Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-14
Self. Reliance of Bnrbnrisps.

One of the best things civilization coulC
do would be to keep up a constant under
study of barbarism, Be discriminating
about it, but maintain practical famili
arity with the best of barbarism. There i.
no reason in discarding everything barbaric
simply because it is barbaric. Reason leads
I'm quite the other direction. There is much
good to be said of the barbarian, or at least
of his methods.
These served the human race very effect
ively through considerable periods of
time They were methods of study and in
spring self-reliance. They were direct and
masterful methods, and gave the individual
the upper hand of nature and circumstance
under conditions where civilized methods
leave the individual helpless. They were
worth keeping practical hold OF to serve
civilized man when his artificial resources
chance to go awry.
Tie the barbarian string to the civilized
bow, to serve when the other string breaks.
A community OF men and women trained to
the tireless endurance which makes it easy
to walk or run mile after mile would not
feel much weight of trouble when the street
car lines were ''tied up" But among us
only tramps have retained that desirable
barbarism. We ought to reach back and
lay a firm hand on all the better barbarisms
we have discarded; the barbarisms which
keep men within sight and touch of their
primitive strength and simplicity and
robustness; which make it easy for men to
forego what they would have, and to cheer
fully accept what they can get.
The Old Fogy.
We treat the old fogy as despitefully as
we treat the barbarian, and with Just as
little reason. The old fogy, mind you, is
the advanced man Of few years ago. He
staid there, that's all. Why did he stopy
Because he had advanced to point that
was very satisfactory to him. If it satisfies
him, might it not satisfy us on pinch? II
might be as well TO keep 1t within sight and
reach, at all events, SO that if we are toppled
off from our own standpoint at any time we
might rest upon his until we could get back
where we want to be. It might be a very
good temporary refuge.
Barbarism and old-iogyism are rounds OF
the ladder by which we have climbed to our
present height. Our thoughtless and illogic-
al disposition has been to kick over the
ladder. Consequently, when a disturbing
shock comes we cannot step down q rung or
two. We have nothing for it but to pitch
headlong from our dizzy height, and then
course, we get back some how and some
time. That is inevitable and desirable.
And, Of course, it is inevitable and desir-
able that we shall go still farther and still
higher. 1t Is only the interval of trouble
some emergency that has to be provided for.
And the emergency always finds us unpre-
pared, and throws us into a very unphilo-
sophical confusion.
We have adjusted everything so that we
are helplessly dependent on our railroads
and our telegraphs. Our scheme of living
contemplates the possibility OF giving up
our railroads for electrical balloons, and our
telegraphs Cor long-distance telephones; but
it takes no thought of substituting anything
slower-like the stage-coach or the mounted
courier. for examPle-in case OF temporary
trouble. 1t would be better to adjust our
machine so that in case of break it would
only slip back couple of cogs instead Of
running all the way down.