The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-04-25

How seldom do we see a man with his
mind full of subject sit quietly down and
s'think it out" IF the facts are presented
in regular succession few minds are capable
Of drawing therefrom legitimate eonclu-
sion; but still fewer are capable Of bringing
forth these facts from the depths of their
own minds and presenting them so as to
make favorable impression on the minds
of others. The natural Incidence of man
tends to make this habit of superficial
thinking more general, and just in proper
ton as he will more readily embrace error
than truth is he prone to give way to this
prevailing weakness.
One may be disposed to cavil at this
broad assertion, but single glance at the
world around will be sufficient to prove its
truth Out Of every fifty persons one will
probably do the thinking and managing for
the rest. He viii lay plans either for
pleasure or business, and the others seeing
the business Of his conclusions accept them
without inquiring whereon they are based.
Look at the political world for moment,
and see how the masses are swayed by the
eloquence of party leaders; in nearly every
case letting excited feeling take the place
Of that calmer faculty-reason. The larger
portion of the men who compose those inn
mense crowds at public speakings scarcely
ever spend ten minutes in cool reflection
upon the nice questions in political economy,
and therefore merely 90 to swell the mass,
which in turn is led by the cunning words
of willy politician. Only those who make
daily review of the status of the country
are enabled to keep an even pace with the
onward stride of the times, or are qualified
to Judge of its position. The farmer and
the mechanic, many of whom have but lit
tie means of information, are forced to ac-
cept in a greater or less degree the opinions
Of others; but what must be said of those
who have every opportunity and still never
advance a single idea as original with them
selves? These men, having sunk in the
mire their lack of energy has created, are
content to have their minds filed with
scraps of other mems ideas without ever
making even feeble attempt to advance
anything which they can proudly claim as
their own.
In recent sermon in Cincinnati, while
speaking of the press, the minister said ::
ct does the practical thinking for large
portion of our people. They are too busy
or to INDECENT to do it for themselves, so
they get man to sit up nights, state the
facts, draw the conclusions and advocate a
theory for them, do the whole up in con-
venient package and slip it under the front
door, In half an hour, while they sip
their coffee, they have not only learned ex-
actly what is going on in the world, but
exactly how they ought to think and how
they ought to feel about the mixed up
business in this great rushing world of
ours.
It is to be feared that this evil is grow
ing rapidly on the public mind. Young
men, especially, are too easily satisfied with
the appearance of things, and rarely place
a heavy tax on their reasoning powers be-
fore arriving at conclusions. The blame
of this defeat generally rests upon those
who have had the training of their minds,
though in many cases their natural propen-
sites lead them astray. However prone
men may be to shrink from physical labor,
their desire to avoid mental exertion of any
kind is much greater. How many persons
can you name who like to write letter,
even to friend, merely for the pleasure to
be derived therefrom The labor of the
mind is more exhausting in its effect on the
body, and in just the same proportion that
one is greater than the other do men avoid
its performance Something should be
done to stop this tide of shallow thinking
which is gradually overspreading the shores
of our national existence. Let those who
do think, and can fully realize the impor-
lance Of careful thought, endeavor to in
culcate these principles in the minds of the
rising generation, that the high standard
of our nationality fall not below those
lethargic students of the old world.
Nev Oxford, Pa. j. s. G.