Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-11-11
AMERICANS A NERVOUS PEOPLE.
Causes Which Account for Such a Con
dition of Thinps-Our Pleasures

Causes Which Account for Such a Con-
dition of Things-Our Pleasures.
Disguise it as we may, the conviction is
forced upon US that we are a nervous people.
There are many causes which may account
for this. The constant change of circum-
stances, individual responsibility and irregu-
lar climate conditions are no doubt largely
responsible for this condition of things. Be-
sides this, the political atmosphere of our
government is constantly changing. In lands
where the tyrant faunts in purple, where
constitutions are never altered or amended,
where the traditions bequeathed from sire to
son dominate all aspirations for anewer and
better order of things. there is not much op-
portunity for the display of any qualities ex-
cept those negative ones that sap the springs
of national life and make mems spirits rest in
idleness. But here, where every man, so to
speak, is law unto himself, where old forms
are constantly changing, giving place to the
new and where allegiance to parties is not
permitted to interfere with the recognized
necessity for fresh methods of government,
the pace is one which often tells and becomes
noticeable, not in a deterioration of power,
but in a waste of those vital energies which
make the exercise of that power continuous
Another trouble with us is that, as the cele
brated English wit said of his countrymen,
they took their pleasures sadly, so we take
our work seriously; especially when we are
dealing with little things put such heavy
load in our spiritual guns that when we fire
them off we are injured by the recoil. We
would aim cannon at mark which is only
worthy Of pistol shot.
The truth of the proverb that the child is
father to the man is seen In this connection
every day. The African baby has about it a
preternatural solemnity and looks at every
thing musingly and wonderingly. The Amer
lean baby, on the other hand is vociferous in
all its expressions of joy and sorrow. 1t cries
more vigorously than any other; it breaks its
toys with more enthusiasm; it kicks against
actual and ideal pricks more strenuously; and
when the man usurps its place he follows the
same fashion with adult toys. On the stock
exchange he worries because he sold out too
soon or too late; in the store he frets because
the price of merchandise has been affected by
some political struggle; in the pulpit he chafes
because his sermons are not so good as those
that he preached last year; in the study he is
worried because some other author has caught
the breeze of popular favor.
And in this constant waste of nervous force
the man is largely aided because of the char
acter of his country. 1t is big with resources,
and he is careless not only Of health but Of
money. He does not learn by experience, as
men would in some quiet and easy going COM
monwealth. The failure of to-day, instead of
giving him caution, only inspires him to the
performance of some greater deed. Andso
he draws on his reserve power, until at last,
when his mental notes have gone to protest
and he is forced to sit down and check his
balances, 1t is too late to retrace his steps, and
he falls into physical and spiritual bank
ruptcy. Not alone are men guilty of this; so
are women. They string themselves up to
concert pitch; they are superlative in every
thing; they exaggerate triaes; their streams
are raging torrents; their molehills are noun
tains, and they age and wither before their
time. The recklessness with which all tread
the paths of modern life is seen every day; it
blights the fairest hopes, it casts shadow on
the brightes landscape; and unless wisdom
and moderation come to the rescue it is GER
tain to end in Philadelphia Record.