The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-03-25

saiosement in the present day
can not be considered a favorable sign.
0pen.air sports, no doub1, eonduee TO
physical development but it may be
questioned whether the interest which
they inspire arises from any sense Of
their Importance in this respect Local
riyalries aud the spirit Of faction has
much to do with It. Another point il
TINT talk about sport is the easiest kind
Of talk for empty minds. and what
floods Of 1t is sweeping Che land today
no one needs to be told, Considering
the wealth Of matter for conversation
which The modern world affords, it II
lamentable TO think how many house
holds among the comfortable classes
seem almost incapable Of discussing
any other subject morning, noon and
night than games Of one kind end an.
other and the records made BY pitch.
ers, batters, throwors, runners, kiokers,
and aluggofs People Of presumed
education, who will only scan the head
lines Of the news in regard to import
ant social and political movements,
win read every line Of the prolix ra-
ports devoted to the doings Of Tie sport
Ing world In the language Of the
day O match between two football on
hockey clubs Is an event All this
means, we do not hesitate to say, 4
hurtful amount 81 mental dissipation
and It means also, we fear, tho cuitiYas
lion Of idle habits, 10 what extent
tho work Of our educational institu
tions Is impaired BIZ The undue devotion
of the young To sports many loading
educators are prepared to attest. tits
not. they viii Say, tho time actually
spent upon games that counts against
study, 20 much Is tho everlasting oceu
patton Of brain and tongue with tic
discussion Of games il IL there tha
evil lies
Here again we zee d result 0f the
material advance Of society People
are more seif- indulgept because obey
have tbe means of being &. They give
more time nnd Thought to amusements,
because amusements arc continually
being brought 70 their very doors ind
n d hundred ways forced on their at
tentlon And yet there IA q residuuln
in society That knows little of amuso
ment There is even a section 81 the
community that lives below tie level
at which amusement ID possible a
race enervated BY seIfinduigence Is
not In q Ct condition to grapple yigor
ously with ita social problems and yet
social problems toolong neglected may
take on some day a very alarming form
II is evident that there ii much Tot
serious.mlnded men and women TO do
to prevent on actual degeneration Of
and intellect tn our Time.
We want new and higher social ideals,
and the question ID how to create them.
want 10 destroy Gle fascination 81
mere money We want more Of equal
IN the community and less Of caste.
Bic the equality Or The approach 0fit.
BE- produced BY b leFelinR np Of
hose who are now below d decent
.taudard Of future not BY any debas
d those who have reached such d
tandart We wasn't 0f courae ws
gant, 8 purer tone h our politics and
hat we can not have titl those WHO
make the politicians Are imbucd with
ONE sense Of public duty There arc
hundreds 81 agencies for good at work
d the land but many 81 these condemn
to partial s%terllity through
he comparative narrownes of their
inns and sometimes through The exag
Of language with which they
rye their special reforms Hishuman
allure az large that wants uplifting
nd IL the light Ii IA the world a. IL III
the light Of reason, IF truth, Of char
y, why may we not hope To make IL
iine more widely, and ~ create for
u|rselyes D social state whereof we shall
OF need be ashamed Popularscieace