The Detroit times., 1915-11-17
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The Hostility TO Change.
BY Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright, 1915. by Frank Crane)

One characteristic OF America is the
enthusiasm for change.
We not only have one political party
that styles itself Progressive, but In
every field of endeavor there is a vigor-'
Gus element that is for new methods, new
ideas, and new conditions.
In medicine the average physician
aims to be up to date, which means that
he knows the latest theories of disease,
the latest ways of treatment, and the
latest kinds Of drugs.
I'm every science the hypothesis OF
twenty years ago are already out of date.
Biology, psychology, chemistry. are an
nouncing weekly the new discoveries.
The business world is alive with mod
ern ideas. Old-fogy manufacturers rail-
ways, and banks are left behind.
Religion abounds in new sects, new
ways Of spiritual culture, new attitudes
toward human depravity. A significant
movement is called New Thought.
Besides we have the new education,
new economies, new principles of govern
ment, new programmes of international
cooperation.
When the young idealist energies from
college and looks about for the best direc-
ton i'm which 20 send forth his energies
he is usually fired with the ambition to
change something. He sees the world
is all wrong. Ancient customs are full Of
wastes and error. Old institutions sadly
need going over.
And yet, in spite of all this spirit Of
change in the air, the reformer sooner
OF later finds out that mankind does not
want change, and the world is both or
gained against il and opposed TO it with
a dull and permanent passion.
Everybody is willing to find fault with
things as they are, but when it comes to
alteration. everybody is in favor of
changing anything and anybody except
himself. Nobody grows hot over the
proposition 70 change his own ideas, his
own tastes. and his own manner of life.
Consequently when the young knight
Of progress touches his lance and charges
against things as they are, he finds him.
self attacking an almost impregnable
putty-like mass. He is apt 10 become
discouraged He usually grows sour. The
world is full of pessimists. Men wouldn't
listen TO them.
1t might be just as we'll therefore to
bear in mind that politicians don't want
politics different from what they are, re-
lgionists as a rule want old truths and
not new ones preached TO them, drinkers
don't want prohibition, lovers don't want
eugenics. the old way is good enough for
the cooks, n lot Of women don't want to
vote. the slums don't want TO be cleaned
up.
What we all want is 20 have things az
they always were The very best reason
still extant for doing thing is because
We always have done it, The Chinese
are not the only people who worship their
ancestors Do you know that Lord
Northclffe the editor of The London
TIMES, once called US THE American
Chinese?"
Dr. Albert s. Gray says that, while we
pride ourselves on our individuality, as
a matter of fact Americans cultivate
what Emerson called "the virtue in most
demand"-confoimit 1t is vastly easier
10 follow in the rut of others ideas than
10 originate ideas Of our own. "The ideal
Of the American home" he asserts. is
TO protect the developing child from hav-
ing TO assume responsibilities. Every
where the child is hedged about with
projections and deliberately trained not
to stand on his own feet"
And Sir Henry Sumner Maine, in one
Of his books, strikingIy points out the
worrl-wide hostility toward change.
"Vast populations he declares, "some
of them with a civilization considerable
but peculiar. detest that which in the
language Of the west would be called re-
form. The entire Mohammedan world
detests it. The multitudes of colored
men who swarm in the great continent
Of Africa detest it and it is detested by
the large part of mankind which we are
accusomed TO leave on one side as barbar-
Gus or savage The millions upon mil
lions of men who fill the Chinese empire
loathe it, The enormous mass of the In
dian population hates and breads change.
ITO the fact that the enthusiasm for
change is comparatively rare must be
added the fact that il is extremely mod
err. II is known but to small part Of
mankind and to that part but for a short
period during history of incalculable
length"