The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-21

There is very large and important class
OF the community which for some reason
or other receives little attention from the
professional reformers. II is, indeed, al
most ignored even by the women's rights
advocates, aud IT is left 10 get it's rights
and redress its wrongs ~ best II eau with
out the help Of the metropolitan press. II
gratites us TO be able to say that there is,
however. one editor who does not neglect
this class Of our population, but keeps it
steadily IN mind and writes of II in way
which indicates that he Is generally familiar
with its views on such questions Us are
likely to occupy its attention.
The editor to whom we refer il, Of
course, JAY GoULD's young editor, and this
large and neglected class is the babies.
The young editor gives the babies much
advice, and seems to try to cater to their in
tellectual culture quite assiduously. Here
in he Is doubtless wise, for there is much
10 be learned from nurselings, who are
usually very simple and natural people,
interrupted by the world and un modified
by compromises with the conventions OF
society. In going along one sees many
wlse-looking men, but rarely one who
looks rs wise as some babies. A baby has
an advantage over man in the fact that
1t does not talk; and its occupations be-
yond feeding and sleeping are not nu-
merous or engrossing. Therefore it has n
great deal OF spare time for thinking and OBJ
serving. We all know that the wise listener
gains more than the ready talker, and that
when we fancy our companion to be duh
Of wit and apprehension, he may be study
ing his own thoughts, which, perchance,
are very weighty. The most useful class
OF the community is the solid thinkers,
not the loud takers The great forces of
nature are quiet.
"If they were capable Of philosophiz-
ing" remarks the young editor IN the
course OF a grave and ponderous leader,
1--WE might tell the babies that they are
not alone IN their losses and their miss es"
Now, suppose he did tell them 90, would il
make their grief over what they had lost
and their dissatisfaction at having missed
the mark any the less poignant or any tho
less bitter? Philosophy is cold comfort in
misfortune, and perhaps babies understand
that man bears other peoples sorrows
much more heroically than his own. Nor
should tho young editor expect babies to
take courage in trouble from the sugges-
ton that other people also have their suf-
ferlngs. II makes very littlo difference to
baby that tho baby in the next house
also has a pin sticking i'll 1t. Possibly II it
was informed OF the fact IL might feel
sorry for the other baby, but IL still would
demand that its own pin should be re-
moved and If il was not removed II would
rebel against its fato. All the young edi-
tors philosophizing wouldn't silence the
baby. and the baby would be right Be
sides, 1t is "A cynical view Of human nature
which ought not 10 be taught to babies, that
there can be comfort in the assurance that
other people are suffering. To q healthy
mind there can be no relief in such a
thought. Very likely babies think there
| should be no suffering in the world Nor
| should there be any nor would there be
| any if the world was what II ought to be,