New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-26

| The most thankless task that philanthropst or
reformer undertakes is to give warning OF Inevitable
evil AS long you prophesy pleasant things draw
attractive pictures that fatter mems and women's
sclfcOmplacency you are sure to he heard but utter
the note of warning, and like jeremiah the prophet
of Old you have only the owl and the bltern to listen
to you. Cassandra, the prophecies of Troy. is the
eXempar of all who take upon themselves the mission
Of driving against their own convictions and In
clnatiOns 1t is impossible in the nature OF men and
women that this should be otherwise. The most
thorough tyrant that the world ever saw cannot con-
troll the thoughts and convictions of The mother
cannot bind her daughter the father his son. Each
| individual must live out his experience. learn
from the very beginning that fire burns that evil be-
trays, that wrong reacts on the doer in shame and
| notification There are many things that people
| think and probably think rightly, that they can
manage for themselves better than people can manage
for them. They invest their money in wild schemes
that not all the fnanciering legislation or all the
warnings of financial prophets will them from.
To-day the most shallow methods Of obtaining money
under false pretences prevalent In the days
Of the Vicar Of Wakefield, although they have been
repeatedly exposed in the newspapers. Not long ago
a needewOrk firm advertised throughout the country
to send work to embrOiderers receipt Of 81 for
cury for the work given out. Not one word or
line Of reference given security for the dollar,
and those who answered the advertisement received
in return for their dollar few tawdry bits Of cotton
and silk and Of embroidery thread not worth over
cents, and when their work finished 1t was re-
turned to them as unsatisfactory and the money 10
tancd. This scheme so shallow on the face Of
ii that it seemed that any Intelligent person would
recognize it. Letters repeatedly sent 70 news
papers. asking IL the scheme correct Yet in
spite of general dlscredit Of II, thousands Of dollars
were collected through it from women who could Ill
spare even small sum. Similar schemes. under
slightly different forms have taken in hundreds Of
thousands, and all in face of plain warning.
Crying in the wilderness TO people on the subject
of their health usually falls lsess Tell the
pale student that she is breaking down her health by
late hours, by strong tea and other foolish methods
which she hopes will enable her to pass her eXamna
ton, and your words the idle wind. Tell the
average CT the world of the evil effect Of his free
habits and unless he has been previously alarmed by
his condition he will deem your advice, If
from his nearest relative, approaching to impcr-
thence. People will not take advice about their
health from their own physicians unless they have
sent for them and then In many they reject
it unless it suits their inclination. They would like
TO have physician like the Indian medicine man
who can charm away their Illness without the at
tendant inconvenience of change Of habit of life
necessary TO a cure 1t is distressing to see
people rushing headlong TO disaster without being able
to save them by our own experience. when we 10
recall the difficulties we had in cxtrcatng ourselves.
from it, But people do not learn from the experiences
Of another. The infant tries the fire even though no
warned that il is hot, and people throughout life
must go through vicisstudes Of all kinds before they
learn. The poet tells that
Men may rise stepping-stones
OF their dead selves 10 higher things