Year: 1870




Ideas and Modern Progress.


Europe is agitated from one end to the other
with conflicting ideas of the past and present.
| There is throughout tho length and breadth
| of that Continent an irrepressible conflict


between old ideas, privileges, dogmas and
| institutions, on one side, and the enlightened


views, general intelligence, progress and aspi-


rations of the people on the other. This is
| true, too, of the whole world to some extent
of America, Asia, Africa and Australia as well


as of Europe. But with the exception of this
great American country, Europe is far more


advanced in civilization than any other part


Of the world, and it is there mainly that the


battle between the past and present has to be
| fought out.


The American republic has passed
through the conflict to q certain point
and is far in advance of Europe.


Though it has not solved all the problems
of political and social life, and has yet


much to learn and do, it continues to march
| In the way Of progress and to lead other
nations. The American republic is the pioneer
of nations in breaking down the prejudices
and barriers of the past, and in elevating the
masses Of mankind from the political and


social degradation they have been in to inde-


pendence, equality and prosperity. In l775


the people Of this country laid the axe at the
root of monarchy and established the rrinci-
pie of self-government and political equality.


Insignificant as the new republican confedera-


ton was then, compared to the grandeur and


power ofsEuropean nations the success of the


war for independence and the principles in


volved, it was the greatest event In the history


of mankind since the commencement Of the


Christian era. Its effect upon Europe has


been very great. 1t was the leaven which,


working silently but increasingly, has per-


meated the mass of European society. That


great political and social upheaval, the first


French Revolution, received its impulse from


the American republic, as, in fact, have most


Of the other revolutions and reforms in Europe


since. In the war of 1912 we established


the principle of commercial independence


and equality. The assumption, brute force


and domination of maritime Powers had


to yield to the principle of freedom and


equal rights on the seas. In this case, too,
the United States battled for the rights of man.


kind and laid the solid foundation for the inde-
pendence and equality of nations. Our great
| civil war that ended in 1865 gave the death
blow to domestic slavery. After bringing the
| negro race for the first time in history within
the pale Of civilization through the process of
| domestic servitude under superior race, we
have given them equal political rights and an
equal chance in the race of life with ourselves.


Indeed, we have solemnly proclaimed equality
Of rights to all races and conditions of man


kind. We have no hereditary governors or
masters and no privileged classes or orders.
Thus, as was said, this republic has passed
| through the first and most important stages of
the political and social contest of modern
times. Europe has entered upon the struggle
| and is in the midst of it. We have led the


way, and now from our advanced position look
down as hopeful spectators upon tho conflict


in the Old World.


| Burns happily expressed in one Of his
poems the sentiment (which underlies all the
political and social movements of the age when
| he said "a mans man for a. that" The


revolutions, agitations and combinations
of the people have for their object
the emancipation of the masses from political
degradation and exclusion, and from social
| misery. Until within a recent period the mass
of the people in nearly all the countries of


Europe have been in political slavery. The


laws have been made by few composing a
privileged class. The people heye had no


voice in making or executing them. The
people were but the slaves of the aristocracies


or oligarchies, and in some cases Of single


despot. If they were governed wisely or with


moderation that was an accident, and was


only because the rulers found it safe or to their
| own interest to govern so. Centuries of such
] despotism and exclusion from political rights
stepped the people in ignorance and degrada-
| ton. Yet there was no law, moral, philosophi-
cal or divine, which justified the political
| slavery of the bulk of mankind to few who


had usurped the privilege of governing. The
consequences Of this state of things are seen
! in the stupendous debts, overwhelming taxa
! ton, enormous standing armies feeding upon
the industry of the people, the extravaganza
of governments, the sacrifice of millions of


lives on battle fields to sustain the dynasties or
their ambition and the fever of excitement
among rival nations that is kept up. In fact,
the masses of the people have been ignored


until lately as if they were herd of cattle,
to be used or slaughtered at the pleasure of
their masters.


The press, the telegraph, railroads, steam
power and other wonderful inventions of the
age are rapidly changing all this. Intelligence
is difused now with lightning speed. 1t pen-


etrates the remotest villages and settlements.
The people everywhere are becoming educated