Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-03-08
The Disease Of Nations
81 4 81 Gootn,, Osnabrock N D.

The above was the theme Of an Illinois banker, Id
an address before the Academy of Science 4ssof the
Twin cities, early in December of 1913. He took
the position that all the great nations OF history
had risen as agricultural nations; had ~fo.urtshed
and dominated for q. time as great commercial ones,
then caught the '..diseasc Of nations, i w A. ssapped
their vitality and resulted in their decay Or down.
fall. This disease he SAID was IN every case aAleLNle'
cadence of agriculture. and that this country was
already infected with that disease; but that 1t wouid
quickly and certainly be cradicated ny the modern
one-and- only remedy Of education of the farmer and
the taking to him Of the benefits and advantages OF
education.
This gentle,nan's finding about the rise AMI fall
of nations is quite correct and in accordancc with
the teachings. Of history; but his conclusions regard
ing tho nature of the disease and his prescribed
remedy for that disease which he very correctly
says this country is already infected with. Is not
founded upon historical facts, past Or present, nor
upon the teachings OF common sense. And yet, 1t
is absolutely true that in every case. OF. the decay
or downfall of a nation its agricultural pursuits had
frst fallen into decay. But it is also clearly: indicat-
led by history's teachings that this %decadence Of az
.riculture was in turn preceded by its votaries hav-
ing been forced Into some form of slavery by others
within the government itself. A form Of, slavery
which forced the Iller Of the soil to give mp to others,
without due and list recompcnse therefor, the wealth
which he produced.
Human nature always has, and ever will decree,
that under SUCH circumstances q man either deserts
that calling IL he can. or he plods along sflorn of
those essentials known as heart and courage, which
are far more necessary to a man for& sslccessfuliy
waging the battle Of life and Of industry than is
the ever increasing mass of nOn.essential aud, in
many cases worse than useless stun, that is now
c~atalogued under the heading Of education.
Whenever any man. set of men, or any govern
ment, wantOnly takes from the farmer his loaf of
bread and tossessit to the dogs OF war. tho dogs *of
education and pu1lic aud governmental institutions,
or: the dogs OF high finance and low; finances, and
offers him a poisonous stick Of candy Gated educa-
ton, or any other # comparatively worthless, un-
called for or insulting thing instead; he; they, or, it,
is simply playing with$%ifre@.il its most dangerous
form; and history plainly tells us wllataustally re-
suits from toying with that variety Of fire.
The Aleuts who, inlabit that island peninsula
which carries the American continent stbos Its western
most point were a highly prosperous and contented
rpeople before thA, coming Of the white maaltD their
shores. They were a nation in. themselves. with
"a civilization laws customs, works of art, etc, Of
their own. Being, small and weak numerically, they,
Sas usual in such cases were appropriated by the
white man who Immediately, began to despoils then
.ofs their once bolnteous sources Of production and
prosperity, offering IN return, education. Those Of
Sthenl who accepted the substitute became thereby
unhtted for the old employment or order Of things,
and there being no field for their new accomplish
tEh.H&. #l LggUE& FEF&I'L a8tF#.#E Nf= #E~MWI&"tNE