The record-union., 1896-04-10
oBsTINACY AND FIRMNEss.
Obstinate People Are Only Amenable
fo Force,

Obstinate People Are Only Amenable
to Force.
It is not always easy to discriminate
between what men call firmness and
obstinacy, but there is general agree
ment that obstinacy.is unreasoning and
unreasonable. It is often very costly.
provoking quarrels or law suits 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 position from which he
will not recede. He cannot De conclli-
ated or reasoned with, and though he
may foresee the dangers and losses at
tendant upon a rupture he Will not
yield Now, this kind Of obstinacy is
contagious, and the party OF the other
part, having exhausted all means OF
settling the difficulty by agreement or
arbitration, also Though rightfully) de-
termines to remain firm. The end comes
in trial of strength or endurance, and
then, after all, peace is restored by the
means proposed in the beginn1ng-con-
cession. agreement or arbitration. But
obstinacy provokes the trial of strength,
and much as one may regret the unrea-
or strikes, or wars to settle their differ
ences, these will be the agencies en-
ployed as long as obstinacy is present.
That obstinacy begets obstlnacy is
quite natural; If it did not the over
bearing would have everything their
own way. A bully disregards 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 opstlnately
persists in his course his victims grow
indignant and exhibit toward him de-
termined opposition. When the bully
happens to be a nation similar course
of events brings about war. When the
bully is an employer of labor, he foments
or causes strikes; when the bully is an
association of workers led and controlled
by demagogues, it brings about strike
as a means of enforcing it's demands OF
compels a lockout
The argument of force in some form is
the only one to which the obstinate are
amenable; they have to be chasteneo
by suffering before they will yield to
reason. 1t is right, as general doc
trine that disputes of all kinds should
be settled by concessions or through the
medium of disinterested arbiterS; every
body will concede that to be true as
long as there is a reasonable basis OF
settlement upon which the doctrine may
be applied. But when the passions OF
men have been inf1amed and they are
under the control of obstinacy they, nc
more than a mule can be moved by rea-
son. The rod in some form must be ap-
~1cff fno
driven out Of them, and then it seems to
be very simple matter to settle the
dispute. But that which will prove ac-
ceptable at the end Of long war OF
strike will not be SO much as considered
before hostilities have begun, and this
should be remembered in comments
upon the terms of peace.
Obstinacy might justly be considered
form of insanity, since, when under lts
sway, men are not amenable to reason
1t is durable, but usually at great cost
in suffering, and it is much better to
prevent its development that to wait un-
til it has taken control and then attempt
to remove it. The individual may guaro
himself against becoming obstinate by
always trying to look on all sides OF a
question and to put himself in his ad-
versary's place. When he tries to be
just he will not be obstinate, though he
may be forced into a quarrel with the un-
just To yield at all points rather than
engage in a quarrel is an amiable weak
ness that only tends to encourage Will
fulness and obstinacy in others, but the
individual should guard himself against
initiating the obstinacy by always keep
ing himself free to listen to the voice OF
rea son Baltimore Sun.