Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-04-24
FIND A WAY OR MAKE ONE.

History is a unit in its record that
the rise Of all successful people or
nations Of the past was preceded by
the acquisition off firm footing upon
the soil This is in conformity to
that fundamental and universal law
which requires that all substantial
buildings shall rest upon firm, or
solid basis Land is, as essential to
mans existence and progress as air
and water, and individual owner
ship Of at least reasonable portion
under a government that legalizes
and protects such, is absolutely es-
sential to proper independence.
Another fact of scarcely less sig
nificance, as eyinced by history, is,
that the qualities, hardness, physi-
cal energy and endurance to ali PEG
pie in n primitive, obscure and de-
pendent condition, struggling up
ward against the discouragements
and obstacles lying along and in the
way of progress in wealth and indie
pendence, have been of inestimable
worth Caesar, in accounting his
wars with the Gauls, explains his
wonderful success as due, in u very
considerable part, to the fact that
he kept his men carefully away from
the etieminating influences Of city
life. The Greeks were so alive to
the merits of these qualities that ath-
letic exercises were made compulso
ry as a means of developing, stimu-
lating and preserving them In
tryth, the law evolved by human
progress, as shown by careful CLASH
fication of the facts bearing upon it
4 is, that the hope or success of a peo-
pie is greatly in jeopardy whenever
they are becoming or in danger of
becoming eifeminated, and conse-
quently irresolute, more rapidly
than they are acquiring the means
necessary to support such q condi-
ton. Country life is very impor-
tant antidote against such degenera-
cy, while city life tends to foster
and to hasten its growth. There
fore, the assertions in the previous
article under the above caption, that
the characteristic preference of the
race for town and city life is unpre-
pitious, and that the yielding to the
inordinancy of this preference, as ex
hibited by scores of thousands in
making choice of such as homes, and
in remaining there, dragging out g
mere existence, long after experience
has proven the impracticability of re
ahzing anything like a respectable
living and common sense, reason
and the demands of nature have
pointed to the country as offering
much better advantages and facilities
for prosperity and usefulness than tc
live IN towns. Let us consider this
idea further: As respects the ad
vancement and amelioration resulting
from having enjoyed long the priv
leges and benefits of civilization, We
are in very proper sense but prim
tive people-poor, untutored in mind
unskilled in labor, and with small ad
vantages snch condition involves
in itself the impossibility of being
rapidly thrown off, and risen above
and necessitates that those whose
condition it is, shall possess and BIZ
characterized by the qualities; hardi
ness, resolution, physical energy anc
endurance.
Whenever, therefore, we as a race
through yielding to characteristic
preferences or otherwise, find, OF
shall find ourselves degenerating,
that is, growing weaker, or in danger
of growing weaker in our stock OF