The Saint Paul globe., 1899-04-23
A NATIONAL VICE.

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A NATIONAL VICE
The statement often been heard that the inten-
sity OF American character robs life Of much of its
Joyment and leads to the premature breakdown Of the
more active Of the long before the period
physical decay criticism thus passed on our
people is generally accepted being welfounded
The ordinary affairs Of life taken by us with de
gree OF seriousness which unknown other
We intense earnestness with us into all our re
t1ons, and expend all affairs degree of nervous
energy utterly disproportoned to the demands upon
There can be doubt Of the physical effect this
position We witness the effect in the frequency with
which the tells Of Of nervous
prosation among business and professional men, In
the hurry and excitement of business we
take but little heed of the demands Of health
and personal comfort
A distinguished Scotch expert diseases in
his observations American character once used
this language:
% S
it to s FL back any this oen
oa psop s other @ m % 1e tss s
sense Of Insecurity and ought somehow
intensely life '0A
There great deal Of wisdom embodied these SEN
tences They warning that it would be to the
inestmabe gain Of people to take heed Of visitor
to New York from abroad declared seeing the
mad onrush Of the elevated trains above the public
and observing how those seeking get aboard such trains
almost invariably rushed breathessy to the steps lead
ing to them said to friend Your people to
they being pursued by fury" We forever in
hurry We put forth greatest exerions toward
accomplishment of most Of the tasks of fe Whether
is that thus depicting stock Of re-
serve energy be to discussion It is certain at
least, that receive adequate return for the
traordinary energy expended. while do, matter
of fact draw upon our vital resources to degree
o1,of11x I;cy,ro to-
Much of this disposition is traceabe the conditions
Of climate WeAaas to the native energy of the race
But much more of it. and, indeed most if not ALL it.
due to the utterly false training which apply
youth of the country Beginning in the school room,
children forward in all their undertakings at
pace which leaves thought Of repose. The child is
father to the and it would be remarkable
deed if the young boy girl whose faculties main
tanned at the highest point of tension throughout the pc
riod Of life when rest and recreation the vital
quirements to future bodily and mental health
develop into the man woman whose face tells the story
of nordnae effort in the commonplace under
takngs Of life Our youth enter the period of toll
and worldly anxiety long before the time their re-
Of mind body developed the tasks before
them. Precocy in childhood is encouraged admired
by those who chargeabe with the happiness of
ing youth We every day shortening the periods OF
school and college life in order to children
the inferno which make for ourselves of our daily
struggles for wealth. The precocious boy prema
tureiy OLD man. Inc prlnclple Is longer eaInSad by
psychologists So teace which youth can hard
be expected enjoy the peaceful repose advancing
years. itstd
If make d god of dollar there surely be
future resting place except where scramble for
money still remains at its height No being called
truly civilized who remains without leisure The highest
faculties nature remain undeveloped when we al
low ourselves mo- time outside Of the pursuit mereiY
worldly ends AS long the test Of wealth taken
the standard of manhood either in the individual or
the there is but little hope of amendment It is
the gospel of leisure repose that the American
alone acquire the knowledge of the philosophy
Of life in which he is grossly lacking today should
teach to children We should curb the wicked and
demoralizing tendencies Of schools in which the
seeds Of disease and the groundwork
undeyeloped manhood and womanhood is laid. They
should be made to teach something there of the philosophy
which teaches that is rich not according to his
worldly possessions but according the scanness of his
needs We must rebuild national character from the
ground up before comprehend the blessings
Of that civilization which think doing SO much
to advance. s.