Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-12-07

tastes, great learning and much expert
ence of mankind, is only an extremely
agreeable and cultivated shirk. He es-
teens the strifes, the parties, the compli-
cations of society to be merely provincial,
narrow and petty, and he gracefully
touches his hat and straightway forgets
them. 1t is far more pleasant to live upon
the outside of society. One breathes
more freely where there is no dust He
who has nothing at stake is released from
anxiety. 1t is not always pleasant TO be
obliged to live in community and take
the responsibility for its prosperity, virtue
and happiness. Therefore the shirk
packs his trunk when the strife or the
burden becomes oppressive. Taking his
way, with leisurely progress, to whatever
place pleases his fancy. he takes the good
things which other men provide. enjoys
the advantages which they toll for, and
in all lands gets the best of life, giving
nothing in return, excepting such sums of
money as may be required to liquidate
his bills.
One may run away from his response
bilities, however, without leaving his
home. As there were students who heard
and saw nothing of the horrors of the
French Revolution, so there may be those
who in the pursuit of knowledge forget
all the troubles of humanity. They get
knowledge and keep it. Their pursuit is
harmless; it may also be useless. Learn
ing which does not spend itself in giving
light to the world is the possession of a
shirk who acquires selfishly and gives
grudgingly, because the getting is easy,
and the giving may involve hardship
One avoids many difficulties by refus-
ing to take sides on questions which near
ly concern the welfare of the community.
Often questions of great practical moment
can only be settled by those who shall &C
quire the truth with difficulty, and pro-
claim it at risk. No progress can be
made or held in social life, in religion or
in politics, except by the expenditure of
the choicest energies of human life. The
processes may be disagreeable. The COM
pany one finds IN the dust of the contrO-
versy or the work of reform may be far
from acceptable. But all the work of the
world is done by those who accept such
unpleasant necessities.
We do not mean to wage war against
those who seek to fortify themselves IN ell
egant and scholarly leisure. For the best
things are to come out of such oppOrtuni-
ties as such leisure affords. But he who
uses it as under bonds to his honor and his
Der of society, will find excitements and
inspirations enough to make even the
still air of delightful studies very brac-
ing to the intellect and stimulating to the
conscience. Great and difficult questions
will come to him demanding considera-
ton for the benefit of the world. He will
be compelled to choose between using his
leisure for his private qualification or for
the general welfare.
There are many unsolved, but most
momentous, problems connected with the
social, moral and political life of Ameri-
cans, which require all the genius, schol-
arship, wisdom and perseverance which
can be commanded by our most favored
citizens. To ignore such questions, 10
slip away from the hour of struggle, to
despise the contention which they excite,
to scorn the zeal which is enlisted for their
solution is net to become cosmopolitan,
superior to the local virtues of the patriot
and the citizen it is simply to become a
shirk.-Chrastaan Register