The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-12-15
MARIE AGAIN.

One cannot read Shelley's Queen
Nab" without feeling that his charac-
tens are to a certain extent justifable
in their denunciation of the existing
conditions Of human character, and one
can hardly feel like censur1ng them If
they charge the Creator with bringing
into existence a class of beings who
were destined to labor under disadvan-
,hges that oftentimes render life not
worth the living.
But l have often wondered how
much Of the ever manifest evil OF our
natures Is really inherent. Much has
been said In the past, and much is
being said at the present time. of
heredlty and its consequent inborn sin;
yet 1t would seem to me that human
rI,ailties, evil tendencies and false con-
ceptlons are almost wholly a matter OF
education.
We are asked where the spirit of
selHshness came from If 1t were not
implanted in the human soul by the
Creator, to be certainly inherited by
every generation throughout all time.
selfsIhness is Of our own creation.
Who has not seen fond mother
attempting to feed baby more than
its nature demands? When the child
has received enough to satisfy its
wants, 1t refuses to open its mouth to
receive the offered food. and the mother
then resorts to a method of compuslon.
"Well, IL you won't eat 1t we will
give 1t to Bobby You won't? Come
Bobhy, you can have it,
Bobby, perhaps, not caring for the
food either. takes It to aid in the pro-
,ess of compulsory feeding while the
Jaby looks on unconcernedly.
Time after time the process is re-
oeaIted, TIL the baby comes to know that
ne is expected to eat the food not be-
nuse he needs It, but that he may
loeep It from his brother, Is not this
lesson in selfishness, pure and simple?
The same method is probably pur-
sued In regard to discarded toys, play.
things. clothes, or special privileges
Thus we see child before he is able to
ralk, or even to understand language !
educated In the fundamentals Of sell !
idea that anothers gain
IS our loss, asd that we must take what |
we do sot desire in order that we may
keep Il from another.
Again we are asked, "Whence came |
me spirit Of revenge unless It comes
from revengeful God? We may find
It's origin In the early education of the
shlld. II we Will but observe,
The baby's head comes violently in
,ontact with some hard object and when
he baiby cries out, the mother imme-
lately proceeds to whit the chair, ta-
DE or whatever the cause of the injury
nay be. and encourages the baby to
10 the same.
The baby is hurt by his little brother
ind sees his brother punished, not for
he purpose OF preventing a repetition
i the offence. but to relieve the feel
ngs Of the injured child Probably the
Irst time the baby observes this pro-
eeding. he stops crying because his
tteuaon is ablucted by the punish
nent OF his brother and the misguided
climbing tllat he finds satis-
action in seeing his brother punished
on wrong-doing, employs the same
no.hod ON future occasions, until the
hby has learned to think that an in
ury to himself must be followed by
N injury to the offender
Thus Is established inthe human
ieare the spirit Of "an eve for an eye
nd a tooth for TOOTH"
II the mothers who read this viii take
otice OF thlr manner Of deaiing with
heir children FOR one day, they will
nd that IN many and unnecessary ways
hey are inculcating IN the minds OF
heir children wrong feelings toward
heir companions. and wrong Ideas OF
he object OF nving
have mentioned two. only. OF the
1any evell elements OF human charac,
u. but those who wish can follow up
be Thought and md to how great an
xlens ''mlaorn SIN Is implanted by
tecetcn NJ one win question that