The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-01
prophesled by many gloomy philosophers


Writing In 1913. Governor WILLIAM BRAD
FORD extolled the goodness OF good Puri-
tan woman whose function 1t was to sit
In a convenient place In the congregation.
with little brchen rod In her hand, and
keep the children in great awe" The
dangers To wholesome discipline caused
by tho natural affection OF parents for
their children saddcned the hearts OF the
Puritan parsons.
From their day to this and ceasclessly.
the complaints OF declining parental au-
thority and waning filial piety have gone
on. In New England formerly sons were
often obliged to buy their time" from
their fathers. 50 as to get free to work on
their own account before they came OF age.
AS the West WIS opened up they abandoned
the parental farms to seek their fortune In
the new Eldorado. When tho Lowell manu-
facturers began to flourish. farmers daugh-
ters left their homes to work rs factory OPP
erativcs, and the waning OF tilial piety thus
manifested was regarded In many pious
homes as fatal. The times seemed terribly
out OF joint 10 thousands OF good people.
The period when children generally re-
manned under the authority OF their par
cnts in the same house. oven after they had
learned to take care Of themselves. passed
away with the beginning OF tho vast in
crease in the facilities of travel OF the last
fifty years. The young birds flew awny
from the nest with the spirit.of adventure
which distinguishes youth and keeps the
movement OF the world onward. They
wanted to be free, and when they had the
opportunity OF securing the freedom. of
course they improved 1t.
That is the whole explanation OF the moan
over tho waning OF parental authority and
fllial picty uttered by this English paper.
Zach new generation is working its way
ahead OF the old. II is cutting away from
restraints which were arbitrary and arti-
fetal. imposed by parental sellshness
rs much as by any sense Of parental obliga-
ton. The world is always for the new and
not the old 1t is for the coming and not
for the passing generation. One crop Is
consumed in order that the consumers may
have strength to SOW and raise new CROP for
new consumers. who in turn must SOW and
reap for the generation to succeed them.
After all. the only basis OF true and whole
some parental authority is parental alrec-
tion awakening responsive tllial affection.
Parents have learned that iilial piety can
not be whipped into children. 1t is bred by
love and not fear. respect and not terror.
Hence. MS tho harshness Of the rod. SO impo-
tent to provoke it and so likely to destroy
1t. has been replaced in most households
by the sweet and gentle and persuasive in
ilucnce of family affection. there Is now
more real 1ilial piety than there was in the
days recalled by this English paper. OF
course there are many bad children still, but
so also are there many bad fathers and
mothers. or parents who are unable. by
reason Of their own shortcomings or def
ciencies Of character to exercise authority
through either affection or severity. II the
inherited quality Of the children is sound.
they turn out sound: but the sins Of the
fathers still are visited on the children even
unto the third and fourth generation.