Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-04-13
JOHN HABBERTON.
From the Author of "The Story of q Coun-
try Town"

From the Author of "The Story of Coun-
try Town"
l think the growth of America in the
next 100 years will be In simplicity.
The decade just closing has been noted
for high pressure, dissipation OF energy.
A good many of our customs are worrying,
but in reality they do not pay.
During the next century | believe the
American people will learn the important
lesson that simple and honest living is the
goal to which men should bend their ener.
gies. No nation has learned this lesson as
it should have been learned. The wonderful
Americans will accomplish this result and
distinguish themselves more than ever be
fore.
Heretofore we have taught that men
should be honest and just for the sake of
religion or for the sake of society. The
truth Is, each individual should be honest
and just to benefit himself primarily and
religion and society incidentally.
Many Americans now believe that they
might become rich If they would consent
to become unfair. 1t is not true. Fairness
In all things Is the first essential to success
in everything. Men should be honest to
oblige themselves Folly always means
degradation and unhappiness.
The old races of men were cruel in the
name of patriotism and religion. The men
who live in 1893, will be just because their
conscience and we'll being demand it.
The men Of the next century will realize
as the men Of no previous century realized
that simplicity and honesty are the great
helps in living. Nonsense has been 80 re-
spectacle in the past that half the people
took off their hats to 1t, but the coming
man will discard much of that which has
worried us and caused us to neglect those
simple interests on which our happiness
really depended.
Half the things about which we worry
are not Of the slightest consequence The
coming man will know this, and he will
have the greatest regard for the simple
truth, about which there need be no doubt.
So many men have lived and left histories
that no one need go astray.
The truth has always been mixed with
nonsense. The men who will celebrate the
fifth American centennial will have sepa-
rated the chaff from the wheat. and no
teacher of nonsense will be encouraged,
even though he claim that his object is to
dogood. The great truth then will be that,
while the necessity for simplicity and hon
esty has always been taught, 1t has never
been insisted upon as its Importance de-
served
The splendid men of the century just
dawning will know better than we do that
every individual is guaranteed equal rights
In life, liberty and the pursuit of happi-
ness not by constitutions and governments,
but by the Creator, and that no man need
fail because he has failed to accumulate
riches or greatness.
This is the golden age, and we are the
most wonderful race of men that ever ex-
listed, but In considering our achievements
we do not pay proper attention to our
faults. Future races Of Americans will
not neglect this. In the coming days, when
the winds will whisper and the birds sing
over our graves, men will talk less of mes.
simism and optimism and more of the can
did truth with which the interests of the
people are always connected.
Z. W. HOWE.