Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-04-26
LET Us BE UP AND DOING.
Written for the DEnocnAr.

which seem TO Stretcn out as IL TO nOlQ
the other trees of the forest under
subjection, started from the little acorn
planted in the soil and nurished by the
kindly rains of heaven, year by year.
until it reached its high position.
The towering spires of the Cathe-
dral or the dome of the Capitol at
Washington, as they lift themselves
high up toward the skies, started from
single rock which after much time
and labor becomes the mighty structure.
A fine painting, or work by a cele-
brated author requires years of patient
toll
o The building of a single house may
form the nucleus which, after a time,
will become the chief city of the nation.
There is no way to reach the top but
by beginlng at the bottom, and with
patience, determination and persever-
ance keep climbing, little by little,
until you have attained the lofty
position at which you aimed.
Nothing, of any consequence, can
be accomplished unless 's&Fee 's&Fe strive for
it. and it is generally worth al it cost.
The three great requisites of success in
anything are work, work, work. a
person never reaches a high Oposition
of prominence except by work, and the
more he works the greater is the re-
ward Nothing is SO perfect but what it
can be improved upon, and our proper
business should be improvement.
Daniel Webster said: LET our age
cbe the age of improvement. In~a day
of peace, let US advance the arts of
peace and the works of peace. Let
us develope the resources of our land,
call forth its powers, build up its
institutions, promote all its great
interests, and see whether we also, in
our day and generation, may not per-
form something worthy to be remem-
bered." Mighty words from the pen
of mighty man, that will live until
our earth grows cold, and should find
a resting place in the heart of every
true American.
Let us do something to improve our
city; that it can be done there is no
question. Let US raise ourselves above
the common level and do something
that will draw the attention of the
country towards us. Put forth some
special thing to advertise the town.
A man is great because he has some
thing that other men have not; is
differen from other men, and so
attracts people as magnet by that
unlikeness. So a city that is different
from other cities, contains something
that they do not; is better, perhaps, cor
has more natural advantages, causes
the eyes of the people to turn towards
it. 1t may be its healthy climate, its
school system, its society, the business
ability of its people, or its handsome
houses. lawns, and streets. 1 care not
what it is, just so there is a difference.
Is it not better to do one thing and do
it well, than by trying to do too much
fail On them all ? One THING at a
time until perfection is reached, should
be the rule, then step up one step
higher.
The future of q city depends greatly
on the kind of men it contains. If they
are ambitious, earnest in thor purpose.
honest in dealing with their fellow men.
upright in principle, energetic in spirit,
and not afraid of work, no city need
fear of final success.
Selfishness, | will venture to say,
has been the detriment of the growth of
more towns than all the other evils
they have to contend with. How
many men there are that sacrifice
public good for private gain! But how
often are they slain with their own
weapons, and fall in the very bitches
OF their own digging or are caught i'll
the whirlWind of adversely that wrecks
their i'll eontriVed schemes and buries
them under the ruins of their own acts.
Is it any wonder that the growth of
town is strangled, becomes stagnant,
and its people discouraged unde the
leadership of such class Of men?
1t will not add one brick toward the
growth of place for its people to sit
quietly down and bemoan their fate, or
tell what might have been done. Dur
ing the civil war our government tried
many leaders before it found its Grant,
its Sherman, and its Sheridan. So it is
useless to think because some leaders
fail others cannot win. The summit
of hill can never be reached by stop
ping at the bottom and gazing at the
top. We must put forth our efforts
and climb until we have gained our
point, then with doggeG determination
resolved that no course of events can
bear US backward. Be patient and do
not expect too much at once. The
greatest things have but a small begin
ing.
1t is impossible for any town to
stand still; either it gains or loses;
there is no middle course. To all
appearances it may seem to remain
stationary; but just so sure as it does