New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-08
THE LESSON or THE BOGRGOGNE.

Tho most hideous feature Of the BourgoGne
diso stcr was not the wholesale loss OF HE, TER
rihle ne II was II was the brute cowardlce ana
sovoccry of the crew and many of the paSsen'
gers. Instead Of trying To succor the weaker
,yo,ncn and children the stronger men deliDer-
ntely oppressed and Lurled them back to death
I'm a selfish endcavOr to secure their own salet!'
That was a proceeding that makes humanity
blush 10 own its doors men The law OF SELL
preservation. which is. in strange miSapprehen-
sion of It's purport. often called the first law III
nature. utterly falls to justify such conduct In
fact II the black deed were done In fancled tni-
ilmcnt of that law It was Intellectual For II
those men had played the part OF men the!
might not only have saved the women ana chill
drcn but themselves as well. In Sacrificing
others to save themselves they destroyed those
others and were themselves, or many or thch'
lost.
That is the lesson of the Bourgogne Tragedy.
But it's application does not stop with snip
wrecks. 1t is equally pertinent TO all human
activities and v!cisSitudcS. II Is the old ana
everlasting truth. "IIc that would saw" his HE
shall lose IT, and he that loses his life shall save
at" The man who sclfishy hoards bis wealth
gets not the greatest good from it., not nearly
50 much MS he who uses II wisely for the good OF
his less fortunate fellows The man who en-
dows n school hospital, or makes opportu-
mites for self-hclp for those who are in need OF
II. cndows himself and helps himself In the
most cffcctual way. The man who gives, De
the sum great or small, to such charity as ihe
Tribune Fresh Air Fund Is. from the selfish
point OF view of the Bourgogne polroons, sac
riGcing his own means of vacation enjoyment
I'm truth according to the only sane and con
vnc,ng logic he is assuring 10 himself the
greatest possible increase Of such enjoyment.
As with men. so. too. with States. 1t was
only the other lay that some of those VINO now
most ioporc and reprcbatc the cowardlce ana
selfshncsS of the BOurgogne crew were loudly
dcclalming that this Nation was In no sense us
brothers keeper. Spaniards and Cubans were
butchcrlng each other and making their island
an earthly he'll No matter Let them stew IN
their own Juice. II would cost this Nation
some lltfle cash ard comfort 10 Interfere" Let
II pass by on tho other side. II was no part
of nation, duty 10 do missionary work among
less favored peoples. II should devote Itself
diligently to welding the muck-raHe for its own
individual gain. Let tho rest Of the world SUI
fer II Is no funeral Of ours. That was pup
liclv set forth rs true civic wisdom but what
better was II than thc mad fr"nzy Of the ship
wrecked crew? II was not one whit better
morally nor one whit wiser practically. For
tho history of the world makes clear the fact
that selfish NJ ions are not the most Fortunate
II g.. the missionary nations that TN themselves
Nnx great II is the nations that at their own
cost and perhaps peril. 60 out OF the way 10
help others that grow strong and prosper ana
are themselves helped and saved. That, too, Is
the lesson Of the RourgoCDc.