Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-01-23
Obstinacy.

| ~ NV ol"uJo cdby III U.S.
criminate between what men call
firmness and ohstinacy, but there is
general agreement that obstinacy is
unreasoning and unreasonable. 1t is
often very costly, provoking quar-
rels or lawsuits between men, or
wars between nations. 1t is the
foundation of nearly all strikes and
lockouts. One or the other party to
the dispute takes a position from
which he will not recede. He can
not be conciliated nor reasoned with,
and though he may foresee the dan
gers and losses attendant upon rup-
ture he will not yield.
Now, this kind of obstinacy is con-
tagious and the party of the other
part, having exhausted all means of
settling the difficulty by agreement
or arbitration, also Though right
fully determines to remain firm.-
The end comes in trial of strength
and endurance, and then, after all,
peace is restored by the means pro-
posed in the beginning-concession,
agreement or arbitration. But OBJ
stinacy provokes the trial of strength
and much as one may regret the un-
reasonableness of men who resort ia
fights, or strikes, or wars to settle
their differences, these will be the
agencies employed as long as obsti-
macy is present.
That obstinacy should beget obsti.
macy is quite natural; if it did not
the overbearing would have every.
thing their own way. A bully dis
regards the rights of his fellows and
pushes them to one side while in
pursuit of some object. For a time
he is tolerated, then he is reasoned
with, and when he obstinately per-
sists in his course his victims grow
indignant and exhibit toward him
determined opposition. When the
bully happens to be nation a SINH
lar course of events brings about a
war. When the bully is an en-
ployer of labor, he foments or
causes strikes; when the bully is an
association of workers led and con-
trolled by demagogues, il brings
ABOUT strike as means of enforc-
ing Its demands or compeIs lock-
out.
The argument Of force in some
form is the only one to which the
obstinate are amenable; they have
to be chastened by suffering before
they will yield to reason. It is right
as general doctrine, that disputes
of all kinds should be settled by
concessions or through the medium
of disinterested arbiters everybody
will concede that to be true as long
as there Is reasonable basis of set
tlement upon which the document
may be applied. But when the pas
sions of men have been infiamed and
they are under control of obstinacy
they, no more than mule, can be
moved by reason. The rod in some
form must be applied until the OBJ
stinacy has been driven out Of them,
and then 1t seems to be very sim
pie matter to settle the dispute. But
that which will prove acceptable at
the end of long war or strike will
not he so much as considered before
hostilities have been begun and this
should be remembered in comments
upon the terms of peace. --
Obstinacy might justly be consid-
cred form of insanity, since, when
under Its sway, men are not amena-
bic to reason. 1t Is durable, but
usually at great cost in suffering, and
it la much better to prevent its de-
velopment than to wait until it has
taken control and then attempt to
remove 1t. The individual may
guard himself against becoming OBJ
stinate by always trying to look on
all sides of question and to put
himself in his adversary's place
When he tries to be just he will not
he obstinate, though he may be
forced into a quarrel with the unjust.
To yield at all points rather than en-
gage In quarrel is an amiable weak
ness that only tends to encourage
wilfulness and obstintcy in others,
but the individual should guard him
self against initiating the obstinacy
by always keeping himself free to
listen to the voice of eason.-Balti-
more Sun. tE#f q hfE