Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-02-08
American Life.

<AAhAOA ANssAA A]AAOs
II one were asked to name q charac-
teristic of American life which is very
prominent he might say it is the desire
to get something rather than to be some
thing. This desire is not by any means
confined to Americans. bit it is more
marked here than elsewhere because of
the absence Of traditions, and because
of our flexible social condition. It
constitutes special danger in view of
of the coming struggle for material adj
vantage and prosperity. It is desire
which CAP not be too seriously consid-
cred by those who are getting the ele-
ments of their education and preparing
for career. This desire, which is
more than o tendency, may be de-
scribed as disposition to get place and
rank, with little regard 10 fitness for
them. 1t reverses the natural order,
and presupposes that success in life is
not due to training and discipline so
much as it is to opportunity. Hence
our many failures OF all sorts, the d.
rect result of our eager assumption of
Office, Of business, of trades, without
adequate preparation. The ambitious
thought stirring in most young mems
minds is what career they shall choose !;
not how they shall train themselves for
o career. It is the ambition to do some
thing rather than to learn how to do
something; as we said, the eagerness to
get place rather than to train ones
self to the duties of that place. It is
unnecessary to say how opposite this is
to the method which has made the Ger
mans strong in every department of
human endeavor. The leading idea in
gymnasium and university is training
solid preparation for the chosen ca
reer.
A familiar illustration of our self
confidence without preparation is that
of the young lady who proposes to go
upon the stage with no training, and
seeks manager when she should go to
an elocutionist. It is the same in other
affairs. The young mans thoughts of
business or Of an office are not SO much
in relation to his ability to perform it
as to get into it. No doGbt all this
would be better done-frcm cabinet
making up to law.making-if people
had habit of getting ready to do
things before they began. It is worth
while to stop and think to whom it is
that we intrust the most delicate duty
performed in human society-the max
ing of our laws. OF course we know
that our laws are made by our Legisla-
turs. And who are the legislators
These Lawmakers are not the proper
result of our political System, but of
m, - ,,o1tfsoa1 N, ah;ra An1 baxn oo:,,
the young man has the precocious wis
dom Of his generation. II he deter
mines to go into politics, or to enter
the civil service of his country, he does
not prepare himself for the duties of
the one nor for the position coveted in
the other he makes himself an adept
in the manipulation of caucuses and
the securing Of the favor of those who
can help him. If he seeks Consulate
ct Naples, he does not study Italian
he " carries " his ward. Here, again.
the American is more eager to get some
thing than to be something; and yet it
should be said in respect to the civil
service that there is this excuse for the
young man: there is no other way to
get into it than that named. Our civil
service is what the English was fifteen
years ago, and it is about the most un.
democratic in the world. It is closed
to those who are not favored by the &C.
cident of political influence. The Eng
lish service until recently was almost
exclusively filed by the aristocracy !;
it was the patronage of Parliament and
the Ministry. Now, through the door
of competitive examination, it is open
to the humblest lad in the land if he
have talent, and we may be sure that the
father Of the middle class will never
surrender this privilege for his son.
Nor will the American people, when
they understand the subject, consent
that so honorable and profitable ca
reer shall be the object of patronage
and the perquisite of successful politi-
cal manipulation. They will insist that
it shall be open to the fair ambition of
those willing to fit themselves forit. 1t
will become legitimate career, like
law or medicine !; and one advantage of
opening it TO public competition-and
it is not unimportant-is the stimulus
it will give to education.
Such are some of the present aspects
of American life. The topic is fruit
full of suggestions, which we have no
space to follow, and it is useless to NOR
alize. Long ago the philosophers de-
cided that it is important what man is,
not what he has. It was an apothegm
of Scion that Safety is generated by
wealth, and insolence by safety )" and,
again, that members of O community
are more effectively deferred from in.
justice il those who are not injured
feel as much indignation as .Aose who
are" Or, to put this in modern
phrases, we see the danger of national
habit that estimates success by posses
sion, and not by character, and nurses
the delusion of equality without SYM
pathy between lasses.-Charies Dudly
Warner, in Atlantic .Moathly.
Henry 8. King, who died lately in
London, was for many years o member
of the eminent firm of Smith, Elder &
Co. This house, as is well known.
were Thackeray's English publishers,