The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-12-07


out deterioration. Thus, under any
circumstances, famine, war or pesti-
lence was provided against. The
Spaniards who conquered the country
swept away this paternal system.
Their report indicates that for hun
dreds Of years want and suffering had
been unknown in the Peruvian king
dom. 1t seems. however, that there
had been little or no progress for a
long period in education, art, inven
ton or otherwise. Paternal govern
ment, comfortable and happy though
it was, seemed to have landed in
practical stagnation. Perhaps they
were SO comfortable and so happy
that they had no occasion to wish
for change or progress.
Referring to the ruling class again
1t seems that they made very pro-
digal use of the labor of others for
their own somewhat selfish purposes.
hundreds of miles from the sea, de-
sired fresh fish for his daily meal he
would establish relay runners from
the coast to his home. Fish would
be caught and handed to an athle-
tic individual on the shore. This man
would start at top speed for the in
terror. At the end of mile he would
find another runner ready to take the
products of the sea from his exhaust
ed hands, for Peruvian aristrocrat.
An arrangement of this kind nova
days would call for Congressional
investigation. 1t is probable that
not be permitted.
In all our reasonings as to living
conditions in Somerset County and
civilization throughout the world we
ought to start out with certain fired
principles. One of them is chat compe-
tition or rivalry is as old as the first
living thing, and seemingly almost as
persistent as the law of grayitation
1t was present when the first two
seeds sprouted in the Paleozoic mud
millions of years ago. They pro-
ceeded to send out roots competing
with each other for nQurishment and
perhaps to send up projecting or
floating branches to compete for mois-
ture, air and sunshine. The stur-
diest of the two elbowed the other out
of the way and got the greater sup
ply. It's seeds thereby inherited a
predominence which would in turn
give them the advantage over other
seeds in like circumstances This
same competition for the elements of
growth is present in all vegetation
to the present day. We recognize |
1t in many useful days. An up-to-
date farmer selects his corn for next
years seed by marking the ears on
the rugged stocks, he does the same
thing in hill selection for potato
seed. In either case we attempt to
reserve seed that has demonstrated
its superiority in competition with
its neighbor.
This competition Is unrestrained so
far as the animal kingdom, other than
man, is concerned. 1t is evident in
an interesting way in litter of pigs.
One poor little fellow in about every
litter is sure to get SO much crowd |
ed out as to be stunted and become
practically worthless.
Man in something his present form
has had an existence of perhaps
100000 years. For more than nine
tenths of this period there was no
pretense of any other law than the
survival of the littest, With the ad-
vent Of religious system there grad
ually crept into the hearts of men
an idea that more humane method
should prevail. Since the time of
Moses, Budda, Confucius, and espe-I
cially since the advent of Christian
ity and Mohammedanism men have
sought diligently to do away with
this unloyable and unloyely selfish
struggle. Perhaps even now in the
midst of dire perplexities the hope
of the ultimate triumph of the gold
en- rule is more buoyant than ever be
fore. We can better aid toward that
highly desirable era of human broth
erhood by recognizing that nature
started off the other way, and un-
derstanding that our present circum-
stance, sad though it may be, repres
ents very decided gain over age
long conditions.