. said.
IF the people Of this country knew
Dne-twentieth part of the corruptions.
he peculent, the reeking, filthy cor
'uptions of the government, they
would descend in a body upon this
,ity, create a revolution in less than
wenty-four hours, and fall upon the
president, heads of departments. con-
sress, wings and democrats. and turn
hem head over heels into the Poto-
nae"
Now Mr. Mathews SAYS:
First. let us lift the curtain and
OOk upon the stage of our govern
nent and there behold the corruption
hat is enabling dishonest public ser
ANTS TO increase salaries, and i'm
'ose greater taxes. which is gradual
v reducing our common people to
Every great function of our {
has been given into the
land of greed and speculation"
This may be, in a measure, true.
ct the people elect their public SER
ants, and it may be are sometimes
eceiyed, but they elect them suppos
ng them to be true to their inter
SITS, which shows that they them
elves are innocent and are doing !
heir very best to place the govern
nent on a higher plane.
For instance. in this county, Mr.. !
lathews was selected as a law-mak- {
r and to represent the government {
broad; his friend, Mr. Lamar, whom !
e pays such high tribute, was kept !
office for twenty years: Senator
all was elected four times success
vely to the United States senate:
Ir. Stockton was elected to the leg ,
stature; Mr.. Broward was made gov f
rnor. and on the issue that they {
-ere the friends of the people.
We do not believe that we are al l
rays fooled in our public officials Z
hey may make mistakes, but nine t
ines out Of ten we believe that their c
forts are for the public good and t
hat they labor to ameliorate the con- J.
itions of the unfortunate and light 5
n the burdens of The poor.
We believe that the world is grow n
lg better every day and is becoming
lore and more tolerant. more enlight-
ned and less depraved.