The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-04-26
Useful men-The Kind the World Needs.
From the Rural New Yorker.l

From the Rural New Yorker.l
"What profession or vocation shall /
chOoseY That wherein and whereby
you can be of most use to your fellow
men. Let him who would rank highest
among his fellows learn to render them
the best service-let him make him.
self essential to them. II the object of
such q man Is fame, this course is the
surest, and the fame acquired the most
lasting. Franklin is an oft quoted ex-
ample Of . useful man and his fame
is more to be desired than that of
any of his cOtempOrary military heroes.
Morse, lying dead, has more immortal
ity than other men, just in proportion
as his usefulness has been greater. His
work has been to utilize what Others
had discovered. He harnessed the
lightnings to our messages and 1t be-
came our messenger. Scarce any man
has performed greater service, or done
more to revOlutiOnize the social rela-
tiOns Of mankind and place them upon
the basis of mutual interest, comfy
and peace. The nerves of the system
he has established reach the remotest
countries and touch of the finger,
makes all men bow with respect i'll
memory of, aud to honor q USEFUL
MAN.
We might rehearse the list of useful
men whose work ameliOrated mans
condition, and added to his happiness
and prosperity. The field for such
effort is constantly enlarging. The de-
mand for thinkers and workers never
ceases. The requirements for such
men to-day are extraordinary. No
literary, political, or professional field
presents opportunities for young men,
broader in their reach and influence,
and richer with promised harves.s,
than the fields for Scientific Investiga-
ton and Practical Application. Just as
Morse bridled and saddled electricity,
so the different physical sciences must
be harnessed, the better to supply us
with the increasing necessities of our
daily life. -.
We are passing, or have passed,
through the Era of Words, In this
country. The day for which Thought
full men have lOnged-the Day Of
Deeds seems dawning. The man of
words, with his garrulity and volubili-
ty, has lost his power; people have
lost faith in talk, and believe more
in silence and acts. We want fewer
takers, and more thinkers and doors.
We don't want the class of thinkers
Who think only Of and for themselves;
we want snch as comprehend the
Economy Of Life and of Living, and
who can furnish US more and better
facilities for enjoyment; more time
to enjoy, and at less cost of money
and vitality lin other words, men
who will teach US how, and help US,
to squeeze out of this life the highest
and best enjoy ment it is capable Of
yielding. -.
Takers tax us; workers do not. We
ask for an army of volunteers-young
men and womep-whO will not touch
. study they cannot use, any more
than they would buy horse they
could never hope to harness. The
possessor of knowledge only, that is
Is not productive, is q leech upon
society. And his only income is de-
rived from sitting down and propaga-
ting the same knowledge and pro-
ducing other leeches. Such are like
wild horses foraging in a beautiful
clover field; they are two wild to be
caught and rendered useful, but will
and do consume the food. They are
not harnessed to the plows. drills, cul-
tivatOrs, and compelled to tickle the
soil. The knowledge OF the schools
must be harnessed and trained to
work. Less school knowledge and
more observation of natural phenome-
ma, and study Of natural laws IN their re-
lation to the practical affairs of busy
people, will help to higher standard
of excellence in what we produce, and
to higher aud better types of men than
now clamor for petty offices and po-
litical poWer.