The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-24

Begin Lower Down.

Begin Lower Down.
II Is the curse of reform TO deal with
symptoms instead of diseases. Nine
tenths Of the effort OF high minded men
and women is wasted through devotion
to this error They see a poisonous
Siant overshadowing life. and the quick
Knife eats through stalk and lays low
the deadly foliage. when. a little later
earth and air and sunlight have re-
paired the damage and they walk that
way to wee the ugly growth defying
man nature. II Is the perennial folly
of the world. the encouragement OF
statesman and phiianthroplst. the
brake tina. srinds forever ut the wheels
Of progress. II Is the evil genius Of
mankind.
This immemorlal blunder reappears
IN much current eloquence concerning
the respective value of the man and
the dollar. Into this political catch
word people think tina. they have con-
centrated the diffused spirit of human
morality Itself Commerciailsm Is sym
6oiizsd. the power of ideas is exalted.
and foolish praters imagine that they
have rendered tribute to the eternal
veritios when they declare that we
must place the man above the dollar.
And SO we must, indeed. but We shall
% 1t when the man places the dollar
below. not above himself. and no Sec
end of time earlier. The problem and
che reform are individual. not collect
I've. sobriety In the community fol-
lows personal self-control. not legisia-
tive prohibition. In commonwealth
where no individual has his price, the
place OF the dollar will be one OF alb
soiote Indifference. Institutions and
moral systems follow the man
Wherever the doliar liz put above the
man in the world today. II free insti-
buttons prevail. II is the man himself
who placed II there. No other power
could fasien on hLs breast that golden
emblem Of degradation. No other can
tear II away ana east IL beneath his
feet II tickles vanity. Il soothss self
.omplalsance. II pufrs ous ALI the moral
Tissues With expansive pride to be told
that all our units are Independent and
self- respecting integers unui some
wicked man or party comes along and
writes the dollar mark In 'front.' OF them.
THEREAFTER thFy eecome straIghtway
the sordid symbols o. a disgusting com
merctalisEn. Au taas is necdful is that
come eensfactor come along with ready
spoage, and we are gods again This
Ii pleasing TO the Eroun4llnxs, bat ia
IL trgeF
II the influence OF wealth IS powerful
On al parties and among all strata
Of our people threatening too horribly
y national detefiog atioR--a proposition
which we shah no, now discuss whose
che fault ana whose the remedys In.
stssd o. placing the blame comfortably
~lsew here. suppose We have house
cleaning and a raasscSlng of cNrnsrS
NO eEsat,sre IS lower in the public scais
than the man who offers a brshe. How
stands IL with the takerr Are there
feet ready 60 ran On guilty erraaIs
and hands 20 accept disgusting tasks
snaIl we nos ior these OF ana leave the
ccrrWptionlst advertising vaInly 10,
some ore 60 20 general housew srke II
candidate for office aads favor O,
retains it because he has sevarcd I'M
proper appropriations u public fund;
fer local uses where should the AK
fau; upon the sough or the roote IL w,
welcome readily the society % thos.
whose estantation iows from gains a.
gotten. shall we discourage others from
imitation even Il we afterwaTd. In som,
spassn Of morality. compel them t. dis
sAa<sl IN We are going to place ta'