Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-01-25
IDLENESS,

ii has passed into proverb that "au
idle brain is the devils own workshop ~
Yet idleness is mere popular than any
other state of man. Put it to vote, and
the minority against it would hardly be
wHth counting. 1t is the object Of nearly
every mans and woman's and ehild's de-
sire. 1t seems to be the ideal of happy
living on earth and of eternal blessedness
la tie sky. The want to be an angel is
generally inspired by the hope of having
very little to do in proportion to the flying
about
Mankind act as if they were not born to
work, but were cursed to work. They
seem to have overlooked the fact that it
was only the natural law of labor that
was laid down to Adam, after all-namely,
tnat he must earn his apples, not steal
them. But their forfeiture of the sup
posed idleness of Eden is especially held
a q grudge against our first parents to
this day. Work is looked upon as an in
heritance of sin; and idleness is the old
dream of innocence and happiness.
In vain the philosophers insist that Ia
bor is mans highest good; that idleness is
not only want and wretchedness but also
disgust and death. In vain the poet sings
that "the soul is dead that slumbers." In
vain the moralist advises the sIuggard to
observe the ant and loathe himself in the
comparison. In vain the little bees habits
OF business-to-wit, buzziness-are chant
ed in the schools as examples for emula-
tion. Work is still everywhere regarded
a. hardship to be endured, not as q sat-
iGaction of the wants of our nature.
We all applaud work, however. Honest
labor commands our admiration-provided
somebody else will perform it. We recog-
nize that the world could not 90 on with
ort it. Push on the world, ye noble sons
OF toll. We honor you-and do not wish
to rob you of any Of your honor by our in
tsrterence.
That is the way labor is respectable. 1t
is respected, but not loved But idleness
is loved, and in many cases respected. A
man with q hundred thousand dollars or |
upwards-whether got by speculation, by |!
II heritance, or by marriages. regarded |
rs entitled to respect in idleness; and the
lore upwards it is the more entitled is he. |
The sons and daughters of such are sup
posed to have, by virtue of the mysterious
Operation of birthright sort of mort
Rage on the labor of other sons and
daughters around them, and thus a most
kind of lien OF laziness on the
ucighborhood, so to speak. Such sons
ounge round hotels in fashionable tailor
Hg, 60 fishing and hunting, gallant the
irls-while men work Such daughters
'ress (dress made by other daughters),
:, ad novels, make and receive calls firt
\ tn idle gentlemen-while women work.
This stamp of idleness is looked upon
y the workers as the highest privilege of
roperty, most of whom meanly envy it
nd long for it, while it is considered by
he idlers themselves as the highest style
life known to man, and as absolutely
ecessary to the preservation of Society.
here could be no Society, "ye knaw, my
eah iellah," if there were not a class
ithout anything to do but to devote
lemselves to keeping it up.
This Society with the large s. consists
.ainly OF the idlers themselves. Very Y
lrely any Of the observation-disclosures .
+ brain-workers-are admitted into it I
he hand-workers are too common and 7
le brain-workers too uncommon for such
ltercourse. And the question is whether
lis Society is worth keeping up-whether
pays for its keeping.
No; society of idlers in democratic 4
republican commonwealth 4
can show no good reason for being. 1t c
contrary to public policy. 1t tends to e
rivate immortality and public corruption. .