9
general course of existence has worn its
tracks , which are followed without
reference to opinions ; the special tarns
are brought about by causes which act
dliko on all. There are certain bits or bodies - :
ios of knowledge and opinion , of which
these members generally partake ; their
schooling , their Revolutionary history ,
their memories of the Great War , their
local traditions or experiences , their
special institutionstheir principal news
papers , their leading men , their relation
with the time and its events. These ,
bearing on their state of thought , give
\f' \ { certain directions to it , as the stream
does to the mosses floating in its course ,
which are not controlled by other
mosses , individual or collective.
"It is certainly not maintained , that
men are never influenced by the opin
ions of other men , especially in mass.
We have the perfect ideal of public
opinion-as it seems to be usually con
ceived , in the phenomenon of the Mob.
There a man , who had been thinking
nothing in particular about a certain
matter , falling in with a number of men
who are thinking actively about it in
.a certain way , at once adopts their
thinking and their acting. Other col
lections of people , in proportion as they
approach the character of the mob , ex
hibit the like effect of a public opinion.
The political gathering , the religious
meeting other than in regular routine ,
the wave of interest or excitement ris
ing from any new occurrence , anything
that affects the many of a given locality
with a kindred emotion , in the ratio
of that emotion to the knowledge and
reflection accompanying , will exert
such a force. The nature and the value
of this influence may be indicated by
the fact that we instinctively honor a
man as he resists it. The man who
stands before a hostile mob unquailing ,
who preserves his independence of
' } thought and action under conscience
1 and reason , church or party , or any
common cry to the contrary notwith
standing , is the man we respect. Curi
ously , the form in which it now acts
with the.nibst permanent intensity , that
of political partisanship-divides each
community on an average , into two
authorities , with mandates directly
opposite. Our best approval is reserved
; [ ) . for him who does not accept either of
them too implicitly !
"How are we actually guided , in our
proceeding through the world ? We
rise in the morning ; then we dress.
"Triumphant proof of the power of
public opinion' , " we may hear : that "we
dress at all , when it might bo more
agreeable of a hot day to go without ,
and then that we dress as we do , which
is largely determined by custom , a form
of the same. Yet if we look for the
actual motor , we would commonly find
no trace of such opinion , but only the
road or stream of habit , come from the
M past much more than the present , and
from no origin of opinion , but of use
and convenience. Habit indeed is dress ,
and custom costume. No' doubt if a
man were to go forth without clothing
he would soon encounter a constraint
of general disapprobation ; as he would
if ho went forth with a pail of dirt and
cast it upon every one he met ; but it is
not that consciousness in the first place
which hinders either. No doubt like
wise there is a sway of fashion in the
matter , as apart from extremes and
fantasiesthere should be , taking care of
the whole visible man-from the skin
outwards better than ho could by his
individual decision of each' point , and
leaving him the freer to his own proper
life. 'He then takes his meal ; which
in many of its particulars also follows
custom , but not in its main causation.
He goes to his occupation ; this too is
appointed for him , by a compromise be
tween his own election : and the whole
complex of' the world around him ; iii
which opinion has very little .positive
share , though it sometimes acts as a
preventive. He cultivates his various
side-interests , home-interests , aims of
inward aspiration ; which of them is de
termined by the collective opinion of
his neighbors ? Where does such an
opinion come in , among the factors of
his life ? Where , in fact , does it exist ?
The public consists entirely of individ
uals ; it is difficult to addtheir , opinions.
Personal opinion and its influence , is
quite another matter ; one traveller .may
powerfully lead another : the crowd can
only jostle him. In the lighter things
of life , society of the idler kind and the
like , of course there is more reference to
such a conception of a general opinion ;
as we get to the more serious things ,
less and less.
"What a fearful power do these com
mon people wield , " says the disciple to
imprisoned Socrates , awaiting his doom
at the mouth of. popular clamor. "I
would they did , " answers the 'saint of
sages , "so they might at least once in a
while exert it for-good. But now I see
little that they can dp , either for good
or evil. " ' . . "
We find that there , are truly certain
spheres of aggregate impression , more
or' less predominantly impulsive and
blind , to which men are subjected ,
rather inversely to their manhood ; that
where such impression governs a man's
actions , the control is somewhat ille
gitimate ; that when wo search it.as a
source of power , or factor of our own
existence , it is apt to vanish , softly and
suddenly , from our sight ; for the Suark
is a Boojum , we see.
DEVELOPMENT OP KANSAS WATER
RESOURCES.
A new light is thrown on Kansas as
a water power state by a recent re ;
port of the U. S. Geological Survey ,
which gives a number of interesting
figures regarding the use and value of
the Kansas' streams for water power
and supply. The Geological' ; s.mryy
has for ; several yoars.-.beeu. c.0ndac.tijig
measurements- -flow on these rivers-
and. has secured information. , regarding
their water'supply which-jw.ill.be : of.
value to- engineers- manufacturers/-
The measurements also show ; the w ido
extremes of flow common , to str.eam.s
of this section of the country between
the summer and winter months , " and
indicate the proportion of time .iu
which auxiliary steam powo.r. must , b.d
used.
Gagingstations are maintained.on
the Arkansas , in a number of. places ,
the Yerdigris , the Neosho , Republi *
can- Solomon , . Saline , Smoky Hill1 ,
Blue and Kansas rivers , where _ daily
observations are made , . - , _ v - ; . : . .
Besides , its- study of the rivers-of
the state , = the Geological'S.urvoy is
matcinga thorough.-investigation into
the possibility of securing , : an. under
ground water - supply which - can .be
reached.by- wells , and which -if .dis
covered will be of the greatest- value ,
especially on.tho. . . high plains in .the
western part of .the state. It is doubtr
ful if any state has. a richer soilor
laud which can bo.-more'readily culti
vated than Kansas , and with an abun
dance of water for crops and stock , set
tlement and development will be rapid -
id in the western section whiohf'OU
account of its present lack of water-
cannot be fully utilized. - . . -
\ The value of windmills as a means
of increasing the .water supply of the
state , by making use. of the prevalent
strong and steady winds , has also at
tracted the attention of the Survey
and an interesting report on their va
rieties , and uses has been issued. :
STOPS THE COUGH AND WORKS .OFF
THE COLD.
Laxative Bromo- Quinine Tablets cure
a cold in one day. No Cure , no Pay , "
Price ,35. cents.
STATEMENT-.OF THE CONDITION
Nebraska , City'.National .Bani ; , ;
- -'NEBRASKA CITY , NEB. , * ; .
. at the close of business , December 10,1001"
RESOURCES.
Loans. . $834,629.04
Overdrafts 67.14
U. 8 Bonds and premium . : . 103,000.00
Other bonds and securities . " . 10,034.01
Bank arid other real estate 11,240.00
Cash. Sight Exchange and DUB from Tress.
0. Sr . . . . . . . . 126.109.45
Total. . ' . , . $591,0Q24 ;
'
LIABILITIES. ; ; ; "
Capital : " . $100,000.00
Surplus and profits - . . -16,700.09
Circulation lOO.OOO.OQ
Deposits 376,270.18
Total. . , , . . $5 91,970.24
" '
'
, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS : !
W. L. WILSON , Pros. ROBT. LoniONV. , Pros. .
H. D. WILSONCashier. , ' '
ROUT. PAYNE. " ' A. P ; BTAOTORD :
