The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-07-06
HEADS l WIN. TAILS! YOU LOSE

1t is evident, we think, that there
Is some cause perhaps more than one
that retards the material improve
ment of the section embracing the
towns OF P~ascagoula aud Scranton.
Either the presence Of some malignant
spirit that stands in front of the car
OF progress and blocks its wheels, or
The absence OF some good spirit needed
TO propel the car up the easy grade
which the natural advantages of To-
cation offer to its advance. In one case
the evil spirit must be exercised, or,
in the other case, the good spirit must
be evoked by Offerings" or i tneed be,
by sacrifices" by the people.
Perhaps the evil spirit III it exists
takes the form indicated by the
phrase which heads this article. That
is to say, too great an cagerness to APP
.propriate all advantages without re-
gard to the rights of Others. Perhaps
the disposition can be better illus.
trated by the repetition of an old
anecdote familiar, doubtless, to many
of our readers. A white mai and an
Indian, so the story goes, went hunt
ing together, agreeing to divide the
'sp0ils of the chase" All day they
trampcd over hill and valley, through
briar and brake, and killed only a
buzzard and turkey. At the close of
the day they prepared to divide. The
white man said to the Indian, cal
though l I'm your superior in every
respect, and could easily take advant.
age of you, l intend to do the fair
thing in this matter. Twill therefore
make you two propositions, and you
can take your choice. l will take the
turkey and you will take the buzzard,
or you can take the buzzard and I'll
take the turkey" Now, we all know
that buzzard is not a toothsome bird,
stuffed with oysters or served
with cranberry sauce, and it is not,
therefore, fair, that in a community
where every member is, by his indi-
vldual labor, adding something to the
aggregate wealth, and by so much
helping to advance its progress, that
a part only should feast on turkey and
the balance be forced to eat buzzard.
Where there is a division of labor
or capital there ought also to be a d.
vision Of profit. Mutual forbearance
and a recognition by individuals of
the rights of others is the very foun-
dation of society in a savage state it
is not recognized. 1t originated from
the social and commercial necessities
of mankind, which forced individuals !
to part with certain natural rights IN
exchange for the protection afforded
by the formation of communities. Our
Saviour announced the same principle,
in its broadcast and most divine sense,
when he said: "Whatsoever We would |
that men should do unto you, do We
even SO unto them"
But, perhaps, after all, it is not the
presence of this evil spirit which
causes the trouble. We hope it is the
latter. At the same time, however,
might be well enough for us, col
lectively, to build an altar, and each
one place upon it some Of his individ-
ual selfishness, ~self-conceit, contrari-
ness, prejudices, personal animosities,
.laziness, representation, stinginess
and nonsense, and sacrifice them as a
burnt Offering. Relieved of these
burdens, we might be able to push the
car OF progress up the hill ourselves
all of us getting some of the turkey as
we advanced, and eating as little as
possible of the buZZard.