Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-13

le I'D my MIaA 20 WHO q a-A te' ~t OF pr
cies on che moral, social, industrial,
and political conditions of this cohntry.
Almost every day somewhere am
brought face 90 face with moral degra-
dation, with sociN excuses industrial
friction and political p0le-cats.
One day i am q pessimist, another
day I am an opumist, another day I am
q mugwump, 90 use a political express
sion.
This letter win have TO do with the
moral conditions OF men. This is the
most important. for 30 is the very basis
OF right living, in national, social, in-
dustrial and political life. Not only IS
nothing settled until DC Is settled right;
really, nothing is begun until tits begun
right 1.-THE foundations be destroyed
what can the righteous do care not
how Indifferent men may be, nor how
reckless they may grow, 90 is fact
that he who runs counter TO the great
principles which underlie moral recti-
tude will end an unhappy life in wreck
and ruin.
We are a nation looking TO profit and
loss almost exclusively. Financial
profit. with the loss OF character and q
besmirched reputation, IS not good
economy. This nation from los hum
blest home 20 ils national capitol
ought 60 stop and consider that God has
projected this world along the lines OF
certain fundamental principles, and
that law, an law, within the lids of the
sacred Book, as well as all State law
that IS worthy OF the name, is but the
thor0ughfare opened up by the ALI
Wise being over which humanity must
travel from the cradle 90 the grave.
We must study aud learn thatitiS not
wrong 60 do thing simply because God
or the legislative authority OF the State
SAYS 10 is wrong, but that an the law
making powers in heaven and earth can
have only have one basis for any pro-
hibtory law, and that is go the eternal
principles of right and wrong. We must
know tnat 10 is not wrOng 90 steal be-
cause God said "Thou shalt not steal, :"
but that God said "Thou shalt not
steal" because 20 was wrong % steal
Nothing can be made rightor wrong by
law; but 60 Is eternaiy right or wrong
in itself, and law is simply a disclosure
Of that which already existed.
There is only one standard by which
character can be measured, and that Is
law. Subordinat.On and insu0ordina-
tion 20 law determines the character of
Che citizen. "A man who is personally
corrupt cannot be politically pure, or
commercially honest, or socially de-
cent To is the addition OF units shat
makes the aggregate of natural life.
Men have ceased Co stop and ask, "Is
30 right?" 0r'tIs 10 WrOug2'; they simDly
ask now, "Is there any money iu it2'
The character is often buried under
chattles, and manhood under money,
and God under gold.
Without stopping to discuss the mo-
ment0ns weight or the momentum OF
heredity, an students of men and
things win admit that environment has
much 90 DO with shaping character
atd determining destiny. AS surely as
"Evil communications corrupt good
nkrals" and as The man Is known by
~ comra7v haAeeps," so surely does
--s. -.-at EavC IS force.
have q water spa0iel at home, the
best rat dog know OF, his association
with my Scotch terrier made him 80.
The moral uplifting or the moral
downfall OF this country Is largely with
those who control our home lie. God
gives 90 the parents the infant child az
improssionable as warm wax, and has
Fixed &c so that the immortal child
cannot walk away from it's mothers
side until tits year old. Then he has
fixed Go so that for the next two or three
years, mother must keep a vigilant eye
over &c.
Anarchists are made in the home life.
A boy fifteen years Old, whom mother
and father cannot control, will not obey
law by-and-by. The want Of restraint
DO home life peoples ogr peuiten tiarie5
and furnishes our gal0Ws with their
victims.
Eli restrained not his son and God
said, "When i make a beginning, i will
make an ending, and the whole family
were Over-thr0Wn. Example aud pre-
cept are the coal and water by which we
pull up the the hills aud attain for our
children the Inheritance which God in
tended. The father who would raise
sober boys must not drink. Ii he would
NOT have them gamble, he must not set
The example So Tee every father be
and do as be would have bis children
bo and do; and then with wise restraint
and brave adherence 90 the right, let
him show 20 the world that even iu The
midst OF this crooked and peryerse gen
Grafton, be can bring uD children beau
tifu To- character, u1purchaseable, and
unbulldOzea0le, with right and wrong
clearly defined. Let each one have a
law Within himself he dare not violate,
b 10 +. .r,.f
himself wisely is greater than be who
taketh a city. Let us teach our child
rem that the achievements OF life are
built on character and moral manhood (:
which Is thousand times. better FOR
them than Che gracas OF Oratory or luck
in lottery OF tho prize won 40 the pro-
gressive eucbre game or the stakes 40 o
horse race or the brutality of the prize
RAG which may crown them champion.
The father and mother who allow
their sons and daughters 90 grow up TO
manhood and WOmaDhOod without
moral training and clear conceptions
ofduty and destiny, viii always throw
QUO upon the world those who viii be q
menace 90 law aud hurtiul 90 society,
and few OF them viii ever reflect honor
on the race, or achieve anything in
this life.
The average young man in this cOun-
cry Is hunting q good time. and seems
90 have o very poor idea OF how and
where 90 End Do. Ii be seeks it in club
Die, or the horse races, or in society, be
can but demonstrate himself a fool,
and bis NE is a failure. The wrecks
along the shores OF these rivers are
many and fearful.
The highway 90 manhood, which may
not be strewn vita fruits and flowers,
uLrLna rn.rnrls Lfsn-r "a snrnlu %