Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-08-05
OUR SATURDAY NIGHT.


We would all be happier If we all
could see and believe that the disposi-
tion TO do good and the general desire
to help one another Is growing 10 the
world. And If we would go about
with our eyes directed to discovering
evidences of this condition Of things
we would no doubt find much more OF
It than we have any idta.
To realize this let us consider the OPP
posite state Of affairs. What Is the
frame Of mind Of the man who believes
the volume Of evil 10 steadily increas-
ing. His belief makes it reality to
him. But to him only. Unless he II
entirely out of JOINT mentally be will
see all around him people who are per
verseIy happy, doing uuselfish acts,
loving deeds, only TO render him more
miserable.
Surely they are not the cause OF his
distress. They are innocent people
who absurbly persist in being happy
and doing good, per APPS for the selfish
purpose of being happy; but they have
no designs az against the pessimist, ex-
cept by their conduct do they annihi-
late his vinegary conceptions of life.
The editor who constantly seeks to
discover the worst in mankind has
enough to do. There is no public or
private character so perfect but that .
hostile scrutiny will reveal an unfavor
able side. Commented upon and en-
larged 1t presents a man or woman al
the worst aud a great deal worse than
the reality. As matter Of fact an
editors most important work is not in
the great eulogies he pronounces upon
men after they are dead but in the lit
tie things about people tnat he does not
print. All the year through editors
leave out Of their papers and carefully
shield public men, or at least should
do 80, against publicity Of little things
that they do or say or omit to do or say,
that If published would go far to lessen
the esteem of their fellow mortals for
them. The demand for filings at char
scter and revelations of little def cts
and mistakes OF judgment are constant
upon publishers of newspapers. 1t is
only by looking for the better
side and taking the more helpful view
Of increasing good In the world that we
live at all. AS we see the good iD Others
the good In us is brought out. Seeing
only evil In others brings out only evil
In US. We are what we believe in.
We grow to be what we hope for In
Others.
This leads us to the thought that we
can only grow and climb by helpful
disposition. We can only develop II
we believe others capable of develop
ment. We can only climb If we are
willing to help others up the ladder
of life. We cannot climb by crushing
them under us, or over their remains.
The man who hopes to succeed by
crushing out his competitor has already
failed. The man who wants TO make
himself indispensable In public life by
moving down wide swalh of other
public men In order that he may sue
ceed, will find his path filled with
greater obstacles. Men do not mount
thrones now by virtue OF the assassln's
dagger The Borgias cleared away ali
heirs TO greatness who stood In their
way by poisoning them. The day OF
the Borgias Is past. The day Of friendly
cooperation and competition Is here,
The man who Is willing to lend rival
a helping hand IN a struggle for exist
ence Is far more certain TO gain the re-
spect Of all concerned, to say nothing
Of his own conscience, than he who Is
only envious aud jealous aud striking
out In every way as he thinks TO down
the other fellow. We like the spirit OF
the young Kentuckian who ran horse,
race with another for the hand OF
belle, and when he was beat went of
aud got the minitter and was witness
20 the marriage. He rose above the
occasion Ia true Christian manhood.
The world is getting better. AT least,
our only hope Is we believe IL Is. five
believe II We shall realize It for II is
right.