The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-03-05
LIVE WIRES.

LIVE WlKEo.
To THE EDIroR OF The JOURNAL:
Senator Miller gave US much light on the
way in which twenty new lawsFeach day
are ground out by our law making de-
partment. One man often introduces
twenty or thirty bills during single
session of the Legislature. It is esti-
mated that our world renowned govern
ment wastes three hundred million dol
lars every year through the inefficiency
of the methods employed in our legis-
lative departments. As remedy it has
been proposed that Congress appropriate
$3.50, to found department seeking
information along lines initiated by the
State of Wisconsin. He extolled the
idea of the Brotherhood of Man and COM
pared some of the statements left for
our instruction by men as they were
about to change this sphere of action for
that which is to endure forever. We
often read their estimate of the real
value of their millions as compared with
the real benefits which they might have
bestowed upon humanity. The speaker
held before the mental vision of his au-
dience for few moments the results Of
setting an idea afloat in the world. Like
the thistle down waited before the wind
it never dies but continues to increase to
infinity. Take as an illustration the
statement of DR.. Eliot of Harvard that
the Creator is sleepless active energy
and will, which yesterday and forever
actuates all things. That he is an in
cessant workman, universal servant,
tireless, omnisicent, energizer, he thinks
sufficiently proved by the New Tesla
ment: "God is a spirit, in him we live
and move and have our being"
DR.. Rainsford maintains that there are
two theories of religion, one imperialis-
tic, the other democratic. The first
maintains that religion is supernatural
and must be guarded by supernatural
means. The latter maintains that IN
spite of all the errors of man the human
soul is still the cradle of the Lord. The
Outlook says that knowledge of nature
is as authoritative a revelation OF one as
pect of the Divine personality as the
Bible is of another aspect.
These ideas in one form or another
nave been afioat in the world from
earliest times, but they never assumed
such proportions as today. Again there
is in some localities an agitation against
the Catholic church as menace to So
ciety. The agitators forget to look their
own dooryard over and see the fallen
men in their own ranks. At recent re-
ordination of a pastor who had fallen
and became an outcast and then repent
ed and been readmitted as pastor of the
same church over which he had former
lv been pastor, a member arose and said:
eve all go astray at times; thank God
we do not all go astray at once. The
idea of charity has floated through the
social atmosphere during all the CEN
turtles. Many ideas set afloat in those
early ages will continue to gain momen-
tum to the end of time.
The subject of dancing is receiving
considerable attention. A Sunday school
teacher will say she can dance without
injury A young man will take his girl
to the dance because she wishes to go
and then he will spend his time at lee
ture until time to take the girl home.
When asked why he did not learn to
dance, he replied he was not sure that it
was right. 1t is interesting to watch
the outcome of these ideas.
Senator Miller illustrated this effect of
an idea in his own way. AS could not
reproduce his illustrations | have given
my own. 1t is in our power to cultivate
the good or bad, and therefore we may
rise or fall as we choose. Col. Hofer,
one of the trustees of this Normal school,
one very forcibly with the idea
that his wishes concerning this institu-
ton are that these future teachers OF
Oregon learn the practical side Of life.
He considers it more important to know
how to do things than to be able to
theorize IN regard to them. He gave
several illustrations of young men who
had gone into the industries without
even a High school education and had
gone to the top. If the whole vigor of
the intellect is given to some one indus
try. the scientific details of the business
may be attended to by some smaller
mind skilled in books. Business manage
ment requires more skill than clerical
work. He said the high cost of living
was largely the fault of the individual,
and gave illustrations. Cabbage may be
bought by the hundred weight and made
into sour crout or bought by the single
head at much higher figure. A barrel
of flour may be bought for 81 and made
into $50 loaves of bread and sold at five
cents per loaf. A suit of clothes costs
more than four times as much as the
cloth out of which it is made. He adj
vises the schools to teach how to make
hroo1 nd