The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-11
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.


acres are under water and stock and
lives in great danger along the Missis-
sippi Valley, it is most opportune to
emphasize the old-time statement that
mo man liveth to himself" When the
pioneer of the empire of free men. first
swung his ak in the virgin forests of
the Mississippi basin, by his strength
and by fire he swept away the obstacles
to planting until the land lay bare I'M
der the sky. His need and his right
none Will dispute. But where one led,
thousands followed each working his
Will Independently and selfishly, as
though there were no natural laws to
be considered. The result we see
Where millions of acres were once COW
cred by q Spongy flooring of leaves and
the INTERVIEWING of roots, all uniting to
hold back the waters Of the rains and
of the thawing SHOWS open fields lie,
like Spendthrifts, retaining but a frac-
ton of the blessing shoWered upon them
and promptly needing more. The steadi-
Is moving streams of the past become
now furious torrents in the spring and
dry Watercourses in summer Thought
ful men declare that the only remedy
lies in the gradual return of a decided
portion of the cleared land to a wood
ed condition, or, in other words, they
preach the truth that the dweller on
some remote farm, along the banks of
even a minor stream has personal re-
sponsibility upon him in relation to the
welfare and happiness of the distant
vaHey dweller. The Mississippi is at
this moment laundering out lesson in
material mutual dependence, that is
proclaimed less audibly by weeds, in
sect pests and diseases
May we not recall the story of Rob-
inson Crusoe, and from this everlasting
boys favorite draw lesson that is
needing more and more to be learned?
Most readers will remember that this
poor castaway, with no hope of any hu-
man eye to observe his faithfulness,
never failed to carry out his conscien-
tlous duties towards his Maker, and it
IS safe to assume that he would have
continued to do SO even if no other
human being had ever set foot on his
lonely isle All the boys-and what
are we men but boys grown older?-
Will confess the thrill of interest that
came when Robinson Crusoe suddenly
saw before him a Footprint in the
moist sand. AS boys our chief interest
in that footprint was the possible adj
venture that it promised to Crusoe. but.
as men, moments thought will con-
vince us that the discovery OF a fell
low creature brought into play for our
hero an entirely new set of response
bilities. Not only was he compelled TO
~ I'D
now have to sustain another, but there
was the possibility that that other
would do damage to himself in order TO
gain complete possession. His duty to
his Creator was not decreased but
duty to his fellow was super-added In
fact, Crusoe and Friday formed "a.
state" in miniature and Crusoe had TO
curb himself in various ways to dispIav
kindness, good viii. tact and unselfisb-
ness. We know how the adventure re-
suited. Friday became an orderly and
restrained neiehbor because the right
sort of example was set before him. 1t
may be urged that Crusoe was good to
Friday from a selfish motive, but sell
fish motive or not, the way in which
Crusoe conducted himself towards Fri
day was the only way in which both
could live happily together When other
people came to the island Crusoe's re-
sponsibility was Still more increased
and his duties to his neighbors and
their duties towards him became more
complicated.
Now for the application. There is
no such thing as freedom TO do as YOU
ict3e. lac
ate from other human beings: and then
paradoxical thing happens, because
if liberty Of action is enjoyed alone it
becomes a very fiat and uninteresting
possession. No civilization can hold
together unless the members of it feel
q mutual interest and responsibility;
or, to express it still more clearly
where there is the highest degree of
social service there is the most endlIrins
and most helpful form of government.
and, therefore, the highest degree of
liberty. You can doubtless point me
10 SelfiShly prosperous periods in the
worlds history. /. on the other hand.
can demonstrate to you that selfish in
dfviduals are not the right material for
an enduring fabric. 1t is the fond
dream of Americans that this great
democracy is to go on growing grander
with the progress of time-we believe
that it is to demonstrate once and for
ever the possibilities of people deyel
oping in & condition of peace and re-
tanning through all their material
growth the strongest kind of love for
The institutions of the country as orig
inally laid down by the self-forgetting
ones who counted their lives as naught
if they could but let the Liberty-belI
ring out Freedom over the nations.
But this dream will remain dream
1t we are content with the kind of pro-
gress that has characterized the past
century. grand though it has been. So
much of territory and of prosperity
could be acquired by the strenuous toll
er that irdividualism has run riot and
the gaining of wealth been the only
standard to rally to-. If we are to live
as a nation, selfishness in our relations
to our fellow men must cease. or, like
the selfish struggles of the unrefecting
brute. the weak and the strong will