Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-10
THE PENALTY OF BEING SERIOUS.

We are much In debt TO Mr.. Brander
Matthews for many versatile essays
which stir up peasurable and profitable
thought. and present old friends with
new faces. under new conditions. In Inc
Penalty OF Humor we are asked why
Thomas jefferson was put to writing the
Declaration OF independence, rather than
Benjamin Franklin.
That committee OF FIVE immortals was
as is well known. composed OF Franklin
Adams. Sherman. Livingston, and Jeiler-
son.
The fame OF Jefferson at this time was
local. rather than national-not beyond
that Of three Of the members of the COM
mittee-and certainly was much inferior to
that Of Franklin. who was the foremost
publicist and most accomplished man OF
letters in all the thirteen Colonies.
Moreover. Franklin was known over the
civilized world. and had but lately re-
turned from Europe. where he had up
held our cause with great holiness and
undoubted skill
Mr.. Matthews presents plausible, II
not complete. answer to his question IN
the statement that Frankln's strong ana
well-known vein Of humor deprived him
OF the chance to win additional fame IN
the authorship of this philippe. The task
was one for man who not only TOOK the
subject. but himself. seriously, and adj
dressed himself TO 1t with gravity and
reverence.
II is beyond question true, that the
maxim. "Never be as funny as you can
has slain its thousands-and It's tens OF
thousands-and that roll-call Of those
known to posterity as humorists solely
would disclose wealth of serious thought
and wisdom born TO blush unseen"
The vigorous. various, versatile thought
of Mr. Matthews. addressed TO the theme
Of the penalty of being serious in munich
pal matters. might disclose a condi-
ton Of things far from commendable in
the life Of the average citizen.
1t is well known that much. If not ALL
of the extravaganza, corruption, ana
mismanagement that have crept into
modern municipal life is due to the I'M
possibility Of securing the time and ser
vice of those most interested in procuring
efficient and economic results.
The term good citizen" has become
misnomer. for it is usually applied to
those who are not citizens at all. Ihey
may be good, quiet. law-abidng business
men. industrlously earning living, but
as to taking part or aiding in the corpo-
rate life Of the city, in advancing the
general welfare, they are either ignorant
of. or utterly Indifferent to, the duty OF
citizens. or the obligations Of citizen
ship.
But the evil does not stop here. Citi-
zenship has reached so low scale
that the few who recognize the duty and
ATTEMPT TO meet It are seriously handi-
capped by a burden which is the task OF
the many rather than Of the few They
lack the assurance and sustaining power
which arises from the active cooperation
of common interests. and perhaps pay
penalty for being serious by sacrifice
Of their material interests-a sacrifice
they do not Justly incur, but which is
visited upon them by those who will not
labor in behalf Of the general good. The
duties of good citizenship are not in
compatible with the successful conduct
of ones private business, yet common
opinion seems to demand their divorce,
and in some measure restricts its pat
ronage to those who abstain from all
civic interest and duty. mo city gov
eminent in free country can rise per-
manently above the level of the political
energy of the community, no matter how
much good civic sentiment may float
round in private life. 1t is only energized
civic sentiment that counts in city
Dolitics