The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-04-22

vent their discussion here, suffice it
is to say in summary. Where ever
the call of war or dangerous adven-
ture has been heard, the hot rash
blood that longed for the thrill of
danger have been the first to fill the
ranks, and thru disease, thru captiv-
ity and death have contributed little
to blood of posterity while the peace
able have escaped the slaughter.
Whether the untold millions of
young virilant minds and hot blood
that have been sacrificed has been a
biological necessity and great good
as maintained by some or whether
it has been world catastrophe as
maintained by others. it is neither
the purpose of the writer to affirm
or deny. But most undoubtedly the
world is more peaceable, less pug
uacious, more plant, less naughty,
more cautious, less original more al
truistic, less egotistic than otier-
wise might of been.
That ardent zeal, the passionate
enthusiasm which characterized the
early Christian converts and the
sublime and perfect confidence with
which they meet the most terrible
martyrdom, contrasts badly with
the half hearted and almost reluct-
ant devotion of to-day; not alone ls
the insignia of intellectual and moral
suezerainty here seen, but in the
absence of any really great minds
as we'll. 1t would, nevertheless, be
unsafe to pass judgment without
due regrad to the change in temper
ament that this discipline has pro-
duced.
Again: society in conformity with
the dictates of long established GUS
tom has immured itself behind a
wall of civilization beyond which it
may not depart. and with prccrustean
rigidity it has sought to reduce those
elements Of discord and dissent to
the homogenesis monotony OF the
whole. The prison population thru
out the civilized world and the
ruined and childless homes that that
population entolls is mute yet elo-
queut testimony of the relentless
selection thru civilization.
The bloody arena, the rack, the
fagot and the bull-fght are institu-
tions which are passed or passing,
they shock and disgust the moral
sensibilities of today-but can we
say we are superior morally to those
who witnessed them? This greater
kindness, one to another, which is
everywhere manifest, this spirit of
Fraternity and brotherly lovewbich we
are apt to translate into moral bet
terness". is but a change and has
been joined only at the sacrifice of
certain virile virtues and innate tai
ent.
Is the sense of honour today high
er than ever before? Is honour
Americanus higher than that Roman
honour which would deliver over to
an enemy one who offered assistance
thru treachery? The exalted position
and refining influence of women in
the home, has perhaps. exerted more
potent influence on the worlds NOR
ais than any other agency. But we
could hardly state that the women
of today are held in greater regard
than those of the 18th century. The
spirit of chivalry is giving way to
clumsy commercial equality.
In the sweet and Holy institution
of homogeneous love held more sac
red and inviolate than ever before:
We turn the Medusa frown upon
polygamy, but wherever the divorce
court rears its shiny head the sane
tity of that Holy covenant is shatter-
ed and the more nefarious polyandry
stalks unshamed.
Our sensibilities in some things may
be finer, but in others it is equally GER
tain they are less acute. Certainly
ua have chanUad. wa aro kipd1ior