The Washington times., 1894-08-13
sense in which this 81 man is living, at good
iaa 1


So far as the letter of this workingman has
influence it tends to bring about that condi-
| tion of things. If his brother workmen had
no more conception OF the situation than he
| and no greater degree of manliness in Defend
| ing their rights his condition would be one Of
| comparative discomfort. But if the general
condition were twice as bad as it is there
would still be a considerable number of work
men, who, owing to one circumstance or an
other, and not always TO any special merit or
| desert on their part, would be in the position
OF this workingman, position OF compara-
| tive comfort, and able to ask only the priyi-
| lege Of being let alone.
MANY THINGS TO Commend.
OF course, there are commendable things in
the spirit of this man which we do not want
| to pass over or ignore. He is evidently in
dustrious. and this is a fundamental virtue
| Of more value to the state than many other
qualities more highly esteemed. He is
apparently willing to earn what he gets,
and this is even rarer quality. He is q man
Of temperate habits, abstaining entirely from
things useless or harmful, which alone is true
temperance. In all these things the author
OF this letter is an example worthy OF general
imitation.
The workingmen OF the country would be
great gamers II they were thoroughly in
oculated with these virtures They could
add greatly to the list of comforts now enjoyed
and would be able to push with far greater
success their movement for industrial reform.
We gladly concede all this, but we still insist
that, with all these virtues. this workingman
is sadly deficient in these qualities that hold
selfishness and greed in check and make for
juster conditions and manlier living.
In all this we ought assuredly to have the
sympathy of those who are in such mortal
drsad of the ambition-killing and supplying
influence of socialistic institutions. The
great objection urged to these institutions Is
that they will tend TO multiply men of this
class men of no ambition beyond that of
ministering to bodily appetites and enjoying
such pleasures of passion and sense as do not
call for any development OF mental or moral
powers.
NO MORE AMBITION THAN CABBAGE.
The claim made for existing institutions is
that they tend to develop individuality; that
they offer special opportunity and special in
ducements for individual energy and talent:
that under them men in the very humblest
ranks are stimulated to push their way up
and on till they find place in the highest. But
here we have a workingman, born and bred
under the influence of these institutions. who
has no more ambition Of any sort than a cab
bage. He is content to vegetate, snd he
doesn't care whether his fellow-h orkiDgmen
are able to do even this or not.
OF course, this fact standing by itself would
prove nothing against existing institutions
We are not using it for that purpose We
only want to show that the sort of content
ment exhibited by this man is abnormal and |
unwholesome, destitute of that pushing, pro-
gressive and self-advancing spirit which is
supposed to be the proper heritage of men |
born under these Institutions, and no men |
ought to be SO ready to see and confess this |
as the men who are deploring the tendency |
to socialism, and who desire to perpetuate |
our institutions as they are. They will have |
to concede. then. that the sort of contentment |
displayed by this writer is, judged by their |
own standard, thoroughly unmanlv. He is not |
legitimate product OF the compe titive sys-
lem. He belongs to that dreaded socialistic
regime they are so ready to denounce
But We say he is not the sort of man we
want. We want men who. while they have a
great content at their heart which fills them
with peace and gives them strength to endure
and suffer, have also a lofty and wide-reach-
ing unselfish ambition.
We want no contentment with conditions IN
which this higher life is impossible. We wan:
everywhere individuals with so much of this
life in themselves that they are willing to do
and suffer whatever has to be done and
suffered. to extend and impart this life to
their fellows. To have life swayed and domi-
mated by this high purpose is to cherish the
highest and noblest ambition. and to stand
Loyalty in this line Of service. faithfully doing
duty to this end and resolutely putting aside
all temptations that hold out the bait of per-
sonal gain, personal ease, personal power,
this is to have and to show manly content
ment
Thus manly contentment and manly am
bition go hand in hand. They work together
for the development of character and the i'm
provement of conditions. Both make for
in self and others, and both are
hostile to all things that interfere with human
progress and tend to keep men ON the animal
plane.
DR.. Kent's incisive sentences held the atten-
ton OF his hearers without a moments way
ering, and frequently stimulated them TO
Of approval