The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-08-14
SOME SOCIAL VIEWS.

SUMh SUUlhL VlhWb'
The question of how far one should OBJ
serve the social customs that may be in
vogue during his life, or in the locality
wherein he may happen to reside, is one
that involves at once, perhaps, his physical,
his moral and his social nature. The social
system is one that is, or ought to be, adjusted
to the requirements of the surround
ings by which one has seen fit to throw him.
self amongst. Customs, fashions, styles,
etc., all change and, like the actors, they
have their entrances and their exits. What
suits apeope in one era may be entirely dis
cordant to them at another, while what may
be OF the highest advantage to one nation,
would be disasirously detrimental to another.
II is thus with their governments
and their politics; il Is thus with their
amusements, and 1t must be 80 likewise with
their social habits and customs. What is
barbsrous to esnstionality is the very ca
sence of virtue to another. The female Ar.
rapsho Indian who does the counting before
marriage 10 the embodiment OF shame to tho
refined French, English or American
lady who is accustomed to just the reverse.
Tho practice of monogamy is res
pellsnt to both the polygamist aud the pol
yganist, and vice versa. The knee-breeChes
of our continental days arc quite out of place
in the era of long pants and alraps The
big bonnet of the quiet Quaker is positively
shocking TO the girl who dotes on the little
skiss.me quick" affair that jauntily sdorns
her pretty head. The custom prevalent
among the average American boy
and girl OF sitting OF the same
table and participating in the same
conversation with the parental company in>
vited to dinner or tea, is absolutely horl-
flying to the overly PARTICULAR Partisan, who
requires that his "children shall always DO
seen and never heard" The unccen. dances
that our little ones give 10 this free country,
and their strolling arm 10 arm with their
juvenile escorts, would have aDgered to
madness or first,clss, case of craze
the squesmish GAul, only hundred years
ago. Now who shall fix the standard of
propriety in all these thingsy Who shall
say that this is right and that is wrongf
Who shall deter nine indeed the right
from the simply expedient! Some of those
things which passed for the height of wis
dom in our childhood's days arc in later life
seen to DO the merest follies
the grcssesL absurdities, the off
spring of superstition, the child
of prejudice and ignorance. Tho truth
is society is neither right nor wrong; it Is
entirely an expedient and as such il lie q trial,
compromise. Itproceeds upon the great
ei! Happiness principle, and, taking account
of the selfish or egoistic system and the al
truistic, determines the better course TO b
pursued, all things considered. II announce
that each individual shall have q
much liberty to pursue his pleasure
as consists with maintaining Xix
liberties TO pursue their ends by others. A
fast as people adapt themselves to the re
ouirements of social life, 50 fast will the do
mands for efforts ON their behalf diminish
People living in society dependent on soclel
for their support, their health, their EMO,
men,s, must mako themselves component an
aaiustible parts of the social frame work. ]
they cannot scclude themselves wi,hou
most serious II not fatal de,riment, 3
neither can they safely undertake I
sem the drift not perhsp
wholly congenial to thom. Complete abne
CATION means death, excessive abnegsio
means illness, abnegation, less excessive
means refrigeration in the social advsnC
Just so much extent. The general hsppI
ness Is 10 be achieved mainly through the DC
equate pursuit of their own happiness by III
units; so likewise Is tho happiness Of indlvid
ais to be achieved In part
their pursuit of the general happine'
These are Fundamental truths. But how
far one justified In abs,aining from or /
refusing TO countonance custom not
s.ric. accord with his idea Of righ,s This
a question TO be settled by the individual, b
the unit for himself II be decides wisely |
his es,imno, time, which rights all thing
will set him right; but If he conclude
wrongly Then tho consequences must b
ON his head. In the one c,se no glide
into tho general social harmon,
in tho oIhe, by con,ossing IL, he become
A least tho tom sorarily ossraciSed, bu. POI