Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-22
An Ideal World.

New York Journal OF Commercial
We heard a shrowd old lady in Connecti-
emf many wears ago declare that you can
finish a sentence as you like when you De-
Gin it with an 'if'.n and few who have not
made a careful examination OF the subject
ere aware how much of human speech may
he brought within the rule. Nearly
all the failures, the dlsappointments'
and the so-called mischances OF lie
are described after this initial word.
II he had been born amid different
surroundings. if he had been subject IN
ms youth to better influences, If his father
or his mother had not met with a certain
misfortune, if he had not been the victim
of a severe disease that took away large
portion of his vitality, II he had been care
fnlly schooled and properly trained, If he
had been wisely guided III the choice OF a
yocation-in short, If he had not met with
some grave obstacle other than one OF his
own making. and if he had only had half
the chance that many another had, the
sneaker (and his name IS Legion would
have made "a grand success Off
Every patentee begins the story OF MS
disappointed hopes with the two significant
letters. Every corporation that held out
such visions of fortune to its bewltched
stockholders would have made large divI-
dends If some unexpected trouble had not
interyened. And few are willing to put
this little word at the head OF the right
paragraph. II Is called 10y our gram
marlans conjunction, but II started
out III the old Anglo-SaXon as verb
transitive. OF. ss II stood. was the i'm
perative of the verb gUdn, to give. IL
thou wilt is only another way OF saying
give the fact" or grant the fact that
thou wilt; and thus our if" hasa strong
parentage. But the following il has is not
always (perhaps is SELDOM the heritage OF
truth. We witnessed struggle the other
day on the Parkway between two horse
men, each urging a fleet trotter 10
outspeed the other. One fell behind
in spite OF his most earnest efforts,
and when the other at last waited
for him. and they fell into conversation
about the race, the defeated over used the
Ifs" profusely. If his horse had not
made misstep he would not have broken
his gait, and II the check-llne had been a
little shorter and the traces "A tritie longer,
and the girth buckled little easier, and
If he had started HIM at first little more
| moderately be felt sure he would have
won in the struggle The other intimated
that he had omitted one thing 10 make the
statement tally with the veritles. land If
the horse had been little faster"
This IL the common crror--the one real
cause of life's failures is not often in
Guided after the If " that is used TO ex-
plain it. Our reason for treating Of this
theme may be found in communication
elsewhere published in comment upon
statement made by us i'll recent
editorial. We described the crowd of
applicants IN the city for every va
cant place. and the writer has his
theory of the reasen why so many hands are
idle. 1t is all due to the maladiustment
OF society that any persons are out OF
service. These unemployed people are
the victims of social injustice" IL they
had their rights Il they were not slaves to e
bondage, II they were only allowed equal
privileges with their more fortunate fei-
laws, instead Of hungering for bread they