The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-02-05
AN ALTRUIsTIC CLUB.
It Embraces the Noblest Teacb-
ings Of Mankind.
A Dand of Public Spirited Men who Are
Interested In the Problem OF Life, and
tho Betterment OF Social
Conditions.


which he belongs, the substantial busi-
ness OF which is expressed in this article
of its constitutions: '"This club exists to
find out how other people i've" After
describing the original plan, which was
as impracticable for the end
in view, Mr.. Hale tells how the club
was finally brought into being.
"What we did," he says, twas to
bring together sixty young men, pretty
much by accident, and then take our
chances Of adding other people who
were Interested In the life Of Boston
and its social system-always glad Il
In making good choice, as far a. other
qualities went, we got In new occupo-
tiou. T
"But for the purpose Of finding out
how other people live we actually
went to see. That Is, the first commit-
tee the club appointed, and II was .
large one, was on emigrant ships. We
sent q lot OF young fellows down to
quarantine to come up in an cmigrant
ship and see how that thing was done.
In Just the same lines, from that day to
this, we have let men volunteer to form
committees for the sake of seeing that
we did not know any thing about.
"For instance, we had committee
on the Mormon worship in Boston. We
had q committee on the Italian section,
one on the Chinese section, one on the
city's orphan asylum, one ON all the
hospitals, one on our Norwegian popu-
lation. And we never had a more In
teresting meeting than when an intel1t
gent Norwegian gentleman came round
and told us the peculiarities Of the
Scandinavian races among us, being
kind enough, as / remember, among
other things, to bring us some Of the
biscuit and sardines which think none
of us had ever seen before.
"Now, you can not 60 as far as this In
indulging your curiosity without going
further. If you are good for any thing
you begin to get into the same relation
ships that my ideal John, out in the
territory of Franklin, forms as matter
of course with the burro driver or with
the washerwoman, You not only
know by sight the people with whom
you are thrown, but you come into
personal relationships with them.
''If there happens to be bright boy
living within a quarter of a mile of your
Office, and you happen to make acquaint-
ance with him one day, that acquaint-
anceship does not drop OFF. You and he
get on more cordial footing with each
other; you have gained friend and he
has gained another.
'.How clear it Is that it is this sort Of
give-and-take which is necessary for the;
quiclkening Of the public life, for!
making the circulation from organ to-
organ effective and for the health OF
the whole. body politic. do not want
to be carried away by a metaphor, but
really Menenius Agrippa's fable, which
st. Paul borrowed to such advantage,
afterward, tells perfectly. You have a
healthy body if each part is in close and,
intimate relation with each other part,
If the circulation Is good and If the
circulation is well oxygenated.
'vThe object Of this present writing Is
to show people who are discouraged
that their business Is to bring in that
public spirit into souls and organs where
there is not enough of it, so that the
life of that community may be moro
active, cheerful and strong. Now, this
is done, not merely by attending ward
meeting once a year, but by genuine
and cordial intimacy with oil sorts Of
people.
Exactly as everybody In country
village knows more or less Of the ups
and downs Of forty or fifty households
around him-exactly as the life Of one
person quickens or helps the life Of an
other person in such community--is It
in the power of man or woman living
in Chicago or New York to be in such
relationships with forty households Of
every social condition Of life, enlarged,
tnspirited, and, as Mr.. Arnold says,
sweetened by the intimacy.
"Just 80 soon as the Christian church
or the ethical philosophers or any Of
the disciples OF altruism bring about
this state of things, so soon win this
country take mp again the line Of march
on which 1t began. This is the line Of
march which historically Is called the
Teutonic, German or English plan. In
1t every. one paddles his own canoe, but
Is In friendly relations with the rest Of
the feet. Everybody is his own master,
but is in friendly relations with people
who know more than he does
Sand when the administrators Of tho
government look for something to do
with such feet they find that, on the
whole, 1t Is taking care Of itself. Peo,
pie who doubt about such state of
things are invited to remember with
how little action Of the President the
country Jared while dear Garfield lay
dying. Or, II their memories run back
to the year 1855, they are invited to re-
member how well the people Of Kansas
got on twelve months when they had no
government that they would aclznowl-
edge"
| A Pirate Bird
Ex-Governor William G. Sterett Of
Dal1aa Tpy saws IN the 81 Fonts