The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-07-20
NOW AS A CITIZEN.
The New Man" Again.
WHAT HE DOES FOR SOCIETY
BY G. GROsvENOR DAVE.

| Written for The Commonwealth.
The New Man as Ctizen.-The in
| dlvldual beads do not constitute neck
lace. The cord that passes through
them explains the slnuous grace with
which they lie upon the bosom Of
beauty. Sever the cord and the collec-
tive grace is gone. The new man, as
a citizen, understands fully that the
one thing which imparts value and In
terest to his life is the fact of his be.
ing in and of and permeated by racial
claims. He knows-and it moulds his
| llfe- that we're he thrust cut alone and
defenseless into the wilds OF forest land
ne would wage losing battle against
the boisterous forces of nature. Part
OF his political creed, therefore, is that
the best things oil life-the protection,
the mutual aid, the transfer of helpful
ideas and almost perfect supremacy
over nature-come from the fact that
he holds by his fellows and his fellows
hold by him. Consequently the new
man, as citizen, is opposed in every
possible way to the fierce individuaIisna
t2at will make man exclaim ''every
man for himself and the Dell take the
hindmost" This makes him opposed
to those things that are selfish in the
behavior either OF citizens who rule or
citizens who are ruled. He is against
thievery and jObbery in high places and
equally against apathy and neglect Of
privilege in low places. You must not
argue with him that greed is an in
stlnct and that self-preservation is the
first law, for he can show you number
less evidences from the history of this
race of ours to prove unselfshness and
self-sacrlfice-even unto death-to have
been the highest possible gain to the
race as whole. In the continuation
OF the discussion he will insist that
you do not drag it down to the indl-
vidual basis; for, to go back to the
necklace illustration, he will show you
that it is the string of common life
that ties us together in one interest and
one benefit. An individual bead can
be taken and yet there will still be a
necklace. So, too, an Individual life
can drop out yet the stream of life will
go On leading us to the understanding
that an Individual life is of merit only
us it brings beauty and strength ard
honor to the glorious whole of which
it is minor part. Il
*.x
The new man, as citizen, is going
to bring to pass in ever increasing de-
gree this test of mans merit-not
"Did he die rich or did he gain indi-
vldual honor?" but "Dld he feel his
social obligations and thus lead the
race gamer by his llfe?" The new man
as citizen accounts for the remark
able growth in this country of the
municipal spirit. We haye advanced
beyond the stage when the physical
conquest of continent used up our
total energy. We have ceased to spread
ourselves thin over broad area and
the waves of population roll back more
aid more upon the town and cities.
The new man sees that this cannot go
on indefinitely, in its past needless way
without straining our social fabric to
its very foundation. Helt is who sees
that tenements are light and airy, that
breathing spaces are reserved in per-
petuity, that life is in every way rem
dered more human both for himself and
for others. He it is who suggests and
carries out vast plans of municipal I'M
provement, whose benefits will be en-
1oyed solely by future generations and
whose burdens are borne most heavily
by this.
~.
The new man, as citizen, will be
prompt to acknowledge that every great
question has two sides. Consequently
though he will not be lacking in very
definite opinions upon all public ques-
tions, yet fierce partisanship will be far
from him and, in its place, only cour-
tesy and charity towards those who op-
pose him. He also sees that the triumph
of an idea does not carry with it SIM
ply the benefit of the triumphant party,
hut that the rights OF the defeated are
a most real obligation upon the shoul-
ders Of the victor. It may be we'll said
that things have not always been so.
Very we'll the new man Will reply
that "the world moves" and he will
also tell you and prove to you that the
nendulum movement in political tri-
umphs has been largely due to the TACT
shat the party In power has forgotten