New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-15

tbair Reaches. SearIes and Slavns, and II ma
tional pride should uphold their sportsmen's
morality to its present high level, the more we
loarn If their unknown and unbeaten heroes
the better.
SKINNER OPPORTUNITIES And DUTIES.
The vacation season is over, with its pleasures
and sorrows, its losses and its gains, and there
is now opportunity to think about 1t calmly
without the warpng influence of personal in
terest. As every blessing can be abused and
TUNED into curse, so the summer pleasurng
has Inv some been turned to unworthy ends, by
some carried to excess and by some fOolishly
employed, so that it has done harm rather than
good. That does not alter the usefulness and
wisdom of the annual rest from wearing toll.
But il suggests the need OF more sensible and
conscientious employment of vacation oppor-
tunities by men who seek relief from care, and
the need of wiser provision for them by those
who manage places of summer resort.
Three classes OF people take vacations. One
seeks pleasure for pleasures sake, which, as a
rule. ends in folly A second seeks oStenta-
tion. display. social fraud, or predatory oppOr-
tunities. But third and much larger class
seeks rest and health, wishes to make sensible
use of the relief from cares, and has learned
that Of all kinds of hunting in which the human
race engages, the hunting for amusement is
ant to be the most disappointing. 1t Is graf
living to see reason for believing that the lat
ter class is increasing each year. for 1t Is the
onlv one which makes the vacation what it
ought to be. Perhaps those whose duty it is
"a provide summer resorts would reap larger
profits in future if they would recognize the
fact that this latter class is already the largest
Of the three, and is likely to increase in
definitely.
TO get at the meat of the matter, one must
remember that this county has no large priv
LEGGED class which lives in luxury without work
or care. Nine-tenthS of the men of means are
men who work terribly hard in the manage
ment of business, and who need season of
relief. The men of leisure, whose pride it is
to do nothing for living, are not relatively
numerous i, this country and, in spite of the
gloomy views of certain political or financial
quackS are not increasing in number. Mere
capital is getting every year smaller share
of the Nations earnings, and labor with hand
or brain a larger share. The leisure class, be
il large or small, contributes relatively little
to the success Of summer resorts for those who
can occupy their own cottages, keep their own
servants and horses and provide their own
are always apt to do so. The
problem is with regard to the millions who need
TO have some provision made for them.
The real need is health. The cares of bust |
ness or Of the household wear and kill. To
fill ones place with success in the intense strain
of modern life, for any long series of years, the
strain must at times be relaxed. the mental and
nervous effort must give place to more bodily
exercise, and the man or the woman must spend
some time in recuperating health. That is the
true philosophy of the summer vacation, and
that philosophy determines its proper char
acter. The woman who goes from the cares
of household only to spend days in worry and
nights in heated dancing-rOoms misses her
chance. The man who leaves business cares
only to talk business on hotel verandas, who
eXcites the nerves still more with excessive
drinking or smoking and spends the nights |
in gambling. does his best to help business to |
kill him soon.
1t is good thing for Americans that there
is growing up, with more general and keen
enjoyment of physical sports, an almost univer-
sal desire for health and some measure OF |
physical exercise. Within the lifetime Of men |
not yet worn out the change in that direction |
has been wonderful, and it is change that
promises incalcuabe benefits to the people
70 the city man, therefore, the season OF yaca-
ton comes to be more or less consciously a
season of physical effort and recuperation The
need of the time is to provide more wisely and
more generally at all places Of summer resort
such attractions and opportunities for enjoy
able exercise and physical effort with pleas
IRE as shall at once satisfy the present wants
Of the millions, and strengthen the tendency
toward a wiser use Of the summer vacation.
The managers and the visitors need to help
ZACH other everywhere. More outdoor lives,
more active employment, more Indictment to
Measurable and harmless exercise, earlier hours
Of sleep and more physical effort to make sleep
sure and dreamleSs, less dressing and frivolity,
ess Indictment to dissipation and drinking
md gamblng-theSe are the deSiderata for
and visitors alike. The true sum- /
ner resort Of the future is to be in effect a
,antarium equipped with the best possible
facilities for outdoor activity and the recovery
If health, but with the fewest temptations to
abuse and dissipation.