Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-01-28

i. I agree with you that it is high
time that fitness for Office, honesty and energy be
looked to in the election of city officers more than
party standing or personal claims But 60 farther
than you do. We need something else than mere
good meaning good naturcd nobodies at the head Of
our affairs IaAd do not wish to be understood as
hsinuating that our present worthy board Of off,
GERS are anything of the kind) Honesty and good
sense, and good nature, and intellectual capacity
are all very excellent and very necessary things,
and God knows that our public men are not SO
abundantly supplied with them that we can afford
to disparage them, but these are not enough A
man may be very honest, and very intelligent and
very good meaning, and very talented, and have a
very good corporation Of his own to boot, and yet
not be fit to be member of the city corporation.
He may lack the one essential. always needed, and
seldom found qualification, the lack Of which so
often renders public councils q curse instead of
blessing. What we need now most of all things in
our city officers is force, energy, vim. We want
good honest intelligent men that have in addition
to their goodness, and honesty, and intelligence,
some snap to them-men that will put through
those things that need putting through, and let
alone those things that need letting alone. l hap
pered in ut the taxmeeting ut the Court House the
other day, and while there snarling cross grained,
bilious looking man, delivered himself of q torrent
Of illnatured growing, grumbling abuse of every
body in general, and this city and the railroad in
particular, very much in the style of bulldog
''chawing' up his adversary and splitting out the
pieces. Among heap of nonsense about soon
spiracies," prominent men managing things"
giving offices to farmers" &C., this bilious looking
man got off one or two hits by mistake. One was
his allusion to the state of streets. He said
that whenever once in long time the state of the
roads did permit farmer to bring load of produce
into town, he was sure to get mired as soon as he
reached the city limits; and if to keep his horse
from miring he got him safely out on to the side
walk, up stepped Mr.. Marshal and fined him ten
dollars for not letting his horse mire. Now there
is more truth than poetry in this charge Our
streets, when there is any mud to be had anywhere,
generally have full supply, and often become i'm
passabe, while the roads in the country are in tray
cling condition. Now this is one thing that needs
the attention Of city fathers-but not to specify
particulars, city affairs demand the services of
energetic, pushing driving men. We have heard
a ticket suggested to represent the go-ahead elc-
ment Of our community. We hope that such
ticket will take the field. 1t will be sure to be
elected and inthat event hope will little
more ife-blood infused into the veins of the body
polite of this city, aud little greater energy dis
played in the management of its interests.
ONE OF THE BOYS.
~A friend of education has handed US
the following compositions read in public school
No. of this city. The first was written by young
lady Is years of age, and the second by of 10
Our readers will acknowledge that considering the
ages of the writers, their compositions possess con-
siderable merit
We should endeavor to improve our time while
we are young, for the mind is then susceptible of
impressions that will prove to be more lasting than
any that can be made in more mature years; for
in early life we not surrounded with the cares
that future life will bring upon us. How many
there are who spend their time in idleness when
they might be engaged in study! Youth is certainly
the time for improvement and if we improve our
time now, while We have the opportunity the reco-
lections of it will afford US much more pleasure in
after life, than if we should spend it in idleness
the grave look back with regret upon an i-spent
youth, and review with sorrow the time they have
wasted, which, if rightly improved would have
qualified them to have become useful members of
society. We should take warning from their ex-
ample, and improve every moment which shall be
allotted to us, in storing our minds with valuable
knowledge.
Some think that if they do not study diligently
while they are young, they can make it up when
they grow oder. Such are greatly mistaken, for
''time once past can never be recalled" and per-
haps they may be SO engrossed with the duties
which are devoving upon them and in the pursuit
of the riches of this world that they will overlook
all other objects.
The advantages We derive from improving our
time while young far overbalancc every exertion
may have to make. We are then prepared for
every emergency into which we may be thrown, and
enabled to become useful members of the soci-
ETY. in which we move and to act with propriety our
part in the great drama Of life; and when we retire
from active employment, example may be re-
ferred to a model of goodness and excellence.
Poverty and Riches.
Who is that detected looking man standing on
the sidewalk, soliciting charity of the passersby
He is beggar. But why is he begging? Is it be-
cause he is poor? He is worse off than being
simply poor in this worlds goods, for he has just
arrived from foreign land, has friends or home
to go to in his destituton and does not know which
way to turn in the midst of that great city and,
besides, he can hardly speak our language, and SO
he has not much success But who is that making
wav uphf no 10 in
street so pompously? Oh, ask any of the passers-
by-they can tell you that he is a great man. He
is proud and wealthy. He is now going home from
the bank. The poor man steps up to him and asks
charity. Does he stop and thrust his hand into
his pocket among the coin and draw out handful
and thus draw down blessings on his head? Oh,
no-no, indeed He is blessed with wealth, and
that is all that he wants. He thrusts the away
and raises cane to strike, but some man inter-
poses, and the rich man, frowning angrily, walks
off, ascends the marble steps to his mansion, enters
and sits down to rest after the days-labo
He could not help thinking of the poor mans be-
seeching look, and was disturbed by the entrance
of servant, who said to him, "there is man down
stairs who wants something to appease his hunger"
The rich man went down, and he within
sight he saw that it was the man whom he had re-
fused that money. The poor man saw him. too, and
walked out of the yard as quick as he could. The
merchant walked up stairs again as proudly eyer,
for his angry feelings were reused. He would have
refused the man again but he had gone too quick
Do you think that the rich man enjoyed his
wealth that night? l don't think that he did, for
the pale face of the hunger pinched emgrant haunt
ed him, and he could not Danish it from his mind.