The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-04-11
EXCUSE OF WANT OF TIME.

advanced OF bne Want OF Vine. rTom VII
failure to answer a letter, or to keep al
appointment, to the neglect Of regula
occupation or the non-performance of a pal
pable obligation, this plea is continual.
made in apparent good faith that it will b
received as sufficient apology by those t.
whom it is addressed. 1t would be mat
ter of surprise to most of us could compu
tation be made as to what proportion OF thu
letters we write and receive are devoted t.
this single excuse. And few would believe
how many times day the same plea o
want of time passes their lips Is it thel
wise, reasonable and sufficient one? Arr
we prepared to acknowledge all the impli
cations which it indicates?
"You have all the time there is was
the pertinent reply to one who was utter
ing this favorite complaint-a statement
which would be difficult to controvert
The question is however, having all the
time have we the power to control the use
Of it, or is it-heavily mortgaged against oul
will? In times of slavery the slave had
none of this power, save as it was granted
as favor by his master. The free man, on
the contrary, owns his time and may do
with it as he will If he put it under the
direction Of another, it is only rs contract,
for an agreed compensation. No service
that he can render, from that OF a street
laborer to the highest Government official,
implies any loss of freedom as to the dis
posal of his time
necessities surround us in various ways and
that feeling OF must governs us largely in
this matter. Yet the final decision Of how
far such feeling is right, and to be obeyed.
or wrong to be resisted, rests with us at
last, and we cannot escape the responsible
ity. 1t is, of course, incumbent upon every
man to earn his living, to support his fam
lily, to educate his children; but in what
way he shall do this and how much of his
time will be necessary to devote to it is a
matter for no one but himself to determine
The man who immerses himself in business
that he may accumulate vast property, or
that his family may live luxuriously and
idle lives has certainly no proper right to
plead want of time for other claims 1t is
not true that he cannot comply with them,
but that he has chosen not to do so. The
woman who, absorbed in a round of gayety
and society, declares she has no time to
train her children and superintend her
household, is uttering an excuse as vain as
it is false. She simply decides to use her
time for other purposes. And this liberty
OF choice belongs to every one, in spite OF
any desire or attempt to disclaim it,
Many persons complain Of the multi
plicity OF things which they are asked and
expected to do, many Of which they would
like to do were they able, but which they
could not accomplish were life ten times as
long as it is Does not this very truth,
which is so fully realized in all cur city
life, call rather for an Increase OF self gov
eminent than for fretful regrets and weak
excuses? Is not the ordering and appor-
tioning of time one Of the chief duties OF
every free and selfrespecting man? And
having done this to the best of his power, and
satisfied his own conscience, need he make
apologies to the world for dec ming to
attempt the impossible? If everyone must
Jota 60 h,p,,alr otbo
allow him to do so without interference.
We have no right to demand that he shall
help in this reform, or assist in that char
ity. Or fill this or that office, or join in a
Ger tain enterprise, however good or worthy
he may deem them. We may present them
to his notice, but not insist on his co-opera-
tion, or criticise him for refusing it, for we
cannot know his claims or his needs, nor,
il we did, could we relieve him OF a respon-
sibility all his own.
1t is true that this freedom of choice
imposes upon us an obligation which is no
light matter to fulfill. The consciousness
that we have not done this often makes us
palter and waver when we should be self
reliant and firm OF purpose. To detect the
essential, to arrange in order our occupa-
tions and recreations so as to give each it's
reasonable quota Of time, to adjust the
various claims upon us. so that nothing
that we ought to do shall be crowded out,
and nothing that is superfluous shall be
admitted, is certainly no easy task, but it is
one which will we'll reward all the pains and
efforts it costs in the increased value OF our
lives and the self-respect and piece of mind
we shall enjoy.
Much of the difficulty of such study
will melt away when we discover how
many things that we are in the habit of
doing might reasonably be set aside.
Marcus Aurelus, one of the most hard
tasked and conscientious of rulers, and one
who seems to have neglected no duty,
however small, says: The greatest part
of what we say or do, being unnecessary,
il a man takes this away, he will have
more leisure and less uneasiness." Ac-
cordingly, on every occasion, a man should
ask himself SIS this one of the unnecessary
things?" Doubtless we should be surprised
at the frequency with which this question
would receive an affirmative answer, and