Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-06
CLARK SAYS WORLD is BETTER
Next Speaker of House Declares He is
0ptimist.
COMPARES WITH YEARS OF PAST
AerOpIanes and other Modern IBven-
tions Form vebicIes of Progress
In Varied ways-Masses of
People wstlnE Up.

SPRINGFIELD. Mass. Feb. 5.-saying he
is an optimist and believes the world is
growing better. Representative Champ
Clark of Missouri. speaker-elect Of the
next national house Of representatives, de-
livered message of "hope and courage" in
an address today before the Young Mems
Christian association here
Mr.. Clark contended It was better to look
upon the bright side OF things than upon
the dark, and that ''jubiate is more pleas
ing music than a nlserere." IL the world
were not growing better he said, then the
school system which America boasts and
which costs so much was an ignominious
failure and all religion was a failure, and
he did not believe either to be true.
why so many good people believe the
world is growing worse was explained by
Mr. Clark as a matter of evolution of
communication; that nowadays any place
on earth is in reach OF the telephone or
telegraph and a man may do a thousand
things and never get his name in the news
papers. but the first time he does a bad
thing lin It goes
Mr. Clark said that when he went to
Missouri thirty-five years ago the average
number of homicdes in Pike county was
between four and five year and now they
averaged less than one. That, he believed
was, ,measurably true Of every other county
in the country.
How World Progresses.
Somebody once said" continued Mr.
Clark. that after all. we are simply
veneered savages / neither affirm nor
deny that proposition. Up to ten or fifteen
years ago a prize fight could be pulled off
in any state with absolute impunity. Now
there is not a single state in which it Is
not a penitentiary offense. Up to compare
lively recent years a duel could be fought
in any state without any fear OF serious
consequences Now there is no state in
which it is not felony. man who would
have anything to do with a duel in Mis-
souri, is a stark IDIOT. II is a murder in
the first degree to xiii a man in duel
there and a penitentiary offense TO fight a
duel a felony to agree in Missouri to go
out Of the state to fight a duel.
work of AerOPIane.
Thanks be 10 Almighty God. wars are
becoming rarer and rarer. one thing which
: the flying machine win accomplish will be
TO put an end forever and forever TO all
wars Lotteries have been stopped. Insti-
tutions for preservation Of morals, relief Of
human sufferings. for perpetuity Of our
institutions are springing up on every hand,
The idea Of reformation Of criminals
rather than their punishment is taking a
deep hold on the minds of men. There Is
more money today devoted TO charity per
capita than ever before. Controversial
religion has passed and practical religion
is at hand. The masses Of the people are
waking up 10 the fact that politics should
be purified, demanding primary elections,
senatorial elections by popular vote and
other important reforms
"Of course We have not attained the
millennium. This mighty republic is built
not for a day but for all time, one and
indiyisibe destined under God to be the
dominating influence throughout the world
in all the centuries yet 10 be-"