The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-04-10
LUXURY SEEKING AMERICA
How Their Struggles for Social Elc-
gance Works Their UndOing.

How Their Struggles for Social Etc
gance Works Their UndOing.
Someone has recently said that Amer
leans are struggling to be luxurious "
writes the Prophet under the heading OF
Reflections in the February Ev'ry Month,
land while that charge cannot seem very
serious to some, 1t, at the same time, can
not be charged of Americans alone. 9th
er nations either are or are struggling
to be luxurious, and some nave suffered
the result of their satisfaction In this re-
spect-decay. It is no sin to be luxurious
If 1t is no sin to cast away various abili-
ties and possibilities which activity and
rugged simplicity foster; but, If the loss
by non-use or misuse of any one of the
faculties with which man is primarily
endowed is wrong, then luxury, which
weakens and destroys such faculties, is
also wrong. No man can preserve the
hand soft and white and still expect that
1t will be strong and dexterous for accom-
plishing useful labors.
at is one of the laws of nature that use
strengthens and perfeets, so that man
can become remarkably proficient, in so
far as some one of his senses is concerned,
providing he makes wise and diligent use
of that sense, and aids it by an other
wise well-balanced constitution.
But those who are trying to be luxuri-
Gus are striving to do away with the labor
that gives to the muscles their natural
form, strength and capacity, for without
labor they have none of these. They are
striving to abolish the keenness and vigor
of the eye by directing it toward nothing
in particular, thus arresting it's develop
ment and staying its power. Their ear is
employed to no particular purpose, they
preferring to preserve it from anything
harsh or disturbing, and so causing 1t to
linger on in idleness. They glove their
fingers and preserve their hands in idle
ness, until they are untitled for anything
but graceful exhibition, and 1t is thus with
one after another Of the faculties and
special senses, which are refined and pre-
served in idleness until dixie unused mus
cles) they become weak and passive, un-
fitted for all but the most worthless of
pleasures-those of luxurious idleness.
I'm times of danger such children of
luxury would be of no value to a nation,
and before the onslaught of some foe
raised amid hardships and taught to use
every faculty in his battle for earthly
subsistence, such weaklings would be
and luxurious tastes would avail them
nothing. All their trappings of ease and
refinement would scarcely ransom for
them their uncomfortable lives. They
would be swept away, and those whose
superior strength had wrested the gor-
geous possessions would control and use
them by right of manhood-a right in
variably established by physical and
mi
would prove their death-and so it is
throughout nature.
These luxury seeking Americans dc
not realize what they do, or they would
not weaken themselves in the social scale
They would not, it is safe to say, give up
| any jot of their sense-powers willingly
nor yet sell them for gold, although, by
housing themselves and avoiding effort OF
| all kinds they weaken them by disuse
They would not abandon their eyes, mol
their ears, not yet would they willingly
part with the power of their frames
though they proceed leisurely and with
| satisfaction to divest themselves of al
the attributes of vigor by indulging theil
every whim and securing themselves In
| idleness. Thus they rob themselves OF
| power, and from their mansions look in.
| diligently upon the toilsome fields, from
which are sure to arise the men Of
| strength and sinew, who by energetic
use of their every faculty will yet dis
| place them-will assume all power bJ
right and drive all weaklings before them
hopeless and helpless, into that conten
tous world for whose tolls and struggle.
they have, all their years, labored foolish
| ly to unfit themselves"