Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-06-27

SOCIETY.

SOCIETY.
In it's general Specification, according
to Worcester's Dictionary, Society is:
"Union Of many in one general interest;
numbers united in one interest; COM
munity; social sympathy; companionship;
fellowship; company; converse"
This article is intended to be a solemn
protest against the abuse of this general
definition of Society. This abuse has had
stalwart opponents, but they have been
too few. People in their sober senses,
admit, as matter of intuitive knowledge,
that CLOTHES do make the man," that
husbands and wives ought not to have
children, unless they intend to labor in
their interests in the fullest sense of the
term, and that the society goer fails in this
highest mission of the married state.
In these propositions, the real definition
of society is not antagonized. Friendship
is not frowned down. Occasional calls
or visits are not opposed. But the mother
who will mistreat her children, or what is
the same thing, leave them in the care of
an incompetent, careless or brutal nurse,
deserves to be deprived of the chance to
take little one in her arms, and exclaim,
my child" This feature of Society
means spoiled, uneducated and, perhaps,
vicious children. Nobody can deny this
proposition, and yet how many who read
this will be honest enough with them
selves, their families, Their neighbors-
we mean with Society-to think soberly
for q moment, mark out a new line of
action, and pursue it?
Mother with the gay dress, do we step
on on your corns? Glad we are if we do!
Father by the table at the gambling
room, we hope you are awake by this
time; or if your evening sprees are taken
at ordinary business houses or other
places you probably call harmless, just
consider us after you anyway. With
rare exceptions outside of business hours,
your place is at home with your family.
We say this because the effects of your
eternally absenting yourself from home
are just about as fruitful source of dis
order in the household as is the move
ments of Mrs. Gadabout. Time really
should be taken to group the Gadabouts,
but no attempt at this will be made
beyond giving comparison or two.
There is, for instance, the Mrs. Gadabout
in the country. She does not let the
children's buttons fall off their clothes
and remain off forever to show her good
clothes to her neighbors. She just gets
something better to eat at her neighbours
than she is willing to bother to prepare
at home. Mr.. Gadabout in the city does
not 60 to the club room or the goods
box to avoid milking half dozen or a
dozen COWS, and thus give his wife more
work than two women are able to do. He
generally goes to 'see man."
But Society, as perverted by wicked or
thoughtless people, means an additional
calamity whose mention can not be
omitted in an article of this character.
This perverted system of Society means,
ultimately, but surely, the wedding out
of the middle classes, which, after all, are
the only, really healthful forces of Ameri-
can life, from whatever standpoint the
subject may be considered. Opulence
breeds spindle-shank children and COM
paratively brainless men and women.
Few thoughtful people, the writer hereof
imagines, win question that this element
in America, If left incorporated from the
more athletic ranks of the middle classes
for one century, would present to the
world civilization which would become
the easy prey of some rival government.
Going from this class to the slum element
of the cities or to the country sandhillers,
whose very poverty hastens the breeding
of increased numbers of accursed children,
neither our business enterprises nor our
governmental fabric can hope for much
in the way of assistace. The point which
is here made is that the stalwart middle
class is generally possessed of moderate
means, high aspirations and the bulk Of the
brains in this republic, but that whenever
these people attempt to dress or parade
in any other direction in competition
with the wealthy classes, they take step
In the general line of fatality which will,
inevitably, drag very large proportion
of them down to the financial basis OF the
poverty stricken classes!
Our text is easily summed up:
Live pure lives.
Live within your income.
That you do these two things, is de-
manded by the highest considerations of
private and public interest.
GENERAL GRANTS condition remains
unchanged