The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-07-14


Sept. 3S-Review. Service of Song; Mission.
airy, Temperance or other Lesson selected by
the school,
QuARRELSOME PEOPLE.
One Of the Most Fruitful Causes of FAIL
ure in the Lives Of Individuals and Of So
{ciety-A Question for Evolutionists-An
Old story and Wise Example.
The facility humanity displays IN get
ting into quarrels needs the attention
of evolutionists. OF course this quar-
relsome trait has been developed
every thing has been developed-from
nothing to speak of; but it is cardinal
rule of evolution that trait is devel-
oped because it promotes the well-being
of the plant or animal to which it be-
longs. But, pray, how has quarrel
someness ever promoted the welfare of
anybody 1t is one of the most fruit
full causes of failure in the lives of indi-
viduals and of society. On nearly
every buried city one may write: '.Dc-
stfSyed by quarrelsomeness." An old
farmer when asked the reason why an
American town had declined in few
years from 10000 to 1900 inhabitants,
replied: "Too much fighting and not
enough working" A quarrelsome
man never yet succeeded in any proper
| sense of the term, and when COM
munity gets fighting citizens it is good
policy to hire them to emigrate. Quar-
relsomeness is certainly case of the
survival of the unfittest. OF course
there are cunning people who can
make gain out of setting dogs or men
by the ears; but that proves that facil-
ity in getting into quarrels is trait ad-
vantageous to some other persons who
are free from it. AS though a bird had
bright-colored plumage that the hunter
might easily see it, even at midnight.
| We fear evolution will have to give up
! this bad trait as ian accident" that is
to say. as result of the fall of man.
There is an old story of two great
shepherds whose herdsmen quarreled.
Did the chiefs go to fighting, too? No;
one said to the other: ''There is room
enough; 60 you to the right, and will
| 60 to the left; or go you to the left,
and l will go to the right" This
method OF settling it is always open at
the beginning of a quarrel. The origi-
nal authors of quarrel can usually be
separated by somebody; and if good
common sense ruled human conduct,
the separation would be effected in
some such fair way as Abraham en-
ploycd to separate the herdsmen of
himself and Lot; but here poor human
nature puts in an appearance. Men
like to see fight. Not more than
fifty-one men in one hundred will try
to separate two dogs when these ami
mails are at each others throats. A
cynic ut our elbow amends by growl-
ing: "Not one in one hundred; throw
oil the odd fifty" 1t is strange, but it
is true. that man disposed to quarrel
rub his ears and cry: .Sic 'em," as
boys do with angry dogs. The chance
to see the fight. the passion for that
form of amusement. gives the quarrel
some man abundance of support. In
fact, q certain backing the poor man
has will not let him retire from the
conflict. 1t insists upon its right to
the exhibition, and forces the fighting
by suggesting that ''nobody but a
coward would back out" 1t
is strange kind of amuse-
ment, verify, but we all know
people whom it delights. There is a
quaint old argument for bull-fghts,
originally made, we believe, by a
Spanish priest, to the effect that ''dumb
beasts do at least half the fighting in
these 'sports,' whereas, in more
squeamish countries men do it all. ="
There might be an apology for dog
fights, if experience showed that they
diminished man-fights.
The curious explorer of old novels
and chronicles and poems knows that
in all these tales there are quarrels,
and that the interest of them is found
in the feuds, vendettas and battles OF
the two parties in such strife. The
close student of modern town life OBJ
serves the same facts. 1t is moro pro-
sale now, that is to say, the poet has
!. not yet FURNISHED it into glory, but it
is at bottom the same undying quarrel
someness of poor human nature. There
are neighbors who have not spoken to
each other for years, other neighbors
who wage relentless though petty
war over backyard fences. Petty.
mean, disreputable it all is to some
people; but the poor creatures in these
quarrels have long since ceased to be
sane on this subject. They live to hate
each other and get the better Of each
other. That is lost day to them
, which has no engagement of theil
contending forces. All life is drunk
up in the passion for revenge
The peaceable reader does not hal
!. believe this. Let him look round ant
! study q little, il he really cares Il
know that this "divine humanity" O
ours loves fighting better than it doe
victuals. The fact is melancholy, bu
Il IL is better to face it. -
81 There is no help for II but in tn
1 grace Of God. We have written will
perhaps too little sebricty; but folly
h hest exposed by making II ridiculous
and there b nothing more ridiculou