Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-07-17
AurHoRITvs BEST FRUIT.
How to Acquire the HABIT of Submission to
the Voice of DUTY,

There are many different views taken
on the subject of authority, some up
holding and defending it, some guard
ing and limiting it, some denouncing
and opposing it So few are equal to
the task of welding it wisely and UNI.
selfishly; SO frequently does it run into
all manner of tyranny and oppression
that, perhaps, 1t is not to be wondered
at that some lovers of freedom, looking
solely on one side of the subject, should
feel inimical to it and desire its speedy
abrogation- Others. more sensible, see
ing how many phases of life there are
in which its presence is absolutely es-
sential to peace, order and even life it.
self. would give it place in human
affairs, while some-we hope a decreas-
ing undertook att simply as power
to be- coveted and a privilege to. be
gained Of course in authority, as in
any thing else, the abuse of it does not
justify its abolition. That is merely the
extreme swing of sentiment from which
there is always rebound before the
true balance is secured. And yet the
question is not merely one of degree
Who is to WELD it. and what are its
rightful7 limits, are important fields Of
inquiry. Between the tyranny of a
despot and the anarchy of a mob; be-
tween the selishness which uses its
power to Cypress others and the selfish
ness which casts off all allegiance,
bounds must be set which may well tax
all our wisdom and intelligence But
underlying and governing all this is the
permanent end and aim of authority.
Until this is clearly appreciated we
work in the dark. 1t has deeper sig
MITIGATION than the conduct of child.
the safety of a lunatic, the quelling Of
a riot or even the protection of society
from a criminal. These however
necessary, are isolated cases, whereas
the highest value of authority extends
to every member of the community,
and its benefits reach through life
itself. For there is no divorce as many
suppose, between freedom and author
ity. Every individual owes obedience to
something, and, of course, there can
be no obedience without authority.
Indeed. freedom, rightly understood,
imposes the most solemn obligations of
all. When no human control binds
man, he is bound with the greater stress
to obey the right, to bow 20 the author
ity of conscience, to live up=to his highest
ideal He owes many debts to others
which they can never enforce, and many
obligations which no one will claim, but
the non-fulfillment of which will bring
woe to him. One of the most responsible
| of these is searching for the right path,
testing his ideals, distinguishing be-
tween a strong desire, and a sense of
duty. No life is worthy and noble that
has no must in it-that is not ready to
bow its most cherished schemes or its
fondest wishes to the ever present au-
! Il Al
this there is, of necessity, much self
! sacrifice. much painful obedience, be-
cause of our imperfection. Were it not
for this our desire would always spring
spontaneously to the must within
! As it IS, happy are those who have the
| will and the courage to pay the cost,
whatever it may be. Emerson says:
when duty whispers low, Thou must
the youth replies, 4 cam" and in his
obedience to this authority can alone be
found true freedom. 1t will be said that
this is not like being under the author
ity of any human being, and this is true.
But how are we to acquire this habit of
| submission to the voice of duty? 1t does
not come of itself; it is growth, and
its beginnings are very far back. 1t is
for this reason, chiefly, that authority
is necessary in youth-that obedience is
one of the most essential parts of early
training. 1t is not temporary exped-
lent, used for immediate purposes. and
to be cast aside as soon as may be; it is
an enduring principle, the active en-
ployment of which is needed through
all the changes of life. The child who is
| carefully taught TO obey, first his par
entS, then his teachers, then his en-
ployerS, as the case may be: who is &C
customed to yield his deS re, to conquer
his passions. to submit to needful re-
Straint, to make sacrifices for others.
has gained power which will never
forsake him. He has learned lesson
of self-contro1 and aself-government
which could never have been his if a
mistaken Indulgence or a crude idea of
liberty had left him free to follow his
own devices.-Philadelph Ledger.
THE AMERICAN GIRL.
She Has a Vfvacity and Wit Which the
Older Civilizations Have Lost
Henry James witty sketch of Daisy
Miller, while it offended some few
Americans who did not understand il.
has helped innumerable other Ameri-
cans. who learned through his delicate
satire more than they would through a
volume of well-intentioned maxims. So
there are few, If any, sinners who COM
init the gross error of too great famili-
arity with a courier, or who walk
to the Coliseum by mo 2nlight attended
only by gentleman The sins which
American girls commit in European
eyes are the sins against the public man
ners. like loud talking and laughing in
the hotel pariors, In the sale manger
of watering place. in the casino at
Monte Carlo, in their attitude and man
ner at cafe in Paris and so on In the
matter of dress the American girl rises
to the situation at once. She is very
rarely, if ever. badly dressed Given
such an amount of prettiness as she has.
such quickness of eye and SO long a
purse, Paris dresses her ravir, and she
wears her clothes like a queen, or as
queens but seldom do. 1t is astonish-
ing. when one sees such taste in one-di-
rection, that one can see such Limitations
of taste IN the matter of manners;
but it is quite evident that some young
American girls think, if the outside of
the cup and platter is clean, it is no
matter about the inside. They neglect