Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-08-03
Old Men Must Go.

ton OF "Shall We Asphyxiate Them?"
in which the matter of rushing young
men to the front in the leading pro-
LESSONS and business activities, is
made the means OF a gravely humor-
Gus disparagement OF those who are
growing old" 1t intimates that if
this prejudice against age continues to
grow, that, our poor houses will, OF
necessity, in the course of time, be
filled with the superannuated. who
have become helpless not from infirm.
ity per Sc, but from popular opinion
that physical maturity, and mental
progressiveness, ends with the age of
forty.
That journal says that Chicago
philosopher had declared after pro-
found reflection, (of course-who ever
heard of Chicago savant who did
not keep his brain working) that every
man after reaching that age-4O-
should be taken out and killed, but he
based his conclusion not upon the USE
lessness of such men, but upon the
theory that at the age of two-score
"men become satisfied with the
status quo, and are consequently clogs
on the chariot wheels of progress"
That idea might pass for having some
weight, were it conceded that prog
ress is always in the right direction,
or that it is invariably for the better.
ment OF social or economic conditions.
But the present tendency towards rad
icalism. manifested under our own
governmental drift, impels the belief
that the conservatism of mature
minds may happily constitute the
brake that will keep the car Of prog
ress from leaving the track and pitch.
ing over the precipice of imperialism.
This is a single but conspicuous in
stance of the wisdom which experience
and knowledge of the world teaches.
1t is hardly possible, after the his
tory OF the worlds achievements has
been spread out as an open book, be-
fore an intelligent people, that age
needs the slightest defense from any
source, but it is fair that we insist the
span of life recognized by the Chicago
sage should not be so mercilessly re-
stricted. Our national Constitution,
by inhibition, declares that no man is
fit to represent the people in the popu-
lar branch of Congress till he is Is
years of age, nor in the "house Of
lords" till he is 30, nor may he aspire
to sit in the Presidential chair till he
is 80 years OF age. So it will be seen
that the difference between the consti-
tutional recognition of qualification
by age, and the same disqualification
by the Chicago critic, is at best only
Is years and at worst five years, quite
q narrow span even for career that
eliminates in that ending of all earth
ly vanity" vexation of spirit" II
mankind has not refrigerated, and the
age of maturity materially receded, all
our Presidents have been from ten to
twenty years over the age when they
should have been "asphyxiated" &C.
cording to the Chicagoan sense of pro-
priety. Washington was II years too
old, Adams and Jackson % years in
excess, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe
IL, Van Buren, and Taylor Is, Harri.
son %, Tyler and Arthur IL, Polk 10,
Pierce 8, Buchanan 26, Lincoln IL,
Johnson IL, Grant 7, Hayes IA, Gar
field 8, Cleveland 8, B. Harrison Is
and Mckinley IA. The U. s. Supreme
Court and all the heads of Depart.
ments are likewise over age, and
would DO subject to "asphyxiation," il
Chicago could have her way in the
matter.
The Chicago sage maintains a pro.
found silence regarding what should
be done with women when they cross
the dead-line of forty. Probably, how
ever, they do not live to that age in
the city OF Phenomenal Progress.